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Clemens Hearing In House Delayed

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The Associated Press

Published: January 10, 2008

WASHINGTON - Congress wants to be prepared when Roger Clemens and his former trainer, Brian McNamee, head to Capitol Hill.

The House hearing involving Clemens, McNamee and Andy Pettitte was postponed Wednesday from Jan. 16 until Feb. 13, giving lawmakers more time to gather evidence, take depositions from the witnesses and coordinate their investigation with the Justice Department.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform was to begin meeting with lawyers for the witnesses today. Clemens' attorney, Rusty Hardin, said he hopes to meet with committee staffers next week. In addition, McNamee is to meet with federal prosecutors today in New York.

"Roger hasn't done anything," Hardin said. "The federal government looking at Roger is fine with me."

Plans are still in place for the Jan. 15 hearing before the same committee about the Mitchell Report on baseball's Steroids Era. The witnesses that day will be Commissioner Bud Selig, union leader Donald Fehr and former Senate majority leader George Mitchell, the report's author.

Questioned by federal prosecutors last year, McNamee said he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone in 1998, 2000 and 2001. Prosecutors had him repeat those charges to Mitchell, and since the report was issued last month, Clemens has repeatedly and vehemently denied the allegations.

A lawyer for McNamee said Wednesday his client wants immunity from the House committee. Hardin said Clemens will not request immunity.

McNamee will meet with the BALCO prosecutors who are in the area for former track star Marion Jones' sentencing Friday. Jones pleaded guilty to lying to investigators about steroid use and a check-fraud scheme.

"They want to talk to him while they're in town," said Earl Ward, McNamee's primary lawyer.

Does this mean prosecutors are now turning their attention to Clemens?

"Nothing like that," Ward said. "They just wanted to grab a cup of coffee, that's all. It's just an informal, quick meeting."

Last week, Congress asked seven-time Cy Young Award winner Clemens, teammate and friend Pettitte and their ex-trainer, McNamee, to testify under oath. Also invited were former Yankees player Chuck Knoblauch and Kirk Radomski, the former Mets clubhouse attendant who was one of the main sources of evidence for the Mitchell Report.

Radomski pleaded guilty in April to federal felony charges of distributing steroids and laundering money, and he is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 8.

"The Justice Department told the committee it would be helpful if we waited until after Radomski is sentenced," the committee's minority staff director, David Marin, wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "This also gives us more time to delve into more recent developments, gather more information, and depose all witnesses before they testify in public."

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