WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. Congress asked the Justice Department to investigate whether former MVP Miguel Tejada lied to committee staff when he was interviewed in 2005 in connection with the Rafael Palmeiro steroids case.
House Oversight and Government Committee chairman Henry Waxman opened Tuesday's hearing into the Mitchell Report about drug use in Major League Baseball by announcing he and Tom Davis sent a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey on Tuesday.
"Tejada told the committee that he never used illegal performance-enhancing drugs and that he had no knowledge of other players using or even talking about steroids," Waxman said. "Well, the Mitchell Report, however, directly contradicts key elements of Mr. Tejada's testimony."
Said Davis: "We've concluded further investigation is warranted."
When the same congressional panel held a hearing in March 2005, Palmeiro declared he'd never used steroids. Palmeiro was suspended by MLB later that year after testing positive for a steroid.
The committee later looked into whether Palmeiro should face perjury charges, but eventually dropped the matter.
Palmeiro said his positive test must have resulted from a B-12 vitamin injection given to him by Tejada. That prompted Congress to talk to Tejada, who at the time was a Baltimore Orioles teammate of Palmeiro's. Tejada was traded to the Houston Astros on Dec. 12.
The letter contains excerpts from the Aug. 26, 2005, interview of Tejada at a hotel in Baltimore. At the time, the Dominican and Palmeiro played for the Orioles.
"Has there been discussion among other players about steroids?" a committee staffer asked, according to the letter.
"No, I never heard," Tejada replied.
"You never knew of any other player using steroids?" Tejada was asked.
"No," he replied.
"Have you ever taken a steroid before?" he was asked at another point.
"No," he said.
Tejada also answered "No" when asked whether he had ever taken any illegal performance-enhancing drugs, androstenedione or any other steroid precursor.
The letter then quotes a portion of the Mitchell Report in which Tejada's former Oakland Athletics teammate Adam Piatt said he discussed steroid use with Tejada, and "recalled that he provided Tejada with testosterone or Deca-Durabolin, as well as human growth hormone."
Tejada's agent, Fern Cuza, didn't respond to a telephone message or e-mail.
House Oversight and Government Committee chairman Henry Waxman opened Tuesday's hearing into the Mitchell Report about drug use in Major League Baseball by announcing he and Tom Davis sent a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey on Tuesday.
"Tejada told the committee that he never used illegal performance-enhancing drugs and that he had no knowledge of other players using or even talking about steroids," Waxman said. "Well, the Mitchell Report, however, directly contradicts key elements of Mr. Tejada's testimony."
Said Davis: "We've concluded further investigation is warranted."
When the same congressional panel held a hearing in March 2005, Palmeiro declared he'd never used steroids. Palmeiro was suspended by MLB later that year after testing positive for a steroid.
The committee later looked into whether Palmeiro should face perjury charges, but eventually dropped the matter.
Palmeiro said his positive test must have resulted from a B-12 vitamin injection given to him by Tejada. That prompted Congress to talk to Tejada, who at the time was a Baltimore Orioles teammate of Palmeiro's. Tejada was traded to the Houston Astros on Dec. 12.
The letter contains excerpts from the Aug. 26, 2005, interview of Tejada at a hotel in Baltimore. At the time, the Dominican and Palmeiro played for the Orioles.
"Has there been discussion among other players about steroids?" a committee staffer asked, according to the letter.
"No, I never heard," Tejada replied.
"You never knew of any other player using steroids?" Tejada was asked.
"No," he replied.
"Have you ever taken a steroid before?" he was asked at another point.
"No," he said.
Tejada also answered "No" when asked whether he had ever taken any illegal performance-enhancing drugs, androstenedione or any other steroid precursor.
The letter then quotes a portion of the Mitchell Report in which Tejada's former Oakland Athletics teammate Adam Piatt said he discussed steroid use with Tejada, and "recalled that he provided Tejada with testosterone or Deca-Durabolin, as well as human growth hormone."
Tejada's agent, Fern Cuza, didn't respond to a telephone message or e-mail.
