Feb. 26, 2008, 1:00PM
Clemens arrives at camp, avoids questions on steroids
By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
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KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Embattled righthander Roger Clemens arrived at camp this afternoon but didn't address any questions about the Mitchell Report.
According to team spokesman Jimmy Stanton, Clemens has said he will throw batting practice Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to the club's minor-leaguers.
Clemens, who may be investigated for perjury by the Justice Department, was implicated in the use of steroids and performance-enhancement drugs on Dec. 13 when the Mitchell Report was released.
According to Stanton earlier today, Clemens said, "I will not be answering any questions." Clemens has a 10-year personal services contract with the Astros, and he'll serve as an instructor to the organization's young pitchers during parts of spring training.
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform may be primed to ask the Department of Justice to investigate whether Roger Clemens perjured himself before the committee on Feb. 13.
Citing two lawyers who spoke under the condition of anonymity, The New York Times reported on its website Monday that “a draft letter referring Clemens, but not his accuser, Brian McNamee, had been drawn up by staff members for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform by the end of last week, according to two of the lawyers.
However, all three lawyers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly on the matter, said it was possible that McNamee could also be included in the referral by the time it is sent to the Justice Department.”
In the report former Senator George Mitchell developed and presented for baseball commissioner Bud Selig, McNamee claimed to have injected Clemens with steroids and Human Growth Hormones and multiple occasions since 1998.
Clemens has vehemently denied the claims since the Mitchell Report was released on Dec. 13. Since December, Clemens’ lawyer, Rusty Hardin, questioned the methodology Mitchell used in preparing the report.
After initially saying he wouldn’t call players to a committee hearing on the use of performance-enhancement drugs in baseball, Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., reversed course an invited Clemens, former Yankees teammates Andy Pettitte and Chuck Knoblauch, McNamee, convicted steroids pusher Kirk Radomski to a hearing.
Waxman said he decided on inviting the players in response to Hardin's and Clemens' claims.
Before that hearing was held on Feb. 13, all five men were invited to give a deposition. After the depositions, Pettitte, Knoblauch and Radomski were allowed to skip the hearing so the focus could remain on Clemens and McNamee.
At those hearings, Clemens and McNamee stuck to their stories, leaving the possibility that Waxman would ask the Justice Department to investigate whether Clemens or McNamee lied under oath.
Clemens arrives at camp, avoids questions on steroids
By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
<!-- rbox goes here --><!-- rbox ends here -->
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Embattled righthander Roger Clemens arrived at camp this afternoon but didn't address any questions about the Mitchell Report.
According to team spokesman Jimmy Stanton, Clemens has said he will throw batting practice Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to the club's minor-leaguers.
Clemens, who may be investigated for perjury by the Justice Department, was implicated in the use of steroids and performance-enhancement drugs on Dec. 13 when the Mitchell Report was released.
According to Stanton earlier today, Clemens said, "I will not be answering any questions." Clemens has a 10-year personal services contract with the Astros, and he'll serve as an instructor to the organization's young pitchers during parts of spring training.
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform may be primed to ask the Department of Justice to investigate whether Roger Clemens perjured himself before the committee on Feb. 13.
Citing two lawyers who spoke under the condition of anonymity, The New York Times reported on its website Monday that “a draft letter referring Clemens, but not his accuser, Brian McNamee, had been drawn up by staff members for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform by the end of last week, according to two of the lawyers.
However, all three lawyers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly on the matter, said it was possible that McNamee could also be included in the referral by the time it is sent to the Justice Department.”
In the report former Senator George Mitchell developed and presented for baseball commissioner Bud Selig, McNamee claimed to have injected Clemens with steroids and Human Growth Hormones and multiple occasions since 1998.
Clemens has vehemently denied the claims since the Mitchell Report was released on Dec. 13. Since December, Clemens’ lawyer, Rusty Hardin, questioned the methodology Mitchell used in preparing the report.
After initially saying he wouldn’t call players to a committee hearing on the use of performance-enhancement drugs in baseball, Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., reversed course an invited Clemens, former Yankees teammates Andy Pettitte and Chuck Knoblauch, McNamee, convicted steroids pusher Kirk Radomski to a hearing.
Waxman said he decided on inviting the players in response to Hardin's and Clemens' claims.
Before that hearing was held on Feb. 13, all five men were invited to give a deposition. After the depositions, Pettitte, Knoblauch and Radomski were allowed to skip the hearing so the focus could remain on Clemens and McNamee.
At those hearings, Clemens and McNamee stuck to their stories, leaving the possibility that Waxman would ask the Justice Department to investigate whether Clemens or McNamee lied under oath.
