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Congress Requests A Clemens Inquiry
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Pettitte also gave sworn statements to the committee saying he had two conversations with Clemens about Clemens's use of human growth hormone, but Clemens said during the hearing Pettitte "misremembers" those discussions. Clemens also said he received only shots of vitamin B12 and the painkiller Lidocaine from team personnel.
The memorandum, however, quoted medical staff and trainers from the four Major League Baseball teams for which Clemens has played disputing various accounts he gave of receiving those substances.
Yesterday's referral brings to six the number of current or former professional athletes who could face, or have faced, federal charges of lying about steroid or other drug use in connection with the five-year-old investigation into a steroid ring run by the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (Balco). McNamee and former Mets clubhouse official Kirk Radomski, who also supplied information to Mitchell, were forced to cooperate with Mitchell by Balco investigators.
Track star Marion Jones will begin a six-month prison term in March after having been convicted on two counts of making false statements to Balco investigators about her steroid use and knowledge of a fraudulent check scheme. Baseball slugger Barry Bonds, meantime, has been charged with five counts of perjury and obstruction of justice and faces a maximum of 30 years in prison.
Former cyclist Tammy Thomas and track coach Trevor Graham also have been indicted on federal charges of making false statements in connection with Balco.
Waxman and Davis made their request on the same day that the commissioners and players' union leaders of MLB, the NFL, the NBA and the NHL told a House subcommittee that their leagues had taken significant steps to address their problems with performance-enhancing drugs.
The House subcommittee on commerce, trade and consumer protection is considering possible legislation to standardize drug-testing procedures among the major professional sports.
The executives largely urged the lawmakers to leave the formulation of drug-testing policies to the collective bargaining process in each league.
"I think that they have done what they could do," Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.), the subcommittee chairman, said during a break in the hearing. "But despite the fact they pronounce it's fully under control, we could do more. . . . There's nothing concrete we're looking at. At the conclusion of this process, we'll figure out where we are and where we need to be."
