Justice Department Investigates Clemens

Roger Clemens is known as one of the best pitchers in baseball history. With his recent task to convince Congress that he never took steroids or human growth hormone, he also attempted to suggest that his accuser and former trainer, Brian McNamee, was lying. Unfortunately for Clemens, members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether Clemens committed perjury under oath when he denied any use of illegal drugs.

The request did not ask that McNamee be investigated for perjury. While questioning McNamee and Clemens, most Democrats appeared to support McNamee and most Republicans attacked him, with one accusing him of lying.

Even if Clemens knew he had not been injected with the drugs by McNamee, he was foolish to testify for fear of being accused of perjury. The contradictions in Clemens' testimony were enough to bring the congressional referral. It's a felony to lie to a federal officer or a congressional committee. Additionally, federal agents do not need a congressional referral to investigate possible perjury or potential crime they witness.

Federal agents who have been debriefing McNamee and leading the investigation into drug abuse in professional sports, were in the hearing room listening to Clemens' and McNamee's testimony. The congressional letter to the Justice Department did not state that Waxman and Davis thought Clemens lied. They believe that his testimony in a previous deposition and at a hearing, indicating that he never used anabolic steroids or human growth hormone, warrants further investigation.

According to the committee, Clemens' testimony was found to be implausible. McNamee testified Clemens asked to be injected with steroids. Federal investigators may have more evidence than the committee that McNamee is said to have turned over to federal agents.

McNamee's lawyer who specializes in congressional hearings had released a statement saying that the committee's investigation shows that no one is above the law, not even our most athletes. Clemens' atto
ey released a statement saying that the committee's decision is unwarranted and not factual. Roger Clemens has known from the beginning that if he chose to speak publicly and challenge what was said about him, he would one day face a criminal referral from Congress. The fact that he chose to testify twice under oath while knowing the short-term consequences is clear proof of how strongly he believes that he is innocent. nn