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Clemens in Front of Congress
I’m not going to exhaust this topic. I strongly believe that the very fact that media outlets and blogs like this one cover this lends to the problem.
I’ve been watching the live hearing of Roger Clemens in front of the House of Representatives. The ridiculousness of these hearings and the ridiculousness of the Mitchell Report are coming out. Many Congressman are actively defending Roger Clemens, pointing out that the only evidence against him comes from a single compromised witness, and that he deserves the benefit of the doubt. Furthermore, Clemens said, under oath, in no uncertain terms that he never used steroids or HGH. That is plenty for me to prove his innocence. He would face jail time if caught in the lie. As he points out, it is impossible to prove a negative, so he deserves the benefit of the doubt.
However, these hearings have clearly shown the absurdity of the situation. Why is Roger Clemens on national television in front of The United States House of Representatives? He is one citizen among millions of drug users. Being rich and famous does not qualify him as more important to the Congress. One Congressman, correctly, called it “a lynching”, and he’s correct. What a joke.
As if to demonstrate my point, a Congressman just asked Clemens which jersey he would wear to the Hall of Fame. This is appalling. I constantly defend our elected Representatives against unfair attacks by the media and people disillusioned by that media. Not today. While people lose their jobs in Ohio, our Congress lowers itself to the level of a tabloid.
Update: I’m currently working on a fairly comprehensive list of Congressmen who supported this move by the House Government and Oversight Committee. I’ll also include names of Congressmen who openly questioned the validity of these hearings.
Update:
Members who basked in the limelight:
- Representative Henry Waxman from California - “Wouldn’t shut up all day. Clearly thinks he can benefit from some television cameras.“
- Representative Stephen Lynch from Massachusetts
- Representative John Tierney from Massachusetts
- Representative Diane Watson from California
- Representative Eliajah Cummings from Maryland
- Representative Bruce Braley from Iowa - “Are you a Vegan?“
- Representative Tom Davis of Virginia- Ranking Republican member
- Representative Mark Souder of Indiana - At least pointed out the macro-issue of Steroids in MLB baseball and Bud Selig’s role, even if that isn’t the committee’s role.
- Representative John Mica of Florida
- Representative Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts
And those who openly questioned the absurdity of the hearings:
- Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton of Washington D.C.
- Representative John Duncan Jr. of Tennessee
- Representative Chris Shays of Connecticut
- Representative Lynn Westmoreland of Georgia - “What the heck are we all doing here anyway?“
- Representative William Lacy Clay of Missouri
- Representative Virginia Foxx of North Carolina
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15 Responses to “Clemens in Front of Congress”
February 13th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
This is good for Roger I guess, but I would really feel better about it if they looked into it seriously and didn’t just ignore it. Why is Roger getting this kind of treatment when the whole Barry Bonds issue was basically started on similar grounds… it just feels off.
February 13th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Et tu, E.J.??
No more Clemens! No more steroids! No more HGH. Please, E.J. we can stop talking about the same crap the major media outlets do! We can talk about prospect profiles! We can run projections and PECOTAs! We can try to solve the first base dilemma! We can do better! Yes we can! Yes we can!
You have an interesting take, as always, but this is one can of worms I’d prefer leaving unopened. I think you should consider a complete moratorium on Steroids and Mitchells and Clemens and all their ilk. Please!
February 13th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Trust me, I hate it as much as you Yoss. However, I will be preparing a list of Congressman who supported calling Clemens before this committee for people to consider with the upcoming election.
February 13th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Mmmmm… PECOTAs….
February 13th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
I wish I could legally publish them
I’ve got the spreadsheet here.
February 13th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
I wrote a piece about it as well EJ. In the end, I think we learned nothing, and got nowhere in a issue that shouldn’t be in front of Congress. Read it and let me know what you think.
February 13th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Eliajah Cummings from Maryland = moron
Dan Burton (I think that was the 1) = the best of them all … I love how he openly called McNamee a liar about 10 times.
Was very exhausting and I’m freaking TIRED of looking at Waxman’s rate face…the guy had it out for Clemens big time.
February 13th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Waxman made the most sense.Every republician was ripping Mcnamee and treating Clemens like a hero and Waxman wanted to make sure Clemens got the same treatment and made sure when Mcnamee was called a “drug Dealer” that he said Mcnamee did what he was told and not forcing these players to take it.He gave it too his friend there was no drug empire.
Clemens was gulity.Andy Pettitte,Chuck Knoublach,and Rogers Nanny is better witnesses then Canseco,Cansecos wife,and Clemens wife that we are to believe took HGH in her house without Clemens knowledge and he left her out to dry.
This was a REpublician execution of Mcnamme.
February 13th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Adian, please explain to me why a this was a matter for the Congress and not some local district attorney.
February 13th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
‘Clemens said, under oath, in no uncertain terms that he never used steroids or HGH. That is plenty for me to prove his innocence. He would face jail time if caught in the lie.’
Man thats weak, So McNamee, who would also face jail time and who told the confirmed truth about everyone else, is lying about Clemens?
Or Clemens who said Pettite misremembered a conversation about his wife from years before hiswife took HGH?
Look Clemens used steroids and apparently is an some for of mental midget with serious ego problems.
He tosses a little white ball at people who swing sticks. He is no hero and anyone who ever thinks of an athlete in such a way needs examined as well. I don’t care if he did or didn’t but it seems much more likely that he did and everyones statements seem to go that direction.
Oh and Billy,
You are clueless.
‘Eliajah Cummings from Maryland = moron
Dan Burton (I think that was the 1) = the best of them all … I love how he openly called McNamee a liar about 10 times.’
Cummings at least asked questions while all Burton did was make speeches. He called McNamee a liar while asking Clemens nothing. Why did it thrill you to see a man in a tough spot grandstanded by a pompous ass of a politician? Even if you agree with Clemens Burtons performance was shameful.
February 13th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
I read that Clemens was asked about being a vegan because that would give him a reason to take B-12.
February 13th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
The hearing was not only a waste of our tax money, but political circus. A joke which no one cares anymore but want to focus on whats best for baseball in the long term.
They should not press charges against Clemens. If they plan on doing so, they should do the same thing against McGwire, Palmerio (pointing fingers) “I never take steroids!”, and Sosa.
McNamee and Waxman had something in common.. they were full of s–t.
It was like the Democrats were against Clemens (or they might have to because Mitchell was a Democrat) and the Republicans were supportive of Clemens.
February 14th, 2008 at 2:05 am
Lying and perjury are two different things. The only evidence Congress has against Clemens is Pettitte and his wife, maybe. Even he didn’t disclose fully until his deposition so he isn’t exactly a model citizen. McNamee is a habitual liar, not really a credible witness there. There isn’t really much to go on for a prosecutor. But an investigation will happen and they just might find something………on Roger Clemens. Roger Clemens for the HOF!
February 14th, 2008 at 3:22 am
Like all of you. I hate feeding into this and feel its a 100% total waste of time. Also, it is another example of how the US Government is completely out of touch with what its mission in life should be. The reason I’m commenting here is because I don’t think anybody has looked at this from Clemens point of view - which is, you’ve worked and lived with people during your entire professional career, you’ve been a man of complete integrity and at the top of your profession and some loser comes around and makes some accusations and, boom, everyone you’ve come in contact with over your lifetime turns on you! His disappointment in the people around him has got to be profound. Mine already is and has been for a long time.
February 14th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
pedro likes his all-bran
pffffffftttt.
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