Sat Jan 17th 2009
Brian McNamee met Friday for more than five hours with assistant United States Attorney Daniel P. Butler, the man in charge of the federal government's investigation into whether pitcher Roger Clemens perjured himself.
The meeting came nearly a year after McNamee and Clemens appeared before Congress and told stories so wildly divergent that one of them had to be lying under oath.
McNamee, who likely soon will appear before a grand jury that will determine whether Clemens should be indicted, was accompanied yesterday by his attorneys Earl Ward and Richard Emery.
"We came away extremely heartened and confident in these federal officials," Emery said.
"These prosecutors are professional, impressive and totally prepared. They are creative in their pursuit of new and impressive lines of evidence."
Butler declined to discuss the proceedings, and Emery said Friday that he would not disclose any specifics of the meeting, which was also attended by FBI agent John Longmire, who has been investigating Clemens since last winter. Former IRS agent and current FDA agent Jeff Novitzky, who has led the government's steroid investigation and obtained testimony and evidence from McNamee, participated by telephone.
"I can tell you they asked questions and Brian gave them careful answers that will be difficult for Clemens to answer if he's indicted," Emery said.
McNamee arrived at Butler's office at 10:13 a.m. and left at about 3:30 p.m.
The investigators reviewed evidence and testimony provided by McNamee, who has been cooperating with federal prosecutors since his name arose in Novitzky's investigation of admitted steroid dealer Kirk Radomski.
Houston Astros infielder Miguel Tejada is also a subject of a Justice Department inquiry into whether he lied to congressional lawyers in an interview in 2005. The Washington grand jury may also be hearing evidence in that case.
The meeting came nearly a year after McNamee and Clemens appeared before Congress and told stories so wildly divergent that one of them had to be lying under oath.
McNamee, who likely soon will appear before a grand jury that will determine whether Clemens should be indicted, was accompanied yesterday by his attorneys Earl Ward and Richard Emery.
"We came away extremely heartened and confident in these federal officials," Emery said.