Day 025 - 16 Sep 94 - Page 68
1 Raber and Dentice, and some people with initials only.
2 Again, it is the same signature at the bottom of that list
3 of people. It is the same date but this time 4.20 p.m..
4
5 You agree with me that this is a press release from the
6 office of the Attorney General of Texas?
7 A. Well, it certainly appears to be. I do not recall
8 having seen the press release at the time or since.
9
10 Q. I am not asking whether you had any involvement; you would
11 agree that is what it appears to be?
12 A. I am drawing that distinction. I do not know what was
13 in the press release. I would want to see the original
14 but it appears to be a transcription of it.
15
16 Q. Please be patient with me. It appears to be a press
17 release from the Attorney General of Texas' office, does
18 it not?
19 A. It appears to be.
20
21 Q. This says: "This the letter from Jim Mattox, Attorney
22 General for the State of Texas, and it was released today,
23 April 24th 1987", does it not?
24 A. It does say that. I do not believe that to be part of
25 the press release.
26
27 Q. But make the assumption that is true, then I would like
28 you to read the text of the press release, if I may call
29 it that, to yourself.
30 A. I have read it.
31
32 Q. Yes. There are one or two questions about this document.
33 I accept your evidence for the present, at least, that you
34 had no hand in the preparation of this document because
35 that is what you are telling us, or you do not recollect
36 having done so?
37 A. In the ordinary turn of events, I would not have and
38 would not have even seen a draft of it prior to its
39 release. I normally would be mailed a copy, but if
40 I received a copy afterwards, it is probable I would just
41 have stuck it away.
42
43 Q. Forget all that. As I have said to you, I make no
44 complaint about the formal letters which were sent to
45 McDonald's and the text being read over the telephone by
46 you; that is a perfectly acceptable way of proceeding as
47 far as I am concerned. What I want to ask you is this.
48 On reading this and seeing that, in fact, it will have
49 reached the media before McDonald's got the actual letter
50 in their hand, that they had the text from you on the
51 telephone, the very same day, first of all this, is this a
52 normal way for an Attorney General to proceed, to
53 communicate privately and at the same time to go public in
54 this way?
55 A. I do not know what you mean by "normal". It certainly
56 happens. This is by no means an isolated instance.
57
58 Q. Does the text of this press release cause you any
59 embarrassment?
60 A. No, sir.
