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Baseball star Clemens charged with perjury in steroid testimony
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By the CNN Wire Staff
August 19, 2010
(CNN) — Former major league pitcher Roger Clemens was indicted Thursday for obstruction of Congress, making false statements and perjury related to testimony he gave before a congressional committee in 2008.
The charges stem from a 2008 appearance by the ball player and his former trainer, Brian McNamee, before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. In their sworn testimony, the two contradicted each other, with Clemens denying that he used performance-enhancing drugs.
McNamee's testimony, as well as a report by former Sen. George Mitchell, stated that Clemens had in fact used banned substances at points in his career.
Clemens has not pitched since 2007. He had a stellar career playing for the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros and New York Yankees. He was the first pitcher to win seven Cy Young awards.
On Thursday, Clemens made the following statement, linking to it from his Twitter account: "I never took HGH or Steroids. And I did not lie to Congress. I look forward to challenging the Governments accusations, and hope people will keep an open mind until trial. I appreciate all the support I have been getting. I am happy to finally have my day in court."
According to the indictment, Clemens faces one count of obstruction of Congress, three counts of making false statements, and two counts of perjury.
A grand jury in Washington handed down the indictment.
Clemens "did corruptly endeavor to influence, obstruct, and impede" the congressional investigation into the use of steroids by him and other major league players, the indictment states, referring to the obstruction of Congress charge.
The three counts of making false statements reflect statements Clemens made about human growth hormone, steroids, and vitamin B12.
During the February 2008 hearing, Clemens vehemently denied using performance-enhancing drugs. Steroid use "is totally incompatible with who I am and what I stand for," he told lawmakers, adding, "I cannot in good conscience admit to doing something that I did not do, even if it would be easier to do so."
His testimony put him at odds with McNamee as well as one-time Yankees teammate Andy Pettite, who told a league investigation led by Mitchell that Clemens admitted using human growth hormone. A few weeks later, the committee's leaders asked the Justice Department to launch a perjury probe of Clemens.
Clemens told investigators Pettite must have "misheard" him, and he accused McNamee of lying "to save his own skin" as federal authorities began probing the use of steroids in major sports. He filed a defamation suit against his ex-trainer in late 2008.
Thursday's indictment states that at the time that Clemens made those statements, he knew them to be false.
The pitcher also claimed that the shots he did receive from his trainer were vitamin B12, which is an allowed substance. But the trainer never had access to B12 and never injected him with such supplements, the indictment states.
The final two counts of perjury are related to his testimony denying use of human growth hormone and steroids.
"Whether it's a member of the Cabinet, a CEO or a professional athlete, if there is evidence that someone has intentionally misled a Congressional investigative committee, they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible," said Kurt Bardella, spokesman for California Rep. Darrell Issa. Issa is now the ranking Republican of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
"There is no mechanism to justify lying to Congress," Bardella said.
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