They made a federal case out of The Rocket Thursday.
The FBI announced that it has opened an investigation into whether Roger Clemens committed perjury two weeks ago in congressional testimony when denying that he had used steroids or human growth hormone.
“The request to open an investigation on the congressional testimony of Roger Clemens has been turned over to the FBI and will receive appropriate investigative action by the Washington Field Office,” said Debra Weierman, a spokesman for the local FBI office in Washington, D.C.
The bureau acted a day after the ranking members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform sent a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey saying the many contradictions in Clemens' testimony “warrants further investigation.” Clemens and his former trainer and accuser, Brian McNamee, gave totally contradictory stories about the pitcher's alleged use of the drugs during a half-day of testimony.
Disputing Clemens' account that McNamee gave him only shots of vitamin B-12 or the painkiller lidocaine, the pitcher's former trainer said he injected Clemens as many as 20 times with steroids or HGH.
Clemens' lawyer, Rusty Hardin, issued a statement Thursday, referring to the presence of federal agents at the hearing, saying, “We've always expected they would open an investigation. They attended the congressional hearing. So what's new?”
A spokesman for Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the house committee, declined to comment.
Media speculation on who might investigate any possible perjury by Clemens or McNamee has focused on the role of IRS and FBI agents from San Francisco who have led a national investigation into illegal drug use by athletes.
Several of those agents were in the congressional hearing room listening to Clemens' and McNamee's testimony.
But sources familiar with the perjury investigation said the case was assigned to the FBI office in Washington both for geographical and statutory reasons.
The alleged perjury, if it did occur, happened in Washington, and the FBI, not the IRS, investigates perjury. This does not mean that the law enforcement officials from California will not aid the perjury investigation.
“This is a case about whether Clemens committed the crime of perjury, not whether or not he illegally used steroids and human growth hormone,” said one source.
“The request to open an investigation on the congressional testimony of Roger Clemens has been turned over to the FBI and will receive appropriate investigative action by the Washington Field Office,” said Debra Weierman, a spokesman for the local FBI office in Washington, D.C.
The bureau acted a day after the ranking members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform sent a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey saying the many contradictions in Clemens' testimony “warrants further investigation.” Clemens and his former trainer and accuser, Brian McNamee, gave totally contradictory stories about the pitcher's alleged use of the drugs during a half-day of testimony.
Disputing Clemens' account that McNamee gave him only shots of vitamin B-12 or the painkiller lidocaine, the pitcher's former trainer said he injected Clemens as many as 20 times with steroids or HGH.
Clemens' lawyer, Rusty Hardin, issued a statement Thursday, referring to the presence of federal agents at the hearing, saying, “We've always expected they would open an investigation. They attended the congressional hearing. So what's new?”
A spokesman for Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the house committee, declined to comment.
Media speculation on who might investigate any possible perjury by Clemens or McNamee has focused on the role of IRS and FBI agents from San Francisco who have led a national investigation into illegal drug use by athletes.
Several of those agents were in the congressional hearing room listening to Clemens' and McNamee's testimony.
But sources familiar with the perjury investigation said the case was assigned to the FBI office in Washington both for geographical and statutory reasons.
The alleged perjury, if it did occur, happened in Washington, and the FBI, not the IRS, investigates perjury. This does not mean that the law enforcement officials from California will not aid the perjury investigation.
“This is a case about whether Clemens committed the crime of perjury, not whether or not he illegally used steroids and human growth hormone,” said one source.
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