Clemens Vs. McNamee Continued

The question of who is telling the truth in today’s hearing in the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on baseball and steroids largely comes down to a matter of individual credibility. Former baseball trainer Brian McNamee has a confirmed history of lying to authorities in a 2001 rape investigation and has given differing accounts to federal authorities in this investigation. But Roger Clemens has a credibility problem, too, which Rep. John Tierney (D-Mass.) dug into.

Clemens told the committee in his deposition that he never spoke with McNamee about human growth hormone. Later in that same deposition, when asked about specific conversations he had with McNamee about HGH, he conceded they occurred. “We know that some of the things you told us in great earnestness are not true,” Tierney pointed out.

Clemens filibustered in response but Tierney interrupted. “That’s all helpful, Mr. Clemens, but I’m reading to you from the transcript,” Tierney said. The cross-examination was serious enough for Clemens’ lawyer to lean forward to consult Clemens on his response. Clemens' defense comes down to claiming a difference in the definition of what he meant by a conversation about HGH. It was not a good moment for Clemens.