George Bush: The Unauthorized Biography - Get a Free Blog

had Minarczik's name and telephone number, and that there is a record of calls to the White House
at that time?
Gregg: I cannot account for it. Could it have anything to do with our old friend Mr. Brenicke
[sic]? Because Brenicke did have Minarczik's phone number....
Sen. Kerry: ... No. Totally separate.
Gregg: This is all new. I do not have an explanation, sir....
Sen. Kerry: Do you recall the downing of a Cuban airliner in [1976] in which 72 people lost their
lives as a result; do you remember that?
Gregg: Yes.
Sen. Kerry: A terrorist bomb. And a Cuban-American named Luis Posada [Carriles] was arrested
in Venezuela in connection with that. He then escaped in 1985 with assistance from Felix
Rodriguez-- I do not know if this is going to be in the [Rodriguez] book or not...
-Gregg: It is.
Sen. Kerry: Okay, and he brought him to Central America to help the Contras under pseudonym of
Ramon Medina, correct? Gregg: Now, I know that; yes.
Sen. Kerry: ... [Is] it appropriate for a Felix Rodriguez to help a man indicted in a terrorist
bombing to escape from prison, and then appropriate for him to take him to become involved in
supply operations, which we are supporting?
Gregg: I cannot justify that, sir. And I am not certain what role Felix played in getting him out.... I
thought that Orlando Boche [sic], or someone of that nature, had been responsible for that.
Sen. Kerry: When did you first learn that [i.e. about Posada's hiring for Contra resupply], Don?
Gregg: When I learned who the various aliases were, which was some time in
November/December [1986], after the whole thing came out.
COMMITTEE SESSION JUNE 15, 1989
Sen. Cranston: Before proceeding in this matter, I would like to state clearly for the record what
the central purpose of this investigation is about and in my view what it is not about. It is not about
who is for or against the Contras.... Similarly, this investigation is not about building up or tearing
down our new President [Bush]. We have tried throughout this proceeding to avoid partisan
attacks. Indeed, Republicans and Democrats alike have sought Mr. Gregg's withdrawal as one
way to avoid casting aspersions on the [Bush] White House.... [emphasis added].
Mr. Gregg remains steadfast in his loyalty to his boss, then-Vice President Bush, and to his longtime
friend, Felix Rodriguez. Mr. Gregg has served his country in the foreign policy field for more
than three decades. By all accounts he is a loyal American.... As Mr. Gregg himself conceded last
month, there are substantial reasons for senators to suspect his version of events and to raise
questions about his judgement. It does not take a suspicious or partisan mind to look at the
documentary evidence, the back channel cables, the `` eyes only '' memos, and then to conclude
that Mr. Gregg has not been straight with us. Indeed, I am informed that more than one