House committee postpones Clemens, McNamee hearing

"The Justice Department told the committee it would be helpful if we waited until after Radomski is sentenced," the committee's minority staff director, David Marin, wrote in an e-mail to the Associated Press. "This also gives us more time to delve into more recent developments, gather more information, and depose all witnesses before they testify in public."

McNamee lawyer Richard Emery said he believed the postponement was an act of respect toward Mitchell and Tuesday's session.

"He wanted it to be focused on steroids issues and the larger policy issues instead of everyone waiting with bated breath for the professional wrestler to get up there and make a statement," Emery said. "Roger became the main attraction. Usually Congress loves those kind of shows."

Plenty has happened since the committee called for the Clemens-Pettitte-McNamee hearing last Friday.

Clemens, who ranks eighth in major league history with 354 wins, filed a defamation lawsuit Sunday against McNamee. Also Sunday, a TV interview with Clemens aired in which he said McNamee injected him only with vitamin B-12 and the painkiller lidocaine. The pitcher then held a news conference Monday, when he said, "I'm going to Congress, and I'm going to tell the truth," and played a recording of a 17-minute telephone conversation with McNamee that Clemens' side secretly taped.

That tape could be among the items requested by the committee, the same House panel that brought sluggers Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro to Capitol Hill in March 2005. No depositions were taken before that hearing.

"We are considering requests for information from all relevant sources," said Karen Lightfoot, communications director for the committee's chairman, California Democrat Henry Waxman.

McNamee's attorneys have urged the committee to obtain a recording of a conversation between his client and investigators who work for Clemens' law firm. That meeting took place Dec. 12, a day before the Mitchell Report was released.

Pettitte acknowledged McNamee injected him twice with HGH. Radomski is alleged to have supplied McNamee with performance-enhancing drugs.

"I'll be very interested to see the order of the depositions, whether we will be provided with other people's depositions when they are taken," Emery said.

If the witnesses are allowed to see others' depositions, that could create an advantage for those testifying later in the process.

Hardin said: "The one thing I want to make certain is, is that we don't educate McNamee as to which story to tell these days."

McNamee reached an agreement in which he would not be prosecuted as long as he was truthful in what he told federal investigators and Mitchell. His lawyers will seek a similar agreement with the committee, Emery said.

Marin declined to comment when asked about the possibility of immunity for congressional testimony. Before the committee's 2005 hearing, Jose Canseco -- whose book about steroids in baseball drew congressional scrutiny - requested immunity but was turned down.

The 45-year-old Clemens put off retirement yet again in 2007, returning to the Yankees in June and going 6-6 with a 4.18 ERA. The right-hander hasn't said whether he will pitch in the majors in 2008.