[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992-1993, Book II)]
[December 30, 1992]
[Pages 2216-2217]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement by Press Secretary Fitzwater on the Iran-Contra Investigation
December 30, 1992

    On December 14, President Bush asked the Independent Counsel to 
supply him with a copy of his deposition of January 11, 1988, given in 
connection with the Iran-contra investigation. On December 18, the 
Independent Counsel wrote President Bush a letter stating that his 
office was considering the request. The Independent Counsel assured the 
President that his office would ``try to comply.''
    Yesterday, however, the Deputy Independent Counsel informed the 
White House that the Independent Counsel had decided not to provide 
President Bush with a copy of the deposition at this time. President 
Bush has therefore asked former Attorney General Griffin Bell to assist 
him in seeking to obtain for public release a copy of this document. 
Judge Bell will also assume full responsibility for advising the

[[Page 2217]]

President should the Independent Counsel fail to complete his 
investigation during the President's term in office.
    Judge Bell was appointed by President Kennedy to the U.S. Circuit 
Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, on which he served from 1961 to 
1976. He served as President Carter's Attorney General from 1977 to 
1979. He also served as Vice Chairman of President Bush's Commission on 
Federal Ethics Law Reform in 1989. Judge Bell is presently a partner in 
the law firm of King & Spalding.
    The President hopes that Judge Bell's efforts will further his goal 
of putting his sworn testimony about the Iran-contra matter before the 
American people.