9:30 (DC time). Chairman Waxman (D-CA) makes a statement. He opens with a statement about how what happens in the MLB filters down to youth sports. He points to the Hooton episode (high school baseball player suicided). Waxman goes into ho the Mitchell Report was a small but important look at the prob em of PEDs in baseball.
Waxman drops a semi-bomb. He relates how it is hard to obtain truthful testimony in Congressional hearing. He relates how Raffy Palmeiro lied to Congress when he denied steroid use, then subsequently tested positive. Waxman says Miguel Tejada's testimony was not revealed at the time, but in it the player denied steroid use. However the Mitchell report implicated Tejada in steroid use. Waxman and Co-Chair Davis will send over a request that the Justice Department investigate Tejada's steroid use.
Waxman now talking about the silence in baseball about steroid use. He is jumping all over Giants GM Brian Sabean who dropped the ball when Giant trainer Conte approached him about player steroid abuse.
The family of another high school player who suicided following steroid use will present testimony -- Efrain Marrero.
Co-Chair Tom Davis (R-VA) takes the mic. He too implicated Tejada. Davis jumped in Fehr. He mentions how testers give advance notice about the day of dope testing.
10:00. George Mitchell on the stand. He is presenting the preamble to his report. Widespread use of steroids in baseball. Effects on kids. How PED use cheats honest player with illegal drugs. How MLB's and the MLBPA's response was inadequate to prevent the problem.
Mitchell is lauding the committee for the investigation. He says there are far more suppliers of PEDs to MLB players, including anti-aging clinics.
Mitchell's recommendations:
Enhance the non analytic positives (implicate a player in steroid use by information, but not a positive urine test). Strengthen the effort to keep PED out of clubhouses -- regulate packages, and personnel in the clubhouse. Certify that managers have no knowledge of violations of anti-doping policies. Increase education about steroids. Implement better anti-doping testing by an independent agency.
Questioning period. Talking about cooperation of player and esp the MLBPA. Now discussing how Mitchell notified players included in his report, and how the MLBPA declined the offers to speak with Mitchell.
Mitchell addresses 'amnesty' for steroids users. He doesn't believe dwelling in the past is that helpful. He says discipline from the MLB will be difficult because there was no punishment specified for some of the use.
9:30. Still on questions from Congress. Talking about Therapeutic Use Exemptions. Rep Tierney jumping on drugs for ADHD, pointing out over 100 receive ADHD TUEs. Interesting.
Rep Shays blasting the Commissioner. Says that a commissioner was established after the Black Sox scandal to deal with cheating. Then the sitting commissioner fails to adequately deal with the steroids scandal. Ironic. Shays is pursuing if MLB covered up Palmiero's positive test until after Raffy obtained his 3000th hit. He is cut off by Waxman.
Now speaking about conducting an investigation with voluntary participants v. witnesses compelled to give testimony. "Huge difference" says Mitchell.
Rep Yarmouth from Louisville puts in a plug for Louisville Slugger bats.
Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) asks about the standard of proof in naming names in the Mitchell Report.
Holmes asks about the Clemens and McNamee controversy. Mitchell says McNamee's testimony was in presence of US Fed attorneys, the FBI, and the IRS. Mitchell is very adamant that Mcnamee knows the consequences of his testimony.
Mitchell says he offered a meeting to Clemens Mitchell believes McNamee was truthful.
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