Pettitte testifies and exits

WASHINGTON -- A crucial witness in the debate over Roger Clemens’ alleged steroid use stepped out of the shadows Monday and onto Capitol Hill.

Wearing a pinstriped charcoal suit, flanked by his lawyers and clutching the hand of his wife, Laura, New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte arrived to meet with the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which is investigating drug use in baseball.

Pettitte declined to comment during his entrance and exit from the deposition, only offering one word -- “no” -- when bombarded with questions on his way out. The session, which committee spokeswoman Karen Lightfoot had said was expected to last an hour or two, took nearly three hours.

In a statement given to the Associated Press, two of Pettitte’s lawyers -- Jay Reisinger and Thomas Farrell -- said Pettitte fully answered all the questions asked of him.

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Los Angeles), the committee chairman, declined to comment afterward.

Pettitte’s deposition was expected to focus in part on his inclusion in baseball’s Mitchell Report, and his subsequent admission that he used human growth hormone twice in 2002. Potentially more intriguing is the fact that he might also have been asked about Clemens, his teammate and close friend.

Clemens has denied all accusations of steroid and HGH use, leveled against the seven-time Cy Young Award winner by his former personal trainer Brian McNamee, who said in December’s Mitchell Report that he injected Clemens at least 16 times with steroids or HGH in 1998, 2000 and 2001.

Pettitte’s testimony could potentially corroborate one of the two accounts. He and Clemens shared McNamee as a trainer, worked out together and were considered close in both the Yankees and Houston Astros clubhouses over nine seasons together. The men, both of whom live in Houston in the off-season, each left the Yankees for the Astros after the 2003 season and returned to New York for the 2007 season.

Earl Ward, a lawyer for McNamee, told the Associated Press last week that he expected Pettitte to tell Congress that he discussed human growth hormone with Clemens before the 2002 season. According to Ward, the discussion occurred at Clemens’ house and in the presence of McNamee.

That runs contrary to statements from Clemens, who said last month that he had no knowledge of what Pettitte was doing.

Monday’s event brought about 40 media members to Room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building. It was the prelude to today’s expected media circus when Clemens arrives for a transcribed interview, which is not made under oath.

Pettitte was one of five witnesses named in the report who was invited by the House committee to testify at a hearing Feb. 13. He was initially scheduled to give his deposition last Wednesday but came to an agreement with the committee to delay his appearance until today.

Also Monday, the committee scheduled a hearing in which medical experts will testify about “myths and facts” surrounding HGH, vitamin B-12 and “other substances.” The hearing is set for next Tuesday, one day before Clemens, Pettitte and McNamee are scheduled to testify publicly.

McNamee has said he injected Clemens with steroids and HGH. Clemens has said McNamee injected him with B-12 and lidocaine, a painkiller.

In 2005, Miguel Tejada told congressional investigators he had not used steroids or other performance-enhancing substances but had used B-12. After the Mitchell Report quoted former teammate Adam Piatt as saying he provided steroids and HGH to Tejada, the committee asked the Department of Justice to investigate whether Tejada had made false statements to Congress, which could subject him to felony charges.

Times staff writer Bill Shaikin contributed to this report.

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ben.dubose@latimes.com