Excerpts: I Took the Altered Copies And Placed Them Inside My Boots

Following are excerpts from testimony Monday by Fawn Hall, formerly the secretary to Lt. Col. Oliver L. North, before the congressional committees investigating the Iran-contra affair.

Shredding Documents

(Assistant Senate committee counsel Mark Belnick questioned Hall about the shredding of documents in North’s office on Nov. 21, 1986.)

Answer: To the best of my recollection, it was early evening. . . . Col. North probably opened the five-drawer safe and began to pull items from it, and I joined him in an effort so that he would not have to be wasting his time shredding, and as he pulled documents from each drawer and placed them on top of the shredder, I inserted (them) into the shredder. At the same time, I asked him if I could go ahead and shred the PROF (computer system) notes and phone logs, and he acknowledged that I should go ahead and do that, and I did so.

Question: How would you describe the quantity of documents that was shredded?

A: Ah, maybe a foot and a half.

Q: How long did the shredding go on?

A: Possibly a half-hour.

Q: Did there come a point during this shredding that the quantity became so great that the machine jammed?

A: I believe it did.

Q: Had you ever shredded documents in such quantities?

A: No, sir.

Removing Original Files

(Hall explained how she removed from the White House the original copies of documents that had been altered by hiding them in her clothing.)

A: I took them . . . and a stack of other filing so it would not look conspicuous, upstairs and sat at a table. . . . And I believe, at that time, I probably took the altered copies--copies of the altered documents, folded them, and placed them inside my boots. I was very nervous since I was outside and I could be seen, and I wanted to do it very quickly. And so out of a panic, I ran into (Lt.) Col. (Robert) Earle’s office and asked him if he would help me. . . . He was going to put them in his jacket, and I turned to him and said: “No, you shouldn’t have to do this. I’ll do it.” And he returned them . . . and I put them in the back--in my back. . . . And then, when I had completed putting the documents in my back, I turned to him and asked him if he could see (them), and he said no. At that point, I believe we walked downstairs, and just about that time I think, Col. North and (lawyer Thomas C.) Green entered the office.

(Hall, North and Green left the office together after first allowing a security official to inspect North’s briefcase.)

Q: Now, when you reached the corridor . . . did you indicate to Col. North something concerning the documents that you had with you?

A: Yes, I indicated with a gesture or words that I wanted to get him the documents, and he said--he turned to me and just said: “No, just wait till we get outside.” And we went down the elevator, exited the Old Executive Office Building on 17th Street and, again, I indicated with a word or gesture that I wanted to pass the documents. And Tom Green said: “No, wait till we get inside the car” . . . in Tom Green’s car. . . . I started pulling the documents from my boots, and then pulled (them) from my back, and indicated to Col. North, I believe, at this time that I had completed the process of replacing the altered documents in the files. . . . And, as he turned the corner . . . Tom Green turned to me and asked me if I was asked about shredding, what would I say. And I said: “We shred every day.” And he said: “Good.” We said good night, and I got out of the car and went home.

Q: Thursday, Nov. 27, was Thanksgiving. Did you receive a call on that day from a lawyer working with the White House counsel?

A: Yes . . . (deputy White House counsel) Jay Stevens . . . called, I assume in response to the press reports that there had been a shredding incident. . . . And I told him that “we shred every day.” And I led him to believe that there was nothing unusual about what had occurred.

Q: You misled him?

A: Yes, sir.

(On Nov. 28, after Hall had been told that FBI agents wished to interview her, she spoke with Earle.)

Q: What was your conversation?

A: We had a conversation to the effect that, during our being investigated by the FBI, that we wouldn’t discuss the fact that I had removed documents from the office.

Q: What happened the next day?

A: I received a phone call from Diane Coy, who is (NSC staff member) Cmdr. Craig Coy’s wife, stating that Craig . . . had learned that Col. Earle had gotten a lawyer. . . . I decided at that time that I should probably contact (North attorney) Brendan Sullivan. . . . I drove down to his office and disclosed at that time that I had removed documents from the office. And he advised me that I should seek counsel.