August 01, 2007

Rumsfeld Admits No Wrongdoing In Tillman Case

In his first appearance before Congress since he resigned last November, former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld today denied any knowledge of a cover-up or any involvement in the military's botched handling of an Army Ranger's death by friendly fire in Afghanistan.

Testifying before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Rumsfeld took no personal responsibility for the Pentagon's handling of the April 2004 friendly fire death of Pat Tillman, a former pro football player who joined the Army after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The House committee is investigating how military and White House officials handled the aftermath of Tillman's death, since it was first reported that he died by enemy fire.

"The concealment of Corporal Tillman’s fratricide caused millions of Americans to question the integrity of our government, yet no one will tell us when and how the White House learned the truth," committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said at the hearing.

Rumsfeld maintained that he knew "of no evidence that there has been a cover-up." "I know that I would not engage in a cover-up. I know that no one in the White House suggested such a thing to me. I know that the gentlemen sitting next to me are men of enormous integrity and would not participate in something like that," the former secretary said of the four retired generals who appeared with him before the panel.

Rumsfeld and the generals all issued condolences to the Tillman family in prepared statements before the hearing today. Yesterday, the Army did likewise when it issued its final report on the mishandling of Tillman's death. In announcing the findings, Army Secretary Pete Geren also concluded there was no cover-up involved, and he seconded the report's recommendation that three-star Lt. Gen. Philip Kensinger be censured for failing to properly notify the family and military officials of the friendly-fire investigation.

AP, the Financial Times, the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times all reported on the hearing today. The committee's Web site has more details on the probe and video of the proceedings.

And for background on the controversy surrounding the case, the San Francisco Chronicle and ESPN have timelines tracing the events before and after Tillman's death. The Gate covered a previous House committee hearing in May, in which Tillman's family members issued emotional pleas for justice.

Posted at 5:05 PM
Posted to: Donald Rumsfeld, Military, Pat Tillman
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