WASHINGTON — Roger Clemens told New York Yankees teammate Andy Pettitte nearly 10 years ago that he used human growth hormone, Pettitte said in a sworn affidavit to Congress.
Pettitte disclosed the conversation to the congressional committee holding today’s hearings on drug use in baseball, a person familiar with the affidavit said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the document had not been made public.
Pettitte said in the affidavit that he asked Clemens in 2005 what he would do if asked by the media about HGH, given his admission years earlier. The affidavit said Clemens responded by saying Pettitte misunderstood the previous exchange in 1999 or 2000 and that, in fact, Clemens had been talking about HGH use by his wife in the original conversation.
“We don’t know what Andy said,” Clemens’ lead lawyer, Rusty Hardin, said. “We look forward to hearing (today).”
The news came on the eve of Clemens’ much-anticipated appearance to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. His former personal trainer, Brian McNamee, is today’s other main witness. McNamee told baseball investigator George Mitchell he injected Clemens with steroids and HGH at least 16 times from 1998 to 2001. Clemens repeatedly has denied those allegations.
Before Pettitte’s affidavit came to light, Clemens got some help from a different ex-teammate Tuesday.
“I have never had a conversation with Clemens in which he expressed any interest in using steroids or human growth hormone,” Jose Canseco said in a sworn affidavit, dated Jan. 22, that was submitted to the committee. “Clemens has never asked me to give him steroids or human growth hormone, and I have never seen Clemens use, possess or ask for steroids or human growth hormone.”
