Clemens Plays Hardball, Denies All Doping Charges

WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb. 13, 2008 — -- In dramatic and at times angry congressional testimony today, legendary pitcher Roger Clemens refuted allegations from his close friend Andy Pettitte that he had ever taken performance enhancing drugs.

Clemens said that Pettitte was mistaken when he swore to Congress that in 1999 or 2000 Clemens had told him he had used Human Growth Hormone.

Clemens called his former teammate a "fine gentleman" but said that Pettitte "misremembers." However, House Oversight and Government Reform committee chairman Henry Waxman, D.Calif., read from Pettitte's sworn deposition to the committee and revealed that Pettitte's wife Laura corroborates his account.

In the testimony Pettite said, "I told my wife, Laura, about the conversation with Roger soon after it happened."

Pettite's testimony has been crucial because it matches allegations made against Clemens by his former personal trainer, Brian McNamee, who joined Clemens today in front of Congress. Sitting awkwardly at the same table the two former friends never made eye contact and told opposite stories.

While McNamee has publicly said that he injected Clemens with banned drugs today Clemens reiterated, "I have been accused of something I'm not guilty of. Let me be clear: I have never taken steroids or HGH."

McNamee, who has provided to federal investigators needles he says he used to inject Clemens, said, "This evidence is 100 percent authentic and DNA analysis should bear this out."

Confused congressmen angrily pointed out inconsistencies in both men's accounts.

"Someone isn't telling the truth," Waxman said at one point. Later, Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., the ranking member of the committee, summed up the confrontation when he said, "Someone is lying in spectacular fashion."

CLICK HERE TO READ ROGER CLEMENS' OPENING STATEMENT

After nearly five hours of testimony, Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., told the packed hearing room, "The person I believe most is Mr. Pettitte." Speaking directly to Clemens, Cummings added, "You're one of my heroes, but it's hard to believe."