Davis backs off on Pettitte comments to Newsday

BY JIM BAUMBACH and ROBERT E. KESSLER | jim.baumbach@newsday.com; robert.kessler@newsday.com

February 13, 2008

WASHINGTON - Rep. Tom Davis (R- Virginia), appearing on ESPN's "Outside the Lines" yesterday, refused to discuss his comments in yesterday's Newsday in which he said Andy Pettitte's deposition helped to back up Brian McNamee's claim that he injected Roger Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs.

Earlier in the day a report on ESPN.com quoted "a source close to" Davis as saying the congressman felt he was misquoted and misunderstood. The story did not go into further details, and Davis did not respond to multiple requests by Newsday to explain whatever problems he may have had.

Asked on the ESPN show about his comments in Newsday, Davis said, "I don't want to get into the whole ... You have to understand. The Newsday reporter got me at home last night and was very accusatory about why Pettitte wouldn't be called before the committee. I said Mr. Waxman and I made a joint recommendation that his affidavit and his entire deposition eventually would speak for him.

"He does have an affidavit that will probably be in record . It just supports what he said in his deposition. It doesn't get into a lot of detail."

Davis added that Pettitte's deposition is relevant on "one or two specific issues." One of those is expected to be a conversation McNamee testified he had with Pettitte during the winter of 2002. During a workout at Clemens' Houston house, McNamee says Pettitte, after a conversation with Clemens, asked him: "How come you don't give me the 'stuff' you give Roger?'"

C.J. Nitkowski, currently a pitcher in Japan, was also a part of that offseason workout. He told Newsday last night he was contacted by investigators for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform before he left for Japan two weeks ago. At the committee's request he would not discuss the questioning. Nitkowski said he did not hear the conversation between McNamee and Pettitte.