THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON (NWSA) -- CAPT Eleanor "Connie"
Mariano, White House physician, was promoted to her current rank
by President Bill Clinton in a recent White House ceremony.  On
the occasion, her remarks told the story of the fulfillment of
her family's American dream.
     "I came to the White House by way of the kitchen," said CAPT
Mariano.  "I came from a family of Navy stewards.  The first
Mariano who served in the United States Navy joined in the 1920s.
At that time and for many years thereafter, the only way
Filipinos were able to serve in the Navy was as stewards.  The
Mariano men served with pride and accumulated a total of more
than 100 years of service among them.
     "The Navy meant many things to my family.  It meant freedom
from poverty, for my father's family was very poor.  The Navy
meant the opportunity to succeed.  The Navy meant hope that one
day your children would get an education and perhaps boldly dream
of becoming physicians or naval officers.  The Navy meant all the
good things America had to offer."
     CAPT Mariano went on to thank family members and friends,
including her father, a master chief who served for 29 years.
She also thanked her four godfathers, all Navy master chiefs.
"Thank you for reminding me daily that I owe my presence here to
people like you and my father who paved the way.  Thank you for
never letting me forget about the qualities of kindness, silent
service, loyalty and humility."

President Bill Clinton
[spacer]Commencement Address, University of California at San Diego
[spacer]June 14, 1997, Rimac Field, UCSD

I would like to ask them all to stand along with the members of the White House staff who are here, including Thurgood Marshall Jr. whose father has a college named for him at this great university. Would you please stand? (Applause.)

And I can't help but noting that there's another person here that deserves some special recognition -- the University of California at San Diego Class of 1977 -- a Filipino-American woman that became the youngest Captain of the Navy and my personal physician, Dr. Connie Mariano. Where is she? (Applause.)

blue line

   

Related Links

The Evidence:
• Introduction
• The Tapes
• Talking Points
• The Gifts
• The Ties
• The Contacts
• The Lawyers
• The Redactions

• Transcripts and Excerpts

• Video Clips From Clinton's Testimony

• The Starr Report

EVIDENCE
The DNA Test

Tuesday, September 22, 1998; Page A29

A critical piece of evidence cited in the Starr report was the finding that FBI tests concluded that the genetic markers of a semen stain on Monica S. Lewinsky's dress, which matched President Clinton's DNA, are characteristic of 1 in 7.87 trillion Caucasians. While there had been speculation in the media about the dress, the evidence released yesterday provides the first details of the sparring between prosecutors and the president's lawyer, David E. Kendall, over the request to draw a sample of Clinton's blood.

A few hours before President Clinton began his videotaped grand jury testimony Aug. 17, the FBI laboratory informed Starr's office that the president was the source of the DNA taken from Monica S. Lewinsky's navy blue dress "to a reasonable degree of scientific certainty." Handwritten notes on the one-page report read: "CAUC-7,870,000,000,000."

The report concluded a flurry of activity that started July 29, when Lewinsky gave Starr's office a dress worn during a meeting with Clinton. She said the stained garment, which had not been dry-cleaned, might contain evidence that would corroborate her claim that she had a sexual relationship with the president.

Two days later, the lab told prosecutors the dress tested positive for human semen and recommended they obtain a blood sample from "any known subject," according to a summary of the evidence.

The same day, Starr deputy Robert J. Bittman sent a hand-delivered letter to the president's lawyer, David E. Kendall, saying that "investigative demands require" that the president provide a blood sample. Kendall responded later that day. He said that other cases demanded a higher standard of probable cause "for bodily intrusions" and asked for "the precise factual nature" of the request. Citing previous press leaks, Kendall also asked for the results of any tests so "we will be in a position to respond to false leaks."

In another July 29 letter, Bittman said his office had "powerful predication" for its request for a blood sample, but he would not agree to give Kendall test results.

On Aug. 3, the written results of the FBI test were sent to Starr, along with instructions on how to collect a blood samples in one "lavender-top blood vial" containing a preservative.

Kendall wrote Bittman again, agreeing that the president would provide the requested sample under several conditions. Kendall's letter said their correspondence and the test results should be treated confidentially, the sample should be drawn by the White House physician, and Bittman should provide an affidavit outlining his evidence for the request. He also demanded that the FBI lab be instructed to preserve enough of the item being tested "to make possible a later, outside, comparative test of the same type, if appropriate." Bittman agreed to the conditions.

Clinton was busy that day, speaking at a summer jobs event at Prince George's Hospital Center and meeting with the new president of Colombia. His lawyers also were fighting Starr's attempt to subpoena White House attorney Lanny A. Breuer.

At 10:10 p.m. in the Map Room, White House physician Connie Mariano drew 4 milliliters of blood from the president's right arm in the presence of Bittman, Kendall and an FBI agent. Twenty minutes later it was delivered to the FBI lab.

On Aug. 6, the FBI reported to Starr that "the source of specimen K39 [the president] is included as a potential contributor of the DNA" from the dress. "The probability of selecting an unrelated individual at random" was 1 in 43,000 in the Caucasian population.

The lab was able to extract enough DNA from the dress for additional analysis and a more "discriminating match," as Starr's summary of evidence put it.

Hillary Rodham Clinton's Address to the NaFFAA Delegation

Third Empowerment Conference, NY – Saturday, October 16, 1999

We are very proud that we have more Filipino Americans serving as senior advisors to the President and the government than have ever been before. I am very personally grateful for the fine service that has been rendered to the President and our family by the White House physician, Dr. Connie Mariano, who has been, I believe, now the longest serving White House physician and in my opinion, hands down the best! I am also very grateful to the many Filipino Americans who served in the United States military and are stationed at the White House serving my husband and our family. It has been a great honor to get to know people like Dr. Mariano, Lito Bautista, and Fred Sanchez and so many others in a very personal way – to know of their incredible commitment to their families and to their homeland, but of their patriotism and dedication to the United States. And also those who have come to this country have come without forgetting their past and without severing the ties that bind but determined to find and build a better future that not only enables them to become greater American citizens, but to contribute also to their people, to their families in the Philippines

I see every day at the White House the values of hard work, love of family, and respect for human dignity that are hallmarks of the Philippine people. Among the President's most dedicated personal assistants are Philippine-Americans -- Lito Bautista, Joe Fama, Fred Sanchez and Bayani Nelvis -- whose service brings distinction and pride to America and to your country

Monica was now a member of the staff of the Office of Legislative Affairs. She was in the pantry area of the President's private dining room talking with a White House steward, Bayani Nelvis. She told Bayani that she had recently smoked her first cigar, and he offered to give her one of the President's cigars.

Just then, the President came down the hallway from the Oval Office and saw Monica. The President dispatched Mr. Nelvis to deliver something to Mr. Panetta. Monica told the President that Mr. Nelvis had promised her a cigar. He gave her one.

-- was at the White House on Sunday, December 31, 1995, until 1:16 p.m.; her time of arrival is not shown.(187) The President was in the Oval Office area from 12:11 p.m. until about the time that Ms. Lewinsky left, 1:15 p.m., when he went to the Residence.(188)

Sometime between noon and 1 p.m., in Ms. Lewinsky's recollection, she was in the pantry area of the President's private dining room talking with a White House steward, Bayani Nelvis. She told Mr. Nelvis that she had recently smoked her first cigar, and he offered to give her one of the President's cigars. Just then, the President came down the hallway from the Oval Office and saw Ms. Lewinsky. The President dispatched Mr. Nelvis to deliver something to Mr. Panetta.(189)

According to Ms. Lewinsky, she told the President that Mr. Nelvis had promised her a cigar, and the President gave her one.(190) She told him her name -- she had the impression that he had forgotten it in the six weeks since their furlough encounters because, when passing her in the hallway, he had called her "Kiddo."(191) The President replied that he knew her name; in fact, he added, having lost the phone number she had given him, he had tried to find her in the phonebook.(192)

According to Ms. Lewinsky, they moved to the study. "And then . . . we were kissing and he lifted my sweater and exposed my breasts and was fondling them with his hands and with his mouth."(193) She performed oral sex.(194) Once again, he stopped her before he ejaculated because, Ms. Lewinsky testified, "he didn't know me well enough or he didn't trust me yet."(195)

According to Ms. Lewinsky, a Secret Service officer named Sandy was on duty in the West Wing that day.(196) Records show that Sandra Verna was on duty outside the Oval Office from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.(197)

F. President's Account of 1995 Relationship

 

 

 

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