By BRIAN COSTELLO
Chuck Knoblauch might not want to answer his door for a few days.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee subpoenaed the former Yankees second baseman today after he failed to respond to an invitation to give the committee a deposition.
âThe Committee has taken this step because Mr. Knoblauch failed to respond to the invitation to participate voluntarily in a deposition or transcribed interview and the February 13 hearing,â Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.), the leaders of the congressional panel, said in a statement yesterday. The committee sent Knoblauch a letter last Friday to appear before the committee tomorrow for a deposition or transcribed interview in advance of the Feb. 13 hearing on Sen. George Mitchellâs steroid report. The committee asked him to respond by the end of the day Friday, but never heard from him.
They sent letters to four other witnesses â Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Kirk Radomski and Brian McNamee â but gave them until the end of business today to respond. Knoblauch was given an earlier deadline because his deposition was first, he has had no contact with committee staff and appears not to have a lawyer.
No other subpoenas were issued today, but the committee would not confirm that meant the other witnesses already had agreed to appear. Clemensâ lawyers and McNameeâs lawyers have said their clients will cooperate.
Clemens is scheduled to talk to committee staff on Saturday, followed by Pettitte on Jan. 30, McNamee on Jan. 31 and Radomski on Feb. 1.
All of the invitations went to the witnessesâ lawyers except Knoblauch’s, who has not advised the committee of who represents him. His invitation was sent directly to him.
âI havenât talked to Chuck in a number of years,â said agent Randy Hendricks, who represented Knoblauch as a player, and is also Pettitteâs and Clemensâ agent.
In the Mitchell Report, McNamee, a former Yankees strength coach, said he acquired human growth hormone from Radomski for Knoblauch in 2001 and injected Knoblauch with the drug. Knoblauchâs name also appeared as a steroid user in a federal affidavit to search former pitcher Jason Grismleyâs house.
Knoblauch played 12 seasons, four with the Yankees, and was a four-time All-star. He played for the 1998, ’99 and 2000 Yankees championship teams. He retired in 2002 as a member of the Royals.
With Post wire services
