Stephanie testifies today

[tockit]

Pardon me if this has been addressed, but what is McIlvain's job status right now?

Is she still with Oakley?

 

[Berzin]

Pardon me if this has been addressed, but what is McIlvain's job status right now?

Is she still with Oakley?

If she loses her job with Oakley she can always go back to being a whorista at Starbucks.

 

[Race Radio]

I would not get your hopes up about Stephanie telling the truth. It is clear from the tapes that she is far from rational and has challenges with reality. She has lived the lie for too long and while it is clearly eating her alive she is not smart enough to start telling the truth.

I expect her to lie. She will try to forget all of the friends, Journalists, Authors, and TV producers she has told the truth to. She will hope that no more tapes come public. She will lie and hope that Lance provides.

She could also be like Balco and Tim Montgomery. Lie to the press about your testimony, only to be embarrassed later when the facts of your testimony come out.

 

[NashbarShorts]

Armstrong wasn't at the 1998 Tour... but that leads me to think once again about Bobby Julich's oddly strong performance that year.

I don't think Julich's performances have been odd at all.

COFIDIS: Pre-Festina, definitely a doping team. Millar has stated as much, and Lance's hospital room confession would confirm as much.

CREDIT AGRICOLE: Julich goes there after his strong '98 Tour, gets paid as team leader. But then proceeds to SUCK for three straight years. JV has stated that CA was a clean team, as demanded by management. This would explain Julich's precipitous dropoff while at CA.

TELEKOM: Julich, as doped domestique to Ullrich, rides acceptably.

CSC: Julich's talents are "rediscovered", vis-a-vis Riis -- and all that implies.

Seems pretty logical, actually. Pretty good rider when doped, not so good when forced to ride clean by CA's management.

 

[Oldman]

I don't think Julich's performances have been odd at all.

COFIDIS: Pre-Festina, definitely a doping team. Millar has stated as much, and Lance's hospital room confession would confirm as much.

CREDIT AGRICOLE: Julich goes there after his strong '98 Tour, gets paid as team leader. But then proceeds to SUCK for three straight years. JV has stated that CA was a clean team, as demanded by management. This would explain Julich's precipitous dropoff while at CA.

TELEKOM: Julich, as doped domestique to Ullrich, rides acceptably.

CSC: Julich's talents are "rediscovered", vis-a-vis Riis -- and all that implies.

Seems pretty logical, actually. Pretty good rider when doped, not so good when forced to ride clean by CA's management.

I had forgotten him in the heat of other events but you've noted the parallel to Tyler Hamilton's abilities without specifically calling him out. Julich came from that school but struggled when he assumed prematurely that he was the American Idol of cycling. He had poor "professional counsel" for a time.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I wouldn't put a lot of expectations into what she says one way or the other. She doesn't strike me as an emotionally stable person to begin with, so to put much weight on her testimony...

 

[theswordsman]

LOS ANGELES — An attorney for a longtime friend of Lance Armstrong's who appeared before a federal grand jury says the woman testified she never heard the cyclist admit he used performance-enhancing drugs.

Thomas H. Bienert Jr. says Stephanie McIlvain testified before the jurors all day Wednesday and told them she never heard the seven-time Tour de France winner admit to doping. He says McIlvain also told jurors she never felt pressured by either Armstrong or anyone connected to cyclist to lie.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKB9kJFPQK1-D9n_HllA_3nhyTMgD9IDDFVG1

 

[TubularBills]

I'm glad the LA Times is covering this so seriously. More detail about the tape than I have seen in any US media story.

That said, I did have to laugh at this line "The recording is in the hands of federal prosecutors and The Times has reviewed it.

This recording has been around the internet for years it's funny that a legit news source would give themselves kudos for getting a hold of it, like it was big score. As a matter of fact that line right there could be used to sum up much of the recent media coverage of this case. As Betsy said it's all been out there for years, it's only now being taking as truthful for some reason.

It was perhaps never reviewed by an entity who was after the truth & kudos to Landis for being the tipping point & the "reason."

 

[theswordsman]

LOS ANGELES — An attorney for a longtime friend of Lance Armstrong's who appeared before a federal grand jury says the woman testified she never heard the cyclist admit he used performance-enhancing drugs.

Thomas H. Bienert Jr. says Stephanie McIlvain testified before the jurors all day Wednesday and told them she never heard the seven-time Tour de France winner admit to doping. He says McIlvain also told jurors she never felt pressured by either Armstrong or anyone connected to cyclist to lie.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKB9kJFPQK1-D9n_HllA_3nhyTMgD9IDDFVG1

Bienert said McIlvain was truthful when she told the jury that she never heard Armstrong admit that he doped.

"Any comments she made suggesting the contrary were simply gossip, speculation and opinion with people she thought were her friends, like Betsy Andreu," Bienert said.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKB9kJFPQK1-D9n_HllA_3nhyTMgD9IDDSIG0

Stephanie McIlvain, the liaison to Armstrong employed by sponsor Oakley Inc., endured what her attorney Tom Bienert described as a "very emotional" day as she spent more than seven hours before the grand jury panel with Assistant U.S. Atty. Doug Miller and Jeff Novitzky, the Food and Drug Administration agent leading the investigation into alleged systematic drug use in cycling.

Bienert said McIlvain "testified truthfully. Most of what she was asked about was between five and 14 years old, so she didn't have the greatest recall.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lance-armstrong-20100923,0,2785856.story

 

[AnythingButKestrel]

Yippie skippy, I guess this means that Steffie gets to keep her job at Oakley:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/stephanie-mcilvain/15/a37/805

 

[woodburn]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKB9kJFPQK1-D9n_HllA_3nhyTMgD9IDDFVG1



http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKB9kJFPQK1-D9n_HllA_3nhyTMgD9IDDSIG0


http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lance-armstrong-20100923,0,2785856.story

Told of Bienert's comments about the content of the recordings being "gossip," Andreu said, "The weight of the evidence will show she's lying." Andreu did not elaborate.

 

[TubularBills]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKB9kJFPQK1-D9n_HllA_3nhyTMgD9IDDFVG1



http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKB9kJFPQK1-D9n_HllA_3nhyTMgD9IDDSIG0


http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lance-armstrong-20100923,0,2785856.story

So I guess all we're looking for is one further corroborating witness that puts her in the room with Betsy and Frankie? Seems like it would be pretty easy to trounce the "I don't recall" defense in this context. From the ensuing testimony, evidence, and behavior she seems to be consumed by this lie. If there is one thing she would remember, despite the passage of time, it would be what she heard at that moment and the consequent pressure to suppress it.

 

[theswordsman]

When I read the quotes, first I felt nauseous, then I couldn't wait for the legal system to have it's way with her, then I started worrying about what lies or omissions the grand jury might be getting from others. There's a lot riding on this for a number of people, but could a group decide to fight this together, like they're tobacco company executives or something?

Still, seven hours should have gotten a lot of statements on the record, even if they're denials. If someone rephrases a question and you answer with the same lie, does it count as two separate counts of perjury?

 

[python]

so where are we going from here ?

according to her lawyer, she denied as expected both ever hearing armstrong admitting doping and being pressured.

the latter being the most important according to some forum members.

still, 7 hours is a long time for such a simple conclusion.

for all we know her lawyer's summary could be grossly incomplete and self-serving given that he was not personally present at the gj and only relayed mcilvain's words...who 'was drained' and as we know has problems with memory.

 

[Oldman]

When I read the quotes, first I felt nauseous, then I couldn't wait for the legal system to have it's way with her, then I started worrying about what lies or omissions the grand jury might be getting from others. There's a lot riding on this for a number of people, but could a group decide to fight this together, like they're tobacco company executives or something?

Still, seven hours should have gotten a lot of statements on the record, even if they're denials. If someone rephrases a question and you answer with the same lie, does it count as two separate counts of perjury?

It's early and everyone's wondering where they're riding to. A Tobacco company has employees that repeat the same lie everyday and nothing else. It's doubtful all of the witnesses will do anything that organized and it's not a civil case where Big Tobacco knows what to defend against.

 

[Barrus]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKB9kJFPQK1-D9n_HllA_3nhyTMgD9IDDFVG1



http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKB9kJFPQK1-D9n_HllA_3nhyTMgD9IDDSIG0


http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lance-armstrong-20100923,0,2785856.story

I wonder why she insisted on saying that when there are the recorded messages, of which she had to know. Are they hoping these messages would be inadmissable in a possible case against McIlvain? Also seven hours seems excessive for only these type of questions

 

[Bike Opera]

"Bienert took issue with the recordings, saying Andreu and LeMond manipulated McIlvain, who is raising an autistic son.

"It's a shame these people trying to bring Lance down used her to engage in something that was nothing more than gossip and speculation," Bienert said.

Of Wednesday's testimony, he said, "It was difficult for Stephanie to admit that her personal frailty allowed her to engage in these gossip sessions. … In the grand jury, she was going to tell the truth, and the truth is she has no knowledge of Lance Armstrong ever using performance-enhancing drugs."
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lance-armstrong-20100923,0,2785856.story


Another victim card. Poor frail bat-cracking Stephanie...so she was manipulated by Betsy and Lemond to gossip about Lance and Hincapie doping? Did they play the tapes for McIlvain in front of the grand jury?

Like Race Radio said, MiIlvain's lived the lie for too long and not bright enough to finally tell the truth. Just look at how she recorded herself making abusive remarks to Betsy. Besides, her circle of friends are Lance, Anna, shadytree McQuaid and other diehard Livestrong cheerleaders. She's in pretty deep.

I hope they get her at customs for perjury.

 

[theswordsman]

It's early and everyone's wondering where they're riding to. A Tobacco company has employees that repeat the same lie everyday and nothing else. It's doubtful all of the witnesses will do anything that organized and it's not a civil case where Big Tobacco knows what to defend against. Everyone knew they were lying, but they still stood there together and did it.

I was actually thinking of the time the CEO's of all the major tobacco companies stood side by side in front of Congress and said one after another that to the best of their knowledge, nicotine isn't addictive.

I hadn't thought of possible collusion between witnesses, before I read her lawyer statements, but Armstrong does still wield power and have money, and the other guys who have made a career by perpetuating the lies might have the hubris to think that they might keep it up (or brazen it out).

I sincerely hope that's not the case. I think that for the sake of the media battle and public opinion, it's time to let Bordry retest the 1999 samples and tell the world the results.

 

[Roland Rat]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKB9kJFPQK1-D9n_HllA_3nhyTMgD9IDDFVG1



http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKB9kJFPQK1-D9n_HllA_3nhyTMgD9IDDSIG0


http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lance-armstrong-20100923,0,2785856.story

Thanks Swordsman.

This may be overly simplistic, but why would it be "very emotional" if she was telling the truth? As Betsy pretty much said, if you tell the truth there's nothing to fear.

Anyway, I'm sure people like the Feds can sniff out a lie when they hear one so if she did lie then she's just becoming another victim of what is becoming the Armstrong curse.

 

[redtreviso]

I wonder what each "I don't recall" is worth...That's got to be stressful.

 

[theswordsman]

Thanks Swordsman.

This may be overly simplistic, but why would it be "very emotional" if she was telling the truth? As Betsy pretty much said, if you tell the truth there's nothing to fear.

Anyway, I'm sure people like the Feds can sniff out a lie when they hear one so if she did lie then she's just becoming another victim of what is becoming the Armstrong curse.

You're welcome. I can imagine that even if she'd told the truth, being grilled for seven hours might be a bit stressful.

Novitsky and Miller would have known exactly what she'd said under oath in the past. The two voice mails that Betsy gave the New York Daily News didn't say anything specific about that day, but earlier news stories led me to believe she has things on tape. Maybe there were other drunken phone calls that she can't remember, and tapes she hasn't heard? Maybe she drunk-texted or e-mailed?

Anyway, seven hours of recorded testimony certainly should give them enough rope if she did lie over and over.

 

[Benotti69]

You're welcome. I can imagine that even if she'd told the truth, being grilled for seven hours might be a bit stressful.

Novitsky and Miller would have known exactly what she'd said under oath in the past. The two voice mails that Betsy gave the New York Daily News didn't say anything specific about that day, but earlier news stories led me to believe she has things on tape. Maybe there were other drunken phone calls that she can't remember, and tapes she hasn't heard? Maybe she drunk-texted or e-mailed?

Anyway, seven hours of recorded testimony certainly should give them enough rope if she did lie over and over.

it is possible that McIlvain told the truth but who would know apart from McIlvain, Feds, Grand Jury and Novitsky, but the PR spin is for others who maybe thinking of doing the same?

 

[Ney the Viking]

I am sorry for being off-topic, but am I the only one that keep misreading her last name as McVillain?

 

[theswordsman]

it is possible that McIlvain told the truth but who would know apart from McIlvain, Feds, Grand Jury and Novitsky, but the PR spin is for others who maybe thinking of doing the same?

I've been wondering that to my twitter followers. I figured it would be to protect her, as Lance and Oakley have (hopefully) no idea what's being said. She could have spilled her guts for seven hours, and then let her lawyer lie to the press as a smoke screen.

I guess we'll find out some day?

 

[Darryl Webster]

I've been wondering that to my twitter followers. I figured it would be to protect her, as Lance and Oakley have (hopefully) no idea what's being said. She could have spilled her guts for seven hours, and then let her lawyer lie to the press as a smoke screen.

I guess we'll find out some day?

I aint familier with Grand Jury proceadings but 7 hours seams an awfull long time to stonewall with answers of " i dont recall", " I cant remember", " I didnt mean it" , " I was just gossiping" etc, etc.
If she took that route surely her testamony would be over within a couple of hours?
Seems to me theres a very real possibility she testified truthfully and that the lawyers are using the stage to pass the messege to others that she did nothing more than confirm her previous public position as a calculated atempt to encourage others who may yet testify to tow the Lance party line.
If, and I supect its likely, she was granted emunity , it plays to her advantage to publicly keep up the appearance that her version of events hasnt changed and await the culmination of this enquiry.
However that assumes theres no big skeletons in the cuboard re Oakly`s business involvement which frankly I have no idea about and have seen no sugestion there might be ....accept possibly helping fund the cover up?
Any thoughts swordsman?