Political Quotes

“I rise to comment on apparently a news broadcast that occurred last night with respect to the bill, H.R. 666. I cannot tell my fellow Members where this news report took place. I did not see it. But I received some calls this morning which indicated that there was some rendition of what we were doing on the House floor yesterday and today with respect to this good faith exception to the exclusionary rule. I think, Mr. Chairman, that it is just important to make a point here, and that is, we are proposing to make and broaden an exception to the exclusionary rule which already exists in law. Apparently, the reports were that we are trying to repeal legislatively the entire exclusionary rule, as it was enunciated by the U.S. Supreme Court, first in Federal cases in 1914 and, second, as applied to the States in 1961. I certainly acknowledge, Mr. Chairman, that, and anyone could tell it from some of the remarks that were made, that there are Members on our side who feel that the entire exclusionary rule should be repealed. There may even be, though we have not heard from them, I would not be surprised if there are Members on the other side who believe that, too. There is always the argument that no matter how evidence was seized that, if it points to guilt, it should be used. I do not personally share the view of repealing entirely the exclusionary rule.”