Political Quotes

On the recordMay 20, 2013
My colleagues on the other side of the aisle are focused on several issues, which they call scandals. I would like to address those and then talk about issues that seem to be falling through the cracks while they focus on ``gotcha'' politics; they are going to get the President. I think we will start with the IRS. It is wrong to target any group for scrutiny whether they are on the right or on the left, if it is a tea party group or a liberal church. We have seen this with the IRS over the years. As a matter of fact, I looked back to see how many of my Republican friends stood up and talked about going after the IRS and straightening them out when they went after the NAACP or when they went after a liberal church in Pasadena in Congressman Schiff's district. The fact is they got exercised when they went after the tea party. OK. I hear you. I am with you. What is important is so is the President. If this President says: I agree with you, they say: We didn't hear you. They just want to fight. I have friends where sometimes we are having a debate, and all of a sudden a bright light goes on and I will say, you know what, I think you are right. Sometimes they keep on arguing. The President said this is an outrage, and he has already made sure people are being fired. We are going to make sure we straighten things out at the IRS. Let's focus on how to fix it, not how to make it into a ``gotcha'' political issue.…
Said by
Barbara Boxer
Democratic · California

Share & report

More from Barbara Boxer

Dec 8, 2016

Mr. President, Senator Harry Reid and I were both elected to the House in 1982, and over the last 34 years, Harry has become more than a colleague to me. He is like family. I call him the ``brother I never had,'' and he calls me the…

govinfo.gov
Dec 9, 2016

Madam President, I want to say to my friends, this is my last moment on the floor of the U.S. Senate. I already gave my farewell, and I thought that was the end of it. I find myself filibustering my own bill, which is really a bizarre way…

govinfo.gov
Dec 9, 2016

Absolutely. What is such a joke is that my Republican friends, who were just objecting to our having an amendment to take this earmark off, always give big speeches about how Congress is putting all of these earmarks in. Well, this is a…

govinfo.gov
Dec 9, 2016

Madam President, I am going to speak for a little while and then reserve the remainder. I say to Senator Wyden, thank you for your words. I also wish to explain why it was important to take the time at this late hour. We are all exhausted…

govinfo.gov

Other voices in this conversation