Frank Riggs: “I take the floor tonight because I think it is very important that a Member of this body speak out with respect to some…”

“I take the floor tonight because I think it is very important that a Member of this body speak out with respect to some of the inferences or suggestions that have been made that are in a way somewhat related, although I would suggest very immaterial and extraneous, to the allegations that have been made against the President. I do not think that any Member of Congress could possibly relish the tremendous responsibility of potentially sitting in judgment on the President of the United States, but it appears in the coming days, the coming weeks, the coming months that will be the case with this Congress and potentially the next Congress. As each of us struggles to uphold our constitutional responsibility to define what constitutes a high crime and misdemeanor and to decide whether or not the material, the evidence amassed in the independent counsel's report to the House which presumably will be made public tomorrow, constitutes impeachable offenses. But the reason I wanted to stand up and speak tonight on this particular issue is because I noticed, I have noticed in recent days, and with increasing concern, that there are Members of this body that would endeavor to lower the very solemn and dignified tone that I think is necessary to have a debate on these momentous issues by inferring that 'everyone does it'. Everyone does not do it.”