Thomas McClintock actually said...

"The beating heart of a democracy is freedom of speech. That's the right of every citizen to express their opinions freely."

"Human nature being what it is, we all know that the most closely guarded secrets of the government are not those that are marked top secret; it's those that are marked embarrassing."

"A free press is absolutely fundamental to that process. Without it, the people cannot make informed decisions or hold their government accountable for its actions."

"When the government pressures any news outlet, or for that matter any private party, to suppress or shape its coverage, that crosses a very bright and dangerous line."