Paul Coverdell: “ever since the introduction of this resolution which basically put the Senate on record, if passed, we were deploring…”

“ever since the introduction of this resolution which basically put the Senate on record, if passed, we were deploring the action of the President commuting the sentences of 16 known terrorists, in this timeframe, the White House so far has refused to allow any of its representatives in the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, its own White House, or the Bureau of Prisons to testify before any congressional hearing. It was as late as 9:30 p.m. last evening that the testifier from the Federal Bureau of Investigation called our office to decline to testify. In other words, there is a total blackout at the White House. The vote that occurred on the House side had 71 Members of the other side of the aisle voting ``I am here,'' refusing to make a statement. This debate in the Senate will have soon been 2 hours long. So far, on the other side there has been only one sentence discussed about this national issue of the President commuting the sentences and releasing 16 known terrorists.”