William Tauzin: “This amendment does not establish guilt or innocence. It does not say after 6 months one is either guilty or innocent.…”

“This amendment does not establish guilt or innocence. It does not say after 6 months one is either guilty or innocent. That is why the provisions of dismissal without prejudice are included in this amendment. Without prejudice means the committee makes no decision of guilt or innocence. It says, 'We are deadlocked, we cannot decide.' Unless one is really serious about this complaint and refiles it, we cannot handle it. Dishonest, politically motivated complaints brought before our Committee on Standards of Official Conduct do as much damage to the integrity of this House and the political process in America as do honest complaints that are not properly handled. Dishonest, politically motivated complaints brought before our Committee on Standards of Official Conduct that hang out there, undecided, with no message coming out of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct about what is going on, do more damage to the integrity of our process than an honest complaint that is mishandled.”