Barney Frank: “this House is launched on a historically tragic case of selective moralizing. By the history of this country, the…”

“this House is launched on a historically tragic case of selective moralizing. By the history of this country, the appropriate response to lying about a consensual sexual affair would be censure. When Ronald Reagan's Secretary of Defense was indicted for perjury by an Independent Counsel and pardoned by George Bush, Members on that side applauded the action. When Speaker Gingrich was found to have been inaccurate 13 times in an official proceeding to the House Ethics Committee, he was reprimanded and simultaneously reelected Speaker with the overwhelming vote of Members on that side. That is why we believe censure is appropriate. The American people also believe censure is appropriate. Let me agree with those who say that simply because a large number of the voters believe something, we are not obligated to vote for it. I welcome this assertion that we have an obligation not always to follow public opinion. But while we have the right not to vote for something just because there is overwhelming public support, in a democracy, we have no right not to vote on it. We have a right to stand up honestly and say, I disagree with censure. Members have no right to hide behind a partisan leadership and not take a position. The public has a right, on this overwhelmingly important issue, to have the preferred option that the public supports voted on. That is the abdication of democracy.…”