John Kerry: “today on the front page of the Washington Post there is a story that I think should not simply slide by the concern and…”

“today on the front page of the Washington Post there is a story that I think should not simply slide by the concern and consideration of all our colleagues in the Senate. The headline is, ``GOP Senators Seek To Curb Panel's Fund-Raising Probe.'' The heart of the story is a basic expression, on behalf of some Senators, that they only want to focus on President Clinton. They do not want an investigation that somehow looks into the activities of the Congress itself. I know the Congress is plenty good at taking care of itself. Through history it has proven that. But the American people will not be satisfied with such an extraordinary, brazen, overt statement of unwillingness to heed the interests of the American people and to get to the bottom of any allegations of wrongdoing in any kind of fundraising. Anyone who suggests we can just sweep this under the rug because people are nervous up here, or somehow they think that looking at congressional inquiries might become the instigator of reform, and therefore, because they don't want reform, they are not going to investigate, is one of the most extraordinary efforts of turning your back on the interests of what we are supposed to be doing here and of the American people. I will signal for myself, and I think there are other Senators who feel this way--no one is looking for some no-holds-barred embarrassment here. No one is looking for some fishing expedition.…”