Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, this amendment, as far as I'm concerned, is merely a punishment because some Members haven't liked some of the things the OCE has done. I will tell you that, having drafted the rule, I don't like everything they've done either, but the appropriate way to deal with that is to amend the rules of the House or to try to talk to them to amend their own rules. There are ways to do the things that others have been concerned about, some of which I share. I have expressed my concern on certain issues to members of the OCE in the past. It's not to just pick a number and slash that number of 40 percent. That is merely, as far as I'm concerned, draconian punishment to say, We're the boss; you're not. It's not going to change one thing that the OCE does. It will simply make it a little bit more difficult for this House to maintain the integrity level that we have struggled so desperately to gain back over the years. We've had our troubles. We will have problems in the future. Some of our colleagues will do something that none of us will like. The question is not that. The question is: How does the public see us? I have a letter that I would like to submit to the Record that I think everybody got in their office today from the Campaign Legal Center, the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Common Cause, Democracy 21, League of Women Voters, Public Citizen, and U.S. PIRG.…”