Ben Cardin actually said...

"We cannot achieve these objectives without addressing the root causes of poor governance, including pervasive and systemic corruption."

"Corruption threatens our national security, economic equity, global anti-poverty and development efforts, and democracy itself."

"Corruption is a cancer. It exists in every country and every society."

"The U.S. has tremendous leverage in our conversations with Israel, and we use that leverage. We don't have to do it through conditionality."