Ben Cardin actually said...

"Turkey is a democracy, and yet when you look at how they have recently conducted their constitutional referendum, it does not meet the standards of a democratic country."

"Turkey is a critically important partner of the United States."

"I agree with your conclusion."

"At the very least--at the very least--we can be true to our values and perhaps we will get the Turkish Government's attention by being public in our censure of their human rights record."