Ben Cardin actually said...

"Will you work with us so that we can have a very strong position in making it clear that every country can do better with fighting corruption, that there are certain standards that need to be met?"

"If we do not help these countries address those causes, it is going to be very hard to get at the--at the root of the problem."

"Corruption exists in every country, but unless you have a plan to deal with corruption, it becomes very corrosive to the underlying fabric of any democratic society."

"I want to ask you some questions in regards to a troubling trend we have seen globally on the decline of democracy."