Political Quotes

“just so that we understand, because of the redundant way in which the amendment is drawn, it says that if the suit by a citizen involves securities, you cannot sue under RICO, so you would not be able to sue under RICO for any of the other things which are prohibited under RICO: for example, murder; for example, violation of narcotics laws; for example, participating in a criminal enterprise of any kind, or for any kind of interstate fraud, gambling, narcotics, or whatever it might happen to be. Mr. Chairman, if we are going to deal with the question of RICO reform, then good sense says that we should deal with it well. We ought not offer, simply because the individual can rush into court and say ``But you cannot sue me under RICO for gambling or narcotics because I was involved in securities, and the language of the Cox amendment says that I can't be sued if securities were involved.'' I do not blame the gentleman from California for objecting, because I would not want anybody to say these things about me on the floor, but the hard fact is the legislation is poorly drawn, it is hurried to the floor without proper hearings, without any intelligent consideration, and it has results far different, far broader, far worse from the standpoint of RICO, law enforcement, and getting at criminals generally. That is what is involved here. The amendment ought to be rejected, if for no other reason than it is sloppy work. It is an embarrassment to the House.”