John Conyers: “could I say to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), whom I plan to work as closely with for the next several months…”

“could I say to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), whom I plan to work as closely with for the next several months as I can, more closely than we have worked throughout our careers, you have stated twice, sir, that the President of the United States already knows what is in the report. I reject that. And I am trying not to resent it. Because, if he does, he has violated the law in that respect. You have also said that fundamental fairness should be distinguished from public relations spin. Well, we were not spinning anything when the ethics rule got a week for the Speaker of the House to respond. We were not spinning anything on the committee that I recall you being a member of, when President Reagan got ample time to respond. So I do not think we should confuse fundamental fairness and public relations spin when this President is requesting the very same thing.”