Frank Pallone: “last night myself and other members of the Democratic caucus gathered here to discuss the issue of campaign finance…”

“last night myself and other members of the Democratic caucus gathered here to discuss the issue of campaign finance reform, and we had a good constructive discussion, I believe, about what is wrong with the present system, and we again appealed to the Republican leadership of this House to put a campaign finance reform bill on the table for us to consider. This morning, roughly about 10 hours after we concluded our special order, I picked up the Washington Post, and I read that the Republican chairman who is in charge of the partisan investigation into campaign fundraising has himself abused the system. According to the story on the front page, the chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform bullied a lobbyist for the Government of Pakistan for campaign money in the manner the lobbyist described as a shakedown. Not stopping there, the chairman then contacted the Pakistani Ambassador, complaining that the lobbyist could not raise him enough money. My colleagues, this is just the kind of abuse the chairman himself has been empowered to investigate. Originally I was concerned that these hearings would be too partisan, but after stories in this morning's Washington Post I now know that these hearings will not just merely be partisan, they are going to be a joke. How can the gentleman from Indiana hold the gavel and conduct these hearings in an objective manner?”