Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I am reminded, though, of a story Abraham Lincoln was fond of telling. That was, he got a telegraph from his Collector of Customs in New Orleans--in those days that was a very profitable job for the collector--and the wire read: ``Mr. President, I have been offered a bribe of $20,000. I request a transfer. They are nearing my price.'' Mr. Speaker, the Speaker of the House spoke of perception here rather than reality. I agree with his comments with respect to the importance of lobbyists in our consideration of legislation. But I do not think that we should legislate on the basis of public perception, particularly when it is legislation as ill-conceived and as flawed as this is. Mr. Speaker, I speak as the ranking member of the full Committee on the Judiciary. This bill never came to us. I have yet to be told why; why it was a matter of subcommittee jurisdiction only and never considered by the full committee when it could have had the judgment and advice of many senior members of the committee who are not on the subcommittee. Mr. Speaker, because of this, there are many unresolved issues, and consideration under suspension of the rules not allowing any amendments leaves these issues unresolved.”