Rick Lazio: “I rise today to speak about trust and the violation of privacy. Two highly publicized unauthorized biographies, one to…”

“I rise today to speak about trust and the violation of privacy. Two highly publicized unauthorized biographies, one to be written by a Democratic consultant and another by a Republican consultant, are examples of a problem that transcends partisan politics and resonates throughout our culture. We are a nation that values an individual's right to privacy, yet time and time again unauthorized books are written based on rumor and innuendo that purport to expose the private lives of public figures for all to see. There was a time, Mr. Speaker, when trust and loyalty were cherished and truly personal matters were kept private. But today, if pecuniary interests are at stake, anything is fair game. This is symbolic of the lack of discretion and respect that is permeating our society and contributes to a breaking down of integrity in relationships. In the end analysis, sensationalism sells, truth is denigrated, and all unauthorized biographies become suspect. Our courts may find that unauthorized biographies filled with inaccuracies and insinuations cannot be prohibited in our free society. However, we can just say no and refuse to buy them. Perhaps then, without profit to publish, this rubbish will disappear from our culture.”