Sean Patrick Maloney: “I really have not seen an investigation meltdown like this one since I watched Inspector Clousseau look for the Pink…”

“I really have not seen an investigation meltdown like this one since I watched Inspector Clousseau look for the Pink Panther. Of course, what all of us are talking about is the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight's alleged investigation. Three of us serve on this committee, and they are looking into the alleged fund-raising abuses in the 1996 campaigns. Many of us are beginning to believe that the investigation which would yield more results would be one that would focus on the people or the person in charge. The antics of the chairman have reduced this probe to a series of bulbles and blotches and embarrassments. Six hundred subpoenas have been issued without the consent of the full committee. This is the first time this has happened since the McCarthy era. The committee has spent $6 million to hold just 6 hearings so far. The Senate investigation ran for days on just over half that cost. Then just in case those numbers were not incriminating enough, the name calling began that my colleague, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Barrett) just referred to. Now tapes are being doctored. The lead investigator has been forced to step down. We have all been labeled squealing pigs, and we are all on the Sunday morning talk shows. What is next? Oprah, Jerry Springer?”