Ernest Istook: “Are we to be treated differently and to have some sort of immunity from prosecution for an act such as embezzlement…”

“Are we to be treated differently and to have some sort of immunity from prosecution for an act such as embezzlement because we are elected officials, because we are in Washington, DC, because we are the focus of power in this country and somehow we have acquired an immunity? Of course we have not. And that is what the public is so mad about, that we are not treated like regular people. We do not try to be treated like regular people. We do not act like regular people. Is there any company, any company anywhere in the United States of America that if there were allegations like this of embezzlement by a company official so they would say, 'Well, we can't do anything about it, we will turn it over to the prosecutors and maybe they will do something'? But meantime, the guy is still on our payroll, he can still pilfer from the till if he is so inclined to do so, and nothing has changed. That would be totally unacceptable in any business in this country, and it is totally unacceptable for this House to bury its head in the sand rather than get to the bottom of this.”