Ernest Istook: “I think it is important to note when people say we should not do it because the Justice Department is investigating it…”

“I think it is important to note when people say we should not do it because the Justice Department is investigating it, certainly we have had many contemporaneous investigations where the House was pursuing allegations of ethical misconduct simultaneously with something going on in the Justice Department. A good example, a recent example, was certainly the House bank scandal. We had the investigations regarding the Keating Five. We had an inquiry into allegations of improper use of book proceeds by a Member of this House. We have had a number of occasions when we have understood that we and the Justice Department each have separate duties. We can cooperate with one another without interfering with one another. We certainly should seek to do so, because we cannot evade our constitutional responsibility. There is also, Madam Speaker, a lingering question with many people as to whether the Justice Department actually will pursue things, presuming that the evidence is indeed there in their hands, to the point of an indictment.”