On the recordJuly 19, 2017
I understand, Mr. Speaker. My point is, in order to rule on this, it is important for the Chair to understand that the severity of the questions with respect to the integrity of our proceedings are undermined because of the potential conflicts of interest and the lack of information about the tax returns and related materials of the President. So you can't make an argument about the rights of the House collectively, its dignity, and the integrity of the proceedings without understanding the presence, the evidence of the conflicts of interest, of the potential foreign entanglements, of the self-dealing that tax returns would reveal and help illuminate. You also can't protect the integrity of our responsibilities as a check on the executive branch without understanding that we have a responsibility to examine these financial interactions, the influence of the Russians, and interfering with our elections, the firing of Director Comey, the secret meetings between the President's campaign. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is again reminded to keep his remarks confined to the question of order.
