Sheldon Whitehouse actually said...

"Do you understand that the Senate has an independent role and has a right to independent investigation and independent information, that we aren't just an adjunct of the EPA ethics department?"

"Would you provide the Committee a list of the firm's pro bono work so that we can make an assessment of whether or not pro bono clients ought to be covered by the ethics pledge?"

"And will you provide the materials to us so we can engage in that oversight?"

"Do you understand that the Senate has its own independent oversight responsibility here and that we are not an adjunct to the EPA ethics office?"