Pete Sessions: “with regard to my raising the question of bribery as being the same in principle as what we are discussing here, I would…”

“with regard to my raising the question of bribery as being the same in principle as what we are discussing here, I would like to make a statement. Maybe I was misunderstood. I would like to just say that, fundamentally, we are waiving the applicability of sections 203, 205, 207 of the United States Criminal Code. The bribery section is section 201 1. As a matter of principle, I just wanted to make the point that what we are being asked to do here is to waive the criminal law of the United States with regard to this particular individual, and the Ethics Committee has said it is unprecedented. That means this body has never done this in its entire history. This is a legal mistake. I am not here concerning myself with the individuals who make up the board. I am here because it was called to my attention that this problem existed. I am a former Federal prosecutor and a member of the Ethics Committee of this body, and I believe this is a legal mistake--a legal mistake we should not make. That is why I am making my comments now. I am very sorry to interrupt the Senator from New York, but it was important to clarify the record, I thought.”