Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, this is a day that each of us hoped would never come, and we pray that it will not come again. Simply put, there is absolutely no satisfaction in judging one of our own. But the Constitution makes clear that we are the only ones who can judge a fellow Member of Congress in cases such as Mr. Traficant. It is certainly difficult for me, as I am sure it is difficult for my fellow members of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, to recommend the expulsion of a colleague. Our recommendation in this matter is based solely on the facts as we know and understand them. This recommendation is one that I know the entire committee took very seriously. My only responsibilities in this matter were twofold. First, I served as chairman of the Investigative Subcommittee. Along with 3 of my colleagues, our responsibility was to examine the evidence from Mr. Traficant's trial in Cleveland, Ohio, and to determine whether there was 'substantial reason to believe' that violations of the House rules occurred.”