[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 24 (Tuesday, March 8, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                       WHITEWATER A BELTWAY ISSUE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Margolies-Mezvinsky). Under the 
Speaker's announced policy of February 11, 1994, the gentleman from New 
Mexico [Mr. Richardson] is recognized during morning business for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. RICHARDSON. Madam Speaker, I have just returned from New Mexico, 
where I literally met with thousands of my constituents at a wide array 
of events. Let me say that not one single constituent of mine raised 
the so-called Whitewater issue. What they wanted to talk about was 
crime and education and health care. The Whitewater issue appears to be 
a beltway issue.
  A recent poll came out this morning--68 percent of the American 
people think that the other side, our friends on the Republican side, 
are unfairly piling it on the President.
  Madam Speaker, middle America does not care about Whitewater, they 
care about health care, crime, the economy. The time has come for us to 
spend full time on these issues.
  They sent us to deal with these issues.
  Madam Speaker, despite the other side's efforts to try to embarrass 
the President, middle America knows the facts about Whitewater. Under 
no circumstances has there ever been any direct involvement or 
impropriety by the President or the First Lady. There has been no 
allegation that they have done anything wrong, let alone illegal or 
improper.
  Madam Speaker, some are saying there is a similarity between 
Whitewater and Watergate. This is absurd. This is patently absurd.
  Madam Speaker, there have been calls by the other side for hearings 
in the Congress. The special counsel, the special counsel of the 
Whitewater case, Mr. Robert Fiske has specifically asked Congress not 
to hold hearings, that this will ``impede the investigation.'' The 
other side pushed very hard for the White House to appoint a special 
counsel. That happened. The special counsel is looking into this case 
and the best thing we can do is let that process continue and run its 
course.
  Madam Speaker, we have a popular President who has attacked the 
problems of the economy, of trade, of health care, of crime. He is high 
in the polls and while he cannot be attacked on the issues, he is being 
attacked, baselessly, on his character. If there is something wrong, 
let the special counsel run its course and continue its investigation.
  Madam Speaker, it is also unfair to attack the First Lady. This is a 
First Lady who has jumped into the issue of health care and many 
others. She has a record of probity and she has a record of integrity 
throughout her public career. It is wrong to attack her in this manner.
  Madam Speaker, the White House has chosen as a new special counsel 
Lloyd Cutler, perhaps one of the best symbols of integrity in 
Washington, DC. He served as special counsel under President Carter and 
was a model of ethics and probity as well.
  Madam Speaker, our constituents have spoken. Let us deal with the 
problems of the day. Whitewater is an issue of the beltway that should 
be investigated by the special counsel and not by the Congress.

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