[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 194 (Thursday, December 7, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H14180]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      AT LAST, AN OUTSIDE COUNSEL

  (Mr. LEWIS of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, last night, after more than 14 
months of deliberations, the Ethics Committee found Speaker Newt 
Gingrich guilty of violating House rules on three counts. The Ethics 
Committee has also taken the long overdue step of appointing an outside 
counsel or prosecutor to investigate Speaker Gingrich and untangle the 
web of nonprofit and political slush funds he directs.
  In addition, the bipartisan committee rebuked the Speaker for 
accepting a $4.5 million book deal from media mogul Rupert Murdoch. In 
their words: ``the committee strongly questions the appropriateness of 
what some could describe as an attempt by you to capitalize on your 
office''.
  Though long overdue, the ethics committee has begun the process of 
investigating the Speaker of the House. It is high time.
  The committee found Speaker Gingrich guilty of violating House rules 
on three occasions. Could this be just the tip of the iceberg? The 
special counsel will find out for sure.

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