[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 65 (Friday, May 10, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E759-E760]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             CORRESPONDENCE

                                 ______


                           HON. JIM McDERMOTT

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 9, 1996

  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I am inserting for the Record a copy of 
the enclosed letter sent to Mr. John Linder.


                                     House of Representatives,

                                      Washington, DC, May 9, 1996.
     Hon. John Linder,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear John: I respect the right of every Member to 
     communicate with colleagues via ``Dear Colleague'' letters, 
     but your letter of May 8, 1996 goes beyond the pale.
       Your statement that I ``would use [my] position on the 
     Ethics Committee to promote these phony charges after taking 
     money from'' a fundraiser contains the implication, or at 
     least the innuendo, that I committed a crime--a statement 
     that is false and actionable. Of course, as you must know 
     from your own experience, the money contributed at 
     fundraising events does not accrue to me personally but to my 
     campaign, and it did not come from Mr. Jost but rather from 
     campaign contributors--all legally reported under the FECA. 
     Further, your contention that I am obligated to disclose 
     ``these relationships'' when performing my duties on the 
     Ethics Committee is incorrect. The rules governing this 
     subejct (Ethics Committee Rule 7) do not require or even 
     suggest that a Member on the Committee disclose the identify 
     of this fundraiser, or that he recuse himself in instances in 
     which a fundraiser has exercised his First Amendment rights 
     in his personal capacity on a subject within the public 
     domain.
       I expect the rough and tumble of political outbursts but I 
     will not tolerate

[[Page E760]]

     disemination of false and defamatory statements such as those 
     that you are circulating. Please be assured that I am fully 
     prepared to take legal action if you do not immediately cease 
     and desist these activities.
           Sincerely,
     Jim McDermott.

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