[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 27 (Wednesday, March 5, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H728]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




[[Page H728]]



              THE TIME IS NOW FOR CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, in today's New York Times the Speaker 
attacked Democratic fund-raising and compares it to the Watergate 
scandal. Specifically, the Speaker is quoted in today's New York Times 
saying, ``The Democratic fund-raising machine was the most systematic, 
large-scale effort to get around the law that I have seen since 
Watergate.''
  This comment is especially strange coming from someone who has 
admitted to abuses of the campaign finance system. The abuses were on 
such a scale that the Speaker has been fined $300,000.
  There is an old saying about people in glass houses not throwing 
stones, and I think it especially applies to the Speaker of this House. 
If the Speaker really cares about campaign finance reform, he should 
bring legislation to the floor immediately to correct the system. So 
far all we have seen is inaction by the Republicans on campaign finance 
reform.

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