[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 73 (Monday, June 2, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5173-S5174]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            THE OKLAHOMA CITY TRIAL AND THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM

  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, let me make one additional comment on 
another matter. I notice the Senator from Idaho is waiting for the 
floor. I will not be lengthy, but I do want to make a comment on 
another unrelated issue.
  I and the American people have learned this afternoon that the trial 
in Denver, CO, the Oklahoma City bombing trial, has concluded 
apparently with a guilty verdict on all counts, having been brought 
against Timothy McVeigh. There are many in this country, myself 
included, who from time to time have been critical of the judicial 
process feeling that in one case or another or in one circumstance or 
another the judicial system has let us down.
  In fact, I think most Americans probably felt that way following the 
O.J. Simpson trial, that somehow the judicial system did not work quite 
right, and understand why people feel that way and, as I said, I have 
from time to time joined them thinking that some things just do not 
seem right in the judicial system.
  But it seems to me that the decision in the Denver courtroom today 
should say to all of us that the judicial system in this country does 
work, the message today in that courtroom was a message that seems to 
me that those who commit heinous acts of terror will be brought to 
justice in this country. And I wanted to simply say, having heard of 
this verdict as most Americans have today, that I would credit and 
compliment the men and women who most Americans will never know who 
undoubtedly spent a lot of time and energy and effort and hours working 
on this case, to bring this case to a courtroom that results in a 
guilty verdict.
  I can recall the day that I heard of this bombing. I was walking into 
a school in Minot, ND, to speak to a convocation at the school, and I 
have heard the reports of the bulletins on the radio that there had 
been this bombing at the courthouse in Oklahoma City. And I did not 
know until later the full consequence of it. But I will never, I 
suspect, in my lifetime, forget the picture of the fireman cradling the 
lifeless body of that young child, a victim of that disaster, that 
heinous act of terror, a disaster, but also obviously a deliberate 
heinous act committed against innocent civilians. And I felt the same 
rage I suppose most Americans do and did about that kind of senseless 
killing.
  I hope that the verdict today in that courtroom in Denver is a 
verdict that says to all those in this country who believe they are 
above the law, who believe that acts of terror somehow will work, that 
this country will not countenance terror, this country will hunt down 
and prosecute vigorously those who commit terror against Americans and 
against all citizens.
  I did want to simply take this moment to say that I suspect that 
there was an enormous amount of effort and work expended by a lot of 
folks to bring this trial to a successful conclusion and I, as one 
Senator, say thank you to the law enforcement community, and thank you 
to all of those who participated in restoring the faith of the American 
people in the justice system.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  Mr. CRAIG addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Idaho.
  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, let me associate myself with the remarks of 
the Senator from North Dakota who I think said it so well just a few 
moments ago as it relates to the outcome of the court actions in the 
Presiding Officer's home State and the city of Denver.
  What it says about our society is so very clear, that we gave and we 
give and we protect the rights of our citizens to speak openly and 
freely in protest against their Government, to express themselves and 
their opinions without fear that somehow the heavy hand of Government 
might sweep down on them, but if they use violence as an expression, a 
political expression, that then they fall within the act of a 
terrorist, and if so proven to be such, the kind of action or the kind 
of verdict that came about in Denver is the consequence.
  And that of course is what has marked the civility of our country 
well over 200 years now. And thank goodness our system still proves, as 
it apparently has expressed its will in Denver this afternoon, that it 
does work and it does work effectively.
  So I appreciate the remarks of the Senator from North Dakota in 
making those statements.

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