[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 119 (Wednesday, September 10, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H7123]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         MAYBE THEY JUST FORGOT

  (Mr. CHABOT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, as America's schoolchildren head back to 
school, I am reminded of an old Steve Martin routine on ``Saturday 
Night Live.'' I am talking about the skit in which Steve Martin tries 
to explain away his breaking the law by saying, ``I forgot armed 
robbery was a crime.''
  Mr. Speaker, teachers are used to all the lame excuses they get from 
their students about why they did not do their homework, or why they 
did not study for a test. But, Mr. Speaker, the excuses coming out of 
the White House about all their fund-raising irregularities would make 
even Steve Martin laugh.
  Maybe the White House needs to be reminded that accepting 
contributions from foreign nationals, directly or indirectly, for 
political campaigns is a crime. Maybe the White House needs to be 
reminded that laundering campaign contributions in order to hide the 
source of the funds is a crime; that selling Commerce Department trade 
missions in exchange for political contributions is a crime; that using 
government lawyers for private counsel is a crime.
  But who knows, Mr. Speaker? Maybe they just forgot.

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