[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 37 (Friday, March 27, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S2699]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        THE PRESIDENT'S ACTIONS

  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, this President has not defended his 
actions on the basis that this is a private matter; ``it is something 
between me and my wife and consenting adults,'' and that sort of 
thing. He has denied these allegations flat out, and he has placed in 
dispute, under oath, contradicting statements.

  So now we have a mess in this country, and it is a direct result of 
the actions of the President of the United States. He has gotten 
himself in a situation in which his statements directly contradicts 
that of other people's statements, under oath. That is a matter that is 
not going away lightly.
  I will say what is offensive to me and is of concern to me: He has 
embroiled the Office of the Presidency in this matter. He has used the 
power, the staff, the people of his office to defend himself and to 
entwine them into this affair. He has, therefore, during the course of 
this activity, in my opinion as one Senator--and I had no intention to 
speak this morning on this subject, but it has been troubling me for a 
long time--I think he has dishonored the Presidency in that regard. He 
has not handled it properly. I wish it were not so. It is not good for 
this country. It is not the right thing for us to have to be going 
through today.
  There is no one who has any responsibility for it but the President. 
If he thinks he can go around and claim that is the fault of the person 
who has been commissioned by an objective Federal court to investigate 
his activities instead of the President--that is what he is 
suggesting--then that is not accurate. I am very troubled by this 
matter.
  I think what we need to do is simply to allow the special prosecutor 
to do his job. He may well find there is evidence of wrongdoing. He may 
find there is no evidence of wrongdoing. He may find there might be 
some evidence of wrongdoing but there is insufficient proof to bring 
charges. I don't know what will happen. I hope we get it over with. I 
hope the President will cooperate. But I think we need to be respectful 
of the legal process in this country and not attempt to undermine it, 
because we don't undermine a part of it without undermining all of it.
  Every day, by a prosecutor in America, young people are being tried 
for drug offenses and other offenses, and they have to accept the 
workings of that system. Police accept the workings of that system. 
Mothers and fathers accept the workings of that system when their 
children are charged with a crime. It is a painful, horrible, difficult 
time for all, but we have to respect the rule of law. I am very, very 
troubled by those who, in my opinion, make comments and suggestions to 
try to attack an investigation and, in effect, undermine the law by 
political power and political influence. This should not happen. I 
think it is a matter we need to talk more about in this body.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor and I suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

                          ____________________