[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 68 (Wednesday, May 12, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H3004]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




WILL CHINESE ESPIONAGE SCANDAL BE DISMISSED AS EASILY AS OTHER SCANDALS

  (Mr. SCHAFFER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, I can only guess what the response of the 
knee-jerk Clinton defenders will be as the whole country learns just 
how bad the Communist Chinese espionage scandal is. Will they dismiss 
this scandal, too, claiming, ``Everyone lies about treason.''
  We have heard so many excuses so many times about so many scandals 
during the most unethical administration in history. It does not 
matter, they say. Everyone does it.
  The President stated he was unaware of any Chinese espionage and that 
it had taken place on his watch. But now we have Energy Secretary Bill 
Richardson admitting that, in fact, a report was prepared and delivered 
to the President on exactly that subject in November of 1998.
  Even more amazing is that the President's and the Vice President's 
first reaction to the news of this Chinese spying scandal was to, that 
is right, blame it on Ronald Reagan.
  Then we find out the most serious stuff occurred during the Clinton 
years of 1994 and 1995. Why? Why, I ask, did the Justice Department sit 
on its hands for 3\1/2\ years, 3\1/2\ years, while Americans have to 
rely on a New York newspaper to get to the bottom of it?

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