[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 12, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H4435-H4436]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CAN SEE THROUGH THIS FACADE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Green) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, and still I rise because I love my 
country.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise some 56 days since the Mueller report was made 
public; 56 days, according to some, and I have been among them, to say 
that the President has been above the law for 56 days pursuant to the 
Mueller report.
  But the truth is the President has been above the law for more than 2 
years because, more than 2 years ago, I stood at this podium and called 
for the impeachment of the President of the United States of America 
for his obstruction that we now acknowledge was obstruction--more than 
2 years. More than 2 years, now, of analysis paralysis. As Dr. King put 
it, the paralysis of analysis--more than 2 years.
  What does this mean, paralysis analysis? Well, I have my pneumonic 
notes.
  It means that we are allowing the perfect to be an enemy of the good, 
that we are waiting for the perfect opportunity to do what we should 
rather than doing that which is good, which we can do now.
  It also means overthinking a problem and not analyzing to the extent 
that you never make a decision, and in some cases, it means allowing 
perfection protection.
  Some people will do it simply because knowing you cannot achieve 
perfection, it becomes a means by which they can achieve perfection--
perfection protection.
  And along the way, over these 2 years, Mr. Speaker, here is what we 
have had to deal with.
  The first question was: What crime has the President committed? Well, 
we know now that you don't have to commit a crime to be impeached. 
Constitutional scholars have finally acknowledged it publicly, and 
others have accepted it--no crime necessary. Andrew Johnson was 
impeached in 1868 in article 10 of the Articles of Impeachment against 
him, and it was not for commission of a crime.
  Then we had to deal with outsourcing of the investigation. Let's not 
do it ourselves. Let's not do what the Framers of the Constitution 
intended Congress to do. Let's give it to somebody else. Let's have 
some special counsel do it.
  And then, of course, thereafter, there was: Wait for the Mueller 
report. ``Wait for the Mueller report,'' a constant refrain. We waited 
for the Mueller report. The Mueller report has been presented, some 56 
days it has been made public.
  And now we are dealing with the whole notion of some of these votes 
may be hard votes. I know a little bit about hard votes. I have got 
some ministers who are not as friendly as they used to be because of 
some hard votes that I have taken right here on the floor of the House 
of Representatives.
  And then, of course, we have this notion that we have to have a rock-
solid case. Maybe not in these words, but we have to have a rock-solid 
case. Again, to some extent this is analysis by paralysis.
  And finally, I will mention today, this, the whole notion that ``I am 
against impeachment, although I am for it. I am against it, but I am 
for it.'' Realizing that, in the final analysis, if we don't impeach, 
``Well, I was always against it''; if we do impeach, ``Well, I was for 
it, but I just want to make sure we do it right.''
  ``I am against it, but I am for it.''
  Don't you know that the American people can see through this facade? 
This is but a veneer. People can see beyond the veneer. People 
understand that you can't be for it and against it at the same time. 
What a paradox.
  At some point, to impeach, you have to use the term ``impeach.'' At 
some point, the Judiciary Committee has to be the powerful Judiciary 
Committee that has been of old. At some point, we have to stand up. 
Either we will hold a ruthless, reckless, lawless President 
accountable, or we are all going to be held accountable.
  People are worried about the general election. Well, there is a 
primary before the general election. It is time for us to do our jobs. 
Paralysis analysis cannot prevent us from doing that which the Framers 
of the Constitution have accorded us as our responsibility.

[[Page H4436]]

  I refuse to allow this to continue. We will have impeachment of this 
President brought to the floor of the House of Representatives.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the time, as time is running out for us 
to continue to analyze to the extent that we are paralyzed.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from 
engaging in personalities toward the President.

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