[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 20772]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        REPUBLICAN HOUSE BRIBERY

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, over the weekend a former Republican 
Congressman accused Republican leaders here in the House of trying to 
bribe him in order to gain his support for legislation he did not 
support. This is not the first time House Republicans attempted to 
bribe Members of their caucus to vote a certain way, nor will it 
probably be the last.
  This weekend on ``Meet the Press,'' former Republican Congressman Tom 
Coburn said the Republican leadership offered him a bribe to vote in 
favor of a transportation bill.
  Coburn told moderator Tim Russert that he did not want to support a 
Republican transportation bill because it was not paid for. So what did 
the Republican leadership do? I am quoting former Congressman Tom 
Coburn when he says, ``I was then offered a bribe by the committee to 
vote for the bill. I could have $15 million to spend wherever I wanted 
to.'' Coburn continues, ``I don't believe that's the kind of government 
we want. That's what we're seeing in Congress now with some of the 
ethical problems that are there.''
  Mr. Coburn, I could not agree with you more. Unfortunately, the 
abuses of power have happened on the Republican Party's watch, and we 
will not see a change unless Democrats return to power both here in the 
House of Representatives and in the Senate.

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