Summary

Members of the Senate make comments on proposed funding for investigations into campaign fundraising practices.

Source CONUS Archive
Record ID 260356
Story Slug SENATE COMMENTS / FUNDRAISING PRACTICES (1997)
Location WASHINGTON, DC
Format TVD
Date 3/10/1997
Archive Time 20:06
TRT 4:32
Supers 1) Senator John Wernerh (R-VA) 2) Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) 3) Senator John Glenn (D-OH) 4) Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN)
Description Members of the Senate make comments on proposed funding for investigations into campaign fundraising practices.
Script (SUGGESTED TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO) Unknown Speaker 00:00 The Vice President how we go about the process of elections. And we have got to get at the bottom of this thing as quickly as possible. I've indicated my support for Chairman Fred Thompson has a man I have absolute faith in, can deal with this matter fairly and objectively. And I've said that for weeks Never once have I deviated and I don't think there'll be ever a basis that I shall DPA. Unknown Speaker 00:28 I said on the reasonable and honest manner. Later this week, the Judiciary Committee will forward a letter to Attorney General to the Attorney General requesting that she apply for an independent counsel. Today, she has refused, refused to do so in this matter. And I don't read anything sinister into that I believe that the attorney general is an honorable, ethical person of integrity. She has applied for the appointment of for no less than four independent counsel since she's been Attorney General. And I think she has shown that she's a person who can act. But today, she has refused to act on this matter. And I believe that there is now an apparent conflict of interest, since she does serve the president. And since then, there have been allegations concerning high level leadership in the in the executive branch, I think she's going to have to appoint an independent counsel. And that in our current federal elections laws, breadth of this particular investigation isn't is immense. We cannot allow ourselves in an attempt to satisfy tendentious calls for a broad inquiry into congressional campaigns to interfere with what is a serious matter. Investigating the 1996 presidential campaign alone will require a very substantial budget and a substantial amount of time, I presume, even more time than the Rules Committee is allowed in this instance, which is only till the end of this year, approximately eight months. I suspect this will go on beyond that. And we'll have to go on beyond that. Because of what will be brought out. Let's Unknown Speaker 02:03 avoid this problem for the Republicans. The first thing to understand is that the main problem with the campaign finance system is not just follow up what politicians do that is illegal. It is what politicians do. That is legal. That is an equal scandal. And it happens every single day on Capitol Hill. And with both political parties, let me voting. If this trend continues, if America goes downhill because of lack of confidence in our federal government, I say that we face a crisis that could literally threaten the foundations of democracy in the United States. There's a remedy to avert this crisis, as I see it, and to begin the restoration of public support with a system of government. Remedy requires that we reform the campaign finance system, it's a wonderful place to start because it certainly needs reforming. Unknown Speaker 03:04 With with this system that we now have. And, Mr. President, I think, and I hope I'm proven wrong, but I think the action on the Rules Committee represents not a step forward, but a great leap sideways. And I have my doubts as to whether or not in fact, we are going to pass the reform that gets the big money out of politics. I mean, given the scope now, at least government affairs, they're not going to be looking at soft money, not going to be looking at independent expenditure, not going to be looking at what the New York Times yesterday in their editorial called systematize influence peddling, which, by the way, is a bipartisan invention, a bipartisan invention. And when we narrow the scope, and don't look at all of the abuses, you know, we can have abuses, they may not be illegal, but they are abuses. It is arrogance, it is what people in the country hate. It is what destroys confidence on the part of people in our political process. When we don't look at any of that, Mr. President, how convenient it'll be. Because if we don't have a full inquiry into all of these abuses, into all of this improper behavior, into all of the ways in which legally big money has come to dominate politics, then guess what? We don't make the case for reform. Mr. President, the senator from Virginia has Unknown Speaker 04:26 recognized acid Quorum call be withdrawn. Without objection, morning bist.
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