| 00:00:00 | HOW MUCH TIME IS READ SERVED FOR THIS SIDE OF THE AISLE? |
| 00:00:03 | THE PRESIDING OFFICER: SEVEN MINUTES AND 40 SECONDS. |
| 00:00:06 | MR. LEAHY: I THANK THE DISTINGUISHED PRESIDING OFFICER AND MY GOOD FRIEND FROM MONTANA. |
| 00:00:15 | MR. |
| 00:00:16 | PRESIDENT, WE'VE JUST RECEIVED A REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. |
| 00:00:24 | IT'S AN INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGATIONS OF POLITICIZING HIRE ING IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION. |
| 00:00:34 | MR. |
| 00:00:36 | PRESIDENT, ILL HELD HEARINGS ON THIS. |
| 00:00:38 | AT THE TIME THERE WAS A -- MR. |
| 00:00:43 | BRADLEY SCHLOTMAN WHO TESTIFIED AT THE TIME I DID NOT FIND HIS TESTIMONY CREDIBLE. |
| 00:00:53 | AND THE REPORT CONFIRMS SOME OF OUR WORST FEARS ABOUT THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION CORRUPTION OF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT. |
| 00:01:02 | NOT ONLY DID SENIOR REPUBLICAN APPOINTEES VIOLATE THE LAW IN HIRING BASED ON POLITICS BASED IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION, BUT THEY LIED ABOUT IT. |
| 00:01:12 | THEY LIED ABOUT IT UNDER OATH WHEN THEY WERE CALLED TO EXPLAIN THEMSELVES TO CONGRESS. |
| 00:01:18 | I'M PARTICULARLY DISTURBED BY THE FINDINGS OF THE SENIOR JUSTICE DEPARTMENT APPOINTEE. |
| 00:01:23 | THE VERY SENIOR JUSTICE DEPARTMENT APPOINTEE BRADLEY SLOTMAN MADE FALLS TESTIMONY. |
| 00:01:38 | IT BLUNTS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO OPEN AND TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT. |
| 00:01:45 | IT IS ONE THING TO HAVE A WITNESS COME AND SAY THEY DISAGREE WITH THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. |
| 00:01:50 | THAT'S FINE. |
| 00:01:51 | EVERYBODY HAS A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT FOR THAT. |
| 00:01:54 | NOBODY HAS A RIGHT TO LIE UNDER OATH. |
| 00:01:58 | NOBODY HAS A RIGHT TO BREAK THE LAW. |
| 00:02:01 | AND, CERTAINLY, A SENIOR MEMBER OF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CONSIDER HIMSELF ABOVE THE LAW. |
| 00:02:10 | NOT ONLY DID HE LIE IT ME IN THE COMMITTEE, BUT HE THEN REFUSED TO COOPERATE WITH THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S OVERSIGHT OFFICE INVESTIGATION INTO ILLEGAL HIRING PRACTICES IN THE DEPARTMENT CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION. |
| 00:02:23 | THE CLEAR DETERMINATION THAT HE BROKE THE LAW CORRODES THE SYSTEM OF JUSTICE AND THE NATION'S TOP LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. |
| 00:02:33 | IF SOMEBODY CAN BREAK THE LAW IN OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, WHAT DOES THAT SAY TO THE REST OF AMERICANS? |
| 00:02:42 | HIS ACTIONS, IN FACT, UNDER MINE THE VERY MISSION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION WHICH IS CHARGED WITH ENFORCING FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION, A STRONG CIVIL RIGHTS ADMINISTRATION IS LONG CRUCIAL TO THE PRESERVATION OF OUR CIVIL RIGHTS LAW. |
| 00:03:01 | AND COMMITTED ATTORNEYS HAVE BEEN THE HEART AND SOUL OF THAT DIVISION. |
| 00:03:05 | IN THE PAST THE PEOPLE WORKED THERE, MR. |
| 00:03:07 | PRESIDENT, NO MATTER HOW MUCH TIME YOU SPENT WITH THEM, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW IF THEY WERE REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS. |
| 00:03:13 | ALL YOU WOULD KNOW IS THESE ARE AMONG THE BRIGHTEST AND BEST LAWYERS IN THE COUNTRY DEDICATED TO SERVING THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND UPHOLDING OUR LAW. |
| 00:03:23 | CONTRARY TO THOSE TRADITIONS WHICH WE'VE HAD BOTH IN REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATIONS, THIS REPORT DETAILS TROUBLED REVELATIONS OF POLITICAL APPOINTEES WHO MARGINALIZE AND THEN FORCE OUT CAREER LAWYERS BECAUSE OF IDEOLOGY AND THEN CORRUPT THE HIRING PROCESS FOR CAREER POSITIONS. |
| 00:03:44 | IT SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE THAT THE RESULT AND, OF COURSE, THE INTENT OF THIS POLITICAL MAKEOVER OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION HAS BEEN A DISMAL -- A DISMAL CIVIL RIGHTS ENFORCEMENT RECORD. |
| 00:03:58 | IT'S JUST ONE OF THE FINAL CHANTERS IN THE REGRETTABLE LEGACY OF THIS ADMINISTRATION AND JUSTICE. |
| 00:04:06 | IT REINFORCES THE NEED FOR NEW LEADERSHIP. |
| 00:04:10 | NOW MORE THAN EVER IT IS NECESSARY TO CONFIRM A NEW TEAM TO LEAD THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT. |
| 00:04:16 | STARTING WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL DESIGNEE ERIC HOLDER. |
| 00:04:21 | I DO COMPLIMENT THE DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTOR GENERAL. |
| 00:04:27 | THEY DID NOT ALLOW POLITICS TO STAND IN THEIR WAY. |
| 00:04:31 | THEY WENT AND INVESTIGATED THIS. |
| 00:04:33 | I REALLY WISH THAT THEY -- THAT THE CURRENT U. |
| 00:04:38 | S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, APPOINTED BY THIS ADMINISTRATION, HAD PROSECUTED. |
| 00:04:43 | I THINK THAT THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU STOP SUCH BLATANT CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS BY PEOPLE WHO KNOW BETTER, PEOPLE WHO ARE SWORN TO UPHOLD THE LAW, IS THAT THEY KNOW THEY'LL GO TO JAIL FOR BREAKING THE LAW. |
| 00:04:59 | THAT'S -- THAT'S WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE. |
| 00:05:02 | AND JUST BECAUSE THEY BROKE THE LAW AND THE -- IN THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION AND THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION DID NOT -- OR DEEMED NOT TO PROSECUTE, I THINK THAT RAISES REAL QUESTIONS. |
| 00:05:16 | THE PROSECUTION SHOULD BE DONE NO MATTER WHO BREAKS THE LAW. |
| 00:05:20 | I THINK ABOUT ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO TESTIFIED IN THAT SAME INVESTIGATION AND SAID THAT, WELL, WE SWEAR AN OATH TO PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH. |
| 00:05:36 | I SAID NO, YOU SWEAR AN OATH TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION. |
| 00:05:41 | MR. PRESIDENT, THAT CONSTITUTION IS THE CONSTITUTION YOU'RE SWORN TO UPHOLD AND I'M SWORN TO UPHOLD. |
| 00:05:46 | IT'S THE CONSTITUTION THAT REFLECTS ALL AMERICANS. |
| 00:05:49 | THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT OF A PERSON, WHETHER YOU SUPPORT THAT PERSON OR NOT. |
| 00:05:55 | THE GOVERNMENT IS FOR ALL AMERICANS. |
| 00:05:57 | THE CONSTITUTION IS FOR ALL AMERICANS. |
| 00:06:01 | AND WHEN SOMEBODY DELIBERATELY, PURPOSELY SETS OUT TO SUBVERT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THEN LIES ABOUT IT -- LIES ABOUT IT -- MR. |
| 00:06:16 | PRESIDENT, I FIND THAT A HEINOUS CRIME. |
| 00:06:20 | YOU KNOW, WE WILL SEE SOME KID WHO STEALS A CAR. |
| 00:06:26 | THEY'LL BE PROSECUTED, AS PROBABLY THEY SHOULD. |
| 00:06:28 | BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A KEY MEMBER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE LIES UNDER OATH WHO SUBVERTS THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, ALL THE MORE REASON TO PROSECUTE THAT PERSON. |
| 00:06:43 | MR. |
| 00:06:45 | PRESIDENT WHARBGS MR. |
| 00:06:46 | SC -- MR. |
| 00:06:48 | PRESIDENT, WHAT MR. |
| 00:06:49 | SCHLOTMAN DID WAS REPREHENSIBLE, IT WAS WRONG. |
| 00:06:53 | BUT IT GOES TO THE VERY CORE OF AMERICA'S PRINCIPLES. |
| 00:06:57 | THE DISTINGUISHED PRESIDING OFFICER, LIKE ME, HAD THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS A PROSECUTOR. |
| 00:07:09 | AND I HAVE EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT HE DID NOT SHOW FAVOR WHEN HE BROUGHT PROSECUTION, AS I DO NOT. |
| 00:07:17 | I DO NOT SHOW PEER FAVOR. |
| 00:07:20 | MOST PROSECUTORS DO NOT. |
| 00:07:23 | AND WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS PART OF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT LIE UNDER OATH AND DO IT IN A WAY TO COVER UP, SUBVERTING THE LAWS THAT PROTECT ALL OF US, THE CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS PROTECT ALL OF US. |
| 00:07:40 | PROTECTS ALL OF US: WHITE, BLACK, BROWN, NO MATTER WHAT OUR RACE, OUR CREED; IT PROTECTS ALL OF US. |
| 00:07:50 | AND WHAT HAS MARKED THIS COUNTRY SINCE THE TIME I WAS A YOUNG LAWYER IN THE 1960'S, HAS BEEN OUR ADHERENCE TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS. |
| 00:08:03 | YOU CAN'T GO BACK TO A TIME WHERE THEY'RE ENFORCED FOR SOME AND NOT FOR OTHERS. |
| 00:08:12 | SO, MR. |
| 00:08:13 | PRESIDENT, I HOPE PEOPLE READ -- I'M NOT GOING TO PUT IT INTO THE RECORD BECAUSE IT'S AVAILABLE. |
| 00:08:19 | I HOPE PEOPLE READ THIS INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGATIONS OF POLITICIZED HIRINGS AND OTHER IMPROPER PERSONAL ACTIONS IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. |
| 00:08:31 | IT IS CHILLING. |
| 00:08:35 | I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THAT EVERY NEW PERSON COMING INTO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE READ THIS. |
| 00:08:41 | IT IS A HANDBOOK OF NOT WHAT TO DO, BUT A HANDBOOK OF WHATNOT TO DO -- A HANDBOOK OF WHAT NOT TO DO. |
| 00:08:54 | MR. PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE FLOOR AND SUGGEST THE ABSENCE OF A QUORUM. |
| 00:08:58 | THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CLERK WILL CALL THE ROLL. |
| 00:09:01 | QUORUM CALL: A SENATOR: MR. |
| 00:09:14 | PRESIDENT? THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE SENATOR FROM LOUISIANA. |
| 00:09:19 | MR. VITTER: THANK YOU, MR. |
| 00:09:20 | PRESIDENT. MR. |
| 00:09:21 | PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO END THE QUORUM CALL. |
| 00:09:23 | THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO ORDERED. |
| 00:09:24 | MR. |
| 00:09:25 | VITTER: THANK YOU, MR. |
| 00:09:26 | PRESIDENT. |
| 00:09:27 | MR. PRESIDENT, YESTERDAY PRESIDENT BUSH ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS SENDING TO CONGRESS FORMAL NOTICE REGARDING USE OF THE SECOND HALF OF THE TARP PROGRAM: THE TROUBLED ASSET RELIEF PROGRAM. |
| 00:09:39 | AS YOU KNOW, MR. |
| 00:09:40 | PRESIDENT, UNDER THAT LEGISLATION THIS CONGRESS PASSED OVER MY OBJECTION LAST YEAR, ONCE $350 BILLION OF THE FUND, ONCE HALF OF THE FUND IS SPENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO BEGIN SPENDING THE SECOND HALF OF THE FUND -- THE SECOND $350 BILLION -- THE PRESIDENT HAS TO FORMALLY NOTIFY CONGRESS. |
| 00:10:07 | AND UNDER THE PROGRAM, CONGRESS HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BASICALLY VETO MOVING FORWARD BY PASSING, BY AFFIRMATIVELY HAVING TO PASS A RESOLUTION OF DISAPPROVAL. |
| 00:10:21 | AGAIN, MR. |
| 00:10:22 | PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT BUSH TOOK THAT FIRST STEP OF FORMALLY NOTIFYING CONGRESS YESTERDAY AND TODAY. |
| 00:10:31 | I COME TO THE SENATE FLOOR TO ANNOUNCE THAT I'M INTRODUCING A MOTION OF DISAPPROVAL, AND I ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES, DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, TO THINK VERY SERIOUSLY ABOUT THIS MATTER AND TO JOIN ME IN THIS MOTION OF DISAPPROVAL. |
| 00:10:49 | IN DOING SO, MR. |
| 00:10:52 | PRESIDENT, I'M IMMEDIATELY JOINED BY SEVERAL COLLEAGUES. |
| 00:10:55 | AND I WANT TO THANK SENATORS BUNNING, SESSIONS, DeMINT, BARRASSO, AND INHOFE FOR BEING ORIGINAL COSPONSORS WITH ME OF THE RESOLUTION OF DISAPPROVAL. |
| 00:11:09 | MR. |
| 00:11:10 | PRESIDENT, WHEN WE DEBATED THIS VERY IMPORTANT MATTER ON THIS FLOOR SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, I EXPRESSED SERIOUS CONCERNS. |
| 00:11:19 | I WON'T GO THROUGH MY COMMENTS THEN OR MY CONCERNS. |
| 00:11:25 | BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, SADLY, MANY, VIRTUALLY ALL OF THEM HAVE PROVEN TRUE. |
| 00:11:30 | THE HISTORY OF THIS PROGRAM, TROUBLED ASSET RELIEF PROGRAM, HAS INDEED BEEN VERY TROUBLED, VERY CONCERNING, AND IT RAISES FAR MORE QUESTIONS AND HESITATIONS THAN IT PROVIDES ANSWERS FOR OUR AILING ECONOMY. |
| 00:11:46 | SO AS WE REVISIT THIS ISSUE, I CANNOT SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS VERY, VERY TROUBLED PROGRAM, PRIMARILY FOR FIVE REASONS. |
| 00:12:00 | NUMBER ONE, MR. |
| 00:12:01 | PRESIDENT, IS THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL TEST WE SHOULD BRING TO THE MATTER: HAS THE PROGRAM WORKED? |
| 00:12:09 | I THINK IT'S VERY CLEAR, MR. |
| 00:12:12 | PRESIDENT, THAT IT HAS NOT WORKED. |
| 00:12:14 | THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM WAS TO EASE THE CREDIT CRISIS. |
| 00:12:19 | THE ENTIRE FOCUS OF THE PROGRAM WAS TO GET CREDIT ON THE STREET OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY, TO PROVIDE REASONABLE CREDIT TO CONSUMERS AND BUSINESSES. |
| 00:12:30 | AND YET, OUR ECONOMY IS STILL GRIPPED BY A REAL CREDIT CRUNCH. |
| 00:12:36 | SO THAT FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM, THAT FUNDAMENTAL TEST OF THE PROGRAM HAS SIMPLY NOT BEEN MET. |
| 00:12:46 | MR. PRESIDENT, IN THIS NEW YEAR AND UNDER THE NEW ADMINISTRATION, WE'RE GOING TO DEBATE AND ACT ON OTHER MEASURES, PARTICULARLY THE STIMULUS PLAN, UPWARDS OF A $1 TRILLION STPHRUS PLAN THAT PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA -- IT STIMULUS PLAN THAT PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA HAS OUTLINED. |
| 00:13:10 | CERTAINLY WE'RE IN A VERY SERIOUS RECESSION, ALMOST CERTAINLY THE MOST SERIOUS, THE WORST SINCE WORLD WAR II. |
| 00:13:20 | AND CERTAINLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO HELP LEAD THE WAY, BE A BIG PART OF THE SOLUTION, GET US OUT OF THIS DEEP FINANCIAL RECESSION. |
| 00:13:28 | BUT AS WE MOVE TO A $1 TRILLION STIMULUS PROGRAM, WHY ARE WE GOING TO SIMPLY CONTINUE WITH THE PROGRAM THAT HASN'T WORKED, SPENDING ANOTHER $350 BILLION? |
| 00:13:42 | AS WE MOUNT, AGAIN, TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF NEW DEFICIT SPENDING, DEFICITS UPON DEFICITS, DEBT UPON DEBT, SURELY WE SHOULD THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT CONTINUING ANOTHER $350 BILLION OF SPENDING IN A VERY, VERY TROUBLED PROGRAM WHICH HAS NOT BEGUN TO MEET ITS FUNDAMENTAL GOAL. |
| 00:14:08 | THE SECOND REASON I WOULD SUGGEST WE SHOULD NOT CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH, MR. |
| 00:14:15 | PRESIDENT, IS THAT THE ENTIRE PROGRAM, AS IT WAS OUTLINED TO CONGRESS, AS IT WAS EXPLAINED TO US BY THE TREASURY SECRETARY AND OTHERS HAS NEVER BEEN IMPLEMENTED. |
| 00:14:28 | IT WAS THROWN OUT THE WINDOW EVEN BEFORE IT COULD BE -- BEGUN TO BE IMPLEMENTED. |
| 00:14:35 | AS ALL OF US REMEMBER JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, WHEN THE TREASURY SECRETARY PROPOSED THIS IDEA BEFORE CONGRESS, IT WAS INDEED SUPPOSED TO BE A TARP PROGRAM, A TROUBLED ASSET RELIEF PROGRAM, UNDER WHICH THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BUY UP TROUBLED ASSETS FROM A SPECTRUM OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, GET THOSE ASSETS OFF THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION'S BOOKS AND MAKE THOSE |
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