("Quid coniuratio est?")
From the Congressional Record, available via World Wide Web and/or Mosaic at http://thomas.loc.gov
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`THE PROJECT' (House - February 28, 1995)
[Page: H2312]
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Dickey). Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 4, 1995, the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Whitfield] is recognized during morning business for 5 minutes.
Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great concern about an article which appeared in Sunday's Washington Post. Since I read articles in most newspapers with great skepticism, I hope that facts set out in this article are not true.
According to the article in the Washington Post, a prominent Democratic Congressman at a recent Washington dinner party enthusiastically discussed what he referred to as `The Project'--a coordinated, calculated effort designed to politically destroy Speaker Newt Gingrich.
A week later, another Member of the Democratic Party, in a keynote address to a party convention in Boca Raton, disclosed that the House Democratic leadership had embarked on a day-by-day plan to investigate the House Speaker, harass the Speaker, and drive him from office.
According to the article, members of the Democratic leadership in the House meet on a weekly basis for this purpose. Mr. Gephardt is represented at the meetings and the White House is also kept informed.
The Democratic National Committee also publishes a weekly `Newt Gram' trashing the Speaker.
Two senior liberal Democratic Members of Congress--not a part of `The Project'; that is, Newt bashing--said `Our party attacks Gingrich because we don't have anything else to say.'
If it is true, what a tragedy--the National Democratic Party and its leaders deliberately working on `The Project' to destroy another political leader.
Our great Nation faces many serious issues crying out for a solution. It is almost incomprehensible that a handful of Democratic leaders would be consumed with such a destructive compulsion for revenge.
It is not surprising that in so many issues we have debated on this floor during the last month that a handful of Democrats have used similar tactics to polarize America. Pitting the poor versus the middle class--and the middle class versus wealthy members of our society--in effect using scare tactics.
We are all Americans and we must develop solutions that will benefit our entire society not just one part of our society. The American people not only deserve but demand that Members of Congress devote their time and energy trying to solve very serious national issues instead of trying to destroy another political leader because they do not agree with his political philosophy.
The election box is the proper place to decide philosophical differences, not some sinister plan referred to as `The Project.'
I encourage distribution of "Conspiracy Nation."
Coming to you from Illinois -- "The Land of Skolnick"