John Linder

Mr. LINDER

Mr. LINDER. Madam Speaker, it does not seem like anyone should have to remind someone three times in a 1-minute speech that he is abusing the rules of the House, but that is the point I am raising.

Mr. LINDER. Point of order, Madam Speaker.

Mr. LINDER. Madam Speaker, it may be that the gentleman does not understand the English language, but I thought the Chair just sustained a point of order and instructed him not to refer to matters before the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct but to continue in order, and for him to continue referring to these matters is out of order.

Mr. LINDER

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, point of order.

Mr. LINDER. Point of order, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, in spite of the admonition of the Chair, the gentleman continues to refer to matters before the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.

Mr. LINDER. Point of order, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is referring to matters before the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, which is against the rules of the House.

Mr. LINDER. Point of order, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. LINDER

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to notice given earlier this day, under rule IX, I offer a resolution (H. Res. 524) raising a question of the privileges of the House, and I ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. LINDER

Mr. LINDER. Pursuant to clause 2, rule IX, I hereby give notice of my intention to offer a question of privileges of the House resolution. I will read the contents of the resolution: Whereas, a complaint filed against Rep. Gephardt alleges House Rules have been violated by Rep. Gephardt's concealment of profits gained through a complex series of real estate tax exchanges and; Whereas, the complaint also alleges possible violations of banking disclosure and campaign finance laws or regulations and; Whereas, the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct has in complex matters involving complaints hired outside counsel with expertise in tax laws and regulations and; Whereas, the Committee on Standards of Office Conduct is responsible for determining whether Rep. Gephardt's financial transactions violated standards of conduct or specific rules of House of Representatives and; Whereas, the complaint against Rep. Gephardt has been languishing before the committee for more than seven months and the integrity of the ethics process and the manner in which Members are disciplined is called into question; now, be it Resolved, That the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct is authorized and directed to hire a special counsel to assist in the investigation of this matter. Resolved, That all relevant materials presented to, or developed by, the committee to date on the complaint be submitted to a special counsel, for review and recommendation to determine whether the committee should proceed to a preliminary inquiry.

Mr. LINDER

Mr. LINDER. The gentleman is continuing to refer to matters before the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I have a point of order.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman has been here long enough to know the rules of the House. He shows it on the floor of the House all the time. He is abusing the rules of the House by referring to matters before the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I have a point of order.

Mr. LINDER

Mr. LINDER. Point of order, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to a point of order.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman in the well is referring to matters before the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, which is prohibited by the rules of the House.

Mr. LINDER

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, several days in a row the gentleman from Georgia has risen on the floor of the House to address matters that are inappropriate, because the rules of the House specifically prohibit speaking of matters before the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. The gentleman does not seem to get that point. And on each occasion that I have raised this point of order, the Speaker has agreed with me. I would like the Speaker to make a ruling on this matter today.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I have a right to make a point of order at any time.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I have a point of order.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, it is entirely possible that the gentleman in the well did not hear you, or it is entirely possible that the gentleman in the well does not know what the rules are. But I think you just ruled that he was speaking out of order, and I would like to have the Chair readdress his addressing matters before the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.

Mr. LINDER

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is ignoring the rule of the Chair and he is referring to matters before the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, and it strikes me that it is the appropriate time to have him sit down.

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, further point of order. Is the gentleman in the well speaking out of order?

Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, is it within the rules of the House to refer to matters before the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct on the floor of the House?