Republican House Leader Dick Armey wore his usual smirk when he went on "Nightline" last Wednesday to try to defend his pal Newt. But the Texas Congressman quickly lost his smug expression under questioning from ABC's Forrest Sawyer:
Forrest Sawyer: "Mr. Armey, let's have a look at what the role of the special counsel ought to be. One congressman has written to the House Ethics Committee saying that restrictions on the counsel would be perceived -- and I quote -- 'as an attempt by the Ethics Committee to control the scope and direction of the investigation' and that -- quote -- 'in order to conduct a thorough and credible investigation, a special counsel needs complete subpoena power.' Do you agree with that?"
Armey (smirking): "First of all, I'd like to know which one congressman that was. It sounds like another one of David [Bonior]'s cronies. But the fact of the matter is --"
Sawyer: "Well, actually that was Congressman Gingrich in 1988 writing to the House Ethics Committee."
Armey (no smirk): "Well, that was a whole different case and a whole different time..."
[Nightline, ABC, 12/6/95]
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