mr. bryant had been hacked. >> why did not do anything when it emerged that gordon taylor had been given a pay off by news international? >> bayh then i have retired from the police service. >> mr. clarke, any evidence that you gave, why did not do it and exhaustive search of an example of the evidence? >> just trying to reflect on that. a simple question and no simple answer. if you like me to consider why i did not do part of the job, either you do the job properly or you do not do it at all. i consider the decision at the time was person -- perfectly reasonable. i had to weigh up the balance between privacy. >> what you've done that job better with a sample of the evidence that you had? >> i cannot say. it is pure speculation. >> you say that the law stop you because you're up against in international organization. if a lot does not allow fishing expeditions, but it would of supported you if you had obtained sufficient evidence to justify a reasonable suspicion, if you have been able to obtain access and no amount of lawyers with unable to stop you for the question is, there were 11,00

mr. bryant was asking me to explain my comment and the actual session ended. in 2003 straight after my comment about payment to police was in fact clarified i think the hinton was the chairman of news international in the 2007 inquiry clarified it again. and i clarified it recently to the home affairs committee at tend of march, i think. i can say that i have never paid a policeman myself. i never sanctioned or knowingly sanctioned a payment to a police officer. i was referred if you saw at the time of the that you have people from fleet street discussing that in the past payments have been made to police officers. i was referring to that wide held belief not widespread practice. and in fact, in my experience of doling with the police the information they give to newspapers comes free of charge. >> in evidence to parliamentary subcommittee yesterday he stated to his knowledge the daily mail has never published a story based on hacking or blacking. this from a group that operation motor man identified with 1,387 transactions across its titles. do you think it i

mr. bryant had been hacked. >> why did not do anything when it emerged that gordon taylor had been given f by news international? >> bayh then i have retired from the police service. >> mr. clarke, any evidence that you gave, why did not do it and exhaustive search of an example of the evidence? >> just trying to reflect on that. a simple question and no simple answer. if you like me to consider why i did not do part of the job, either you do the job properly or you do not do it at all. i consider the decision at the time was person -- perfectly reasonable. i had to weigh up the balance between privacy. >> what you've done that job better with a sample of the evidence that you had? >> i cannot say. it is pure speculation. >> you say that the law stop you because you're up against in international organization. if a lot does not allow fishing expeditions, but it would of supported you if you had obtained sufficient evidence to justify a reasonable suspicion, if you have been able to obtain access and no amount of lawyers with unable to stop you for the question is, there were 11,000 pages

mr. bryant was asking me to explain my comment, and the actual session ended. in 2003 straight after my comment about payment to police was in fact clarified, i think the les hinton who was the chairman at the 2007 inquiry clarified it again and i clarified it recently to the committee at the end of march i think. now i can say that i have never paid a policeman myself, i've never sanctioned or knowingly sanctioned a payment to a police officer. i was referring, if you saw at the time of the select committee recently that you had various crime editors from fleet street discussing that in the past payments have been made to police officers. i was referring to that wide held belief not widespread practice. and in fact it's been my experience with dealing with the police the information given to me comes free of charge. >> mr. baker in the parliamentary committee yesterday stated that to his knowledge the daly mail has never published a story based on hacking, this from a group that operation motor man identified as 1,387 transactions against it's titles. do you t

mr. bryant was asking me to explain my comment and the actual session ended. in 2003, straight after my comment about payment to police, was in fact clarified. i think last interviewed was the chairman of news international, the 2007 inquiry clarified it again and i clarified it recently to the home affairs committee. at the end of march, i think. now, i can say that i have never paid a policeman myself. i have never sanctioned or knowingly sanctioned a payment to a police officer. i was referring, if you saw at the time of the home affairs select committee recently, that you have various crime editors from fleet street discussing that in the past, payments have been made to police officers. i was referring to that wide-held belief, not widespread practice. in fact, in my experience of dealing with the police, the information comes free of charge. >> mr. dacor stated yesterday to his knowledge, the daily mail has never published a story based on hacking or blacking. this from a group that operation motor man identified as 1,387 transactions across its titles.

mr. bryant of hot springs village, arkansas, writes, "we know we have to increase the debt ceiling, so let's get serious about finding a solution. why is this a problem for our politicians? the public expects responsible leadership, not the demagoguery we are getting from both sides of the aisle." that's the sentiment that i hear around my state, and i'm certain that many of you all are hearing this around the nation. so here are the facts. for over 230 years the united states government has honored its obligations, even in the face of the civil war, two world wars, and the depression, america has paled paid its bills. yet now we stand on the brink of tarnishing the full faith and credit of the united states. and we stand here because congress has failed to bring the american people the real facts. the easiest thing for a politician to do is say they're for lower taxes and for increased spending. this mind-set has running up a $4.2 trillion national debt much we now borrow 41 cents of every dollar we spend. now under this debt combined with the thee attribution playing out in the house and s

mr. bryant's big and presenting your committee, "the guardian" or anyone else? >> anyone who is holding material, which clearly people are, from the amounts of media coverage, and there's been some species are you surprised any of these names that are coming out, or do know these names? for example, the gordon brown issue. >> now, i am aware of them. >> mark reckless. [inaudible] holding material because of the stories coming out, is at least another theoretical possibility as stores are being sourced from within the metropolitan police? >> i'm sorry, i don't follow your. >> could it not be the opposite, whether paid or otherwise information, rather than necessary being the place that the media outlets already have it? [inaudible] >> well, we always, we will always be accused of that. i can say with absolute confidence, because i know what's been there. for instance, when there was speculation around victims of 77 bombings, we did not know that they were contained within our material. >> thank you for the answer that i wasn't accusing. >> is a natural thing for

bryant. anthony thomas. chairman nolan: mr. thomas? >> good afternoon, mr. chair, members of the board. i am here on behalf of mr. mcgee. he did not be here today. i have a petition from 12,000 voters opposing the golden parachute you are voting on today. is equivalent to giving the entire city of san francisco free parking for three days. i just want to make clear that our issue is that with mr. ford, personally. our issue is with the management of the mta. six months ago, the board approved the contract with mr. ford. the mta has no business signing a contract that rewards poor performance superviosr wiener -- proof -- poor performance. this $80,000 golden bears to -- we argue, plus the 1200 boaters -- voters -- argue that this is one. please agree with us. to the right thing. did the right thing for the city and for muni. chairman nolan: would any other members of the public like to address the board? simenon, public comment is closed. we should have talked about it in there, but in terms of going forward, are we ready to talk about that? >> we might want to ask if it is appropriate.

mr. bryant was asking me to explain my comment, and the actual session ended.y comment about payment to police was, in fact, clarified, i think the chairman -- [inaudible] 2007 inquiry clarified it again. and i clarified it recently to the home affairs committee. at the end of march, i think. now, i, i can say that it, i have never paid a policeman myself. i've never sanctioned or knowingly sanctioned a payment to a police officer. i was referring if you saw at the time of the home of the select committee recently and that you'd have various crime editors from fleet street discussing that in the past payments have been made to police officers. i was, i was referring to that wide held belief, not widespread practice. and, in fact, it's in my experience in dealing with the police the information they give to newspapers comes free of charge. >> in evidence to parliament committee yesterday stated that to his knowledge "the daily mail" has never published a story based on hacking or blogging. this from a group that operation motor man identified paid -- made 1,387

mr. bryant asked me to explain my comment. in 2003 straight after my comment about payment to police it was clarified. i think les hinton, who was the chairman of the news international, at the 2007 -- in the past payments had been made to police, i was referring to -- in fact, in my experience of dealing with the police, the information they give to newspapers comes free of charge. >> mr. dacre, in evidence to a parliamentary committee yesterday, stated that to his knowledge "the daily mail" has never published a story based on hacking or blagging. do you think it credible that all those 1,300-plus transactions were licitly obtained? or is there wider culture of hacking and blagging of which your paper was part? >> i did not see that evidence. you will have seen that, out of all media groups in the country, news international has been the one openly to welcome prime minister's public inquiry. the fact is, i am not in a position to comment often all other newspaper groups. like i said at the beginning, things went badly wrong

he talked to nbc's bryant williams about it today. >> mr.n on your hands? or do you feel -- >> oh, i've got a little rebellion on my hands everyday. it comes with the territory. >> never let them see you sweat. >> williams then asked if his speakership rides on this. boehner responded, quote, oh, i wouldn't go that far. but this is a big moment. so ron, would you go that far? does list speakership rider on this debt fight? >> good evening, reverend al. i think he is in perfect shape. have you 78 members of the freshman class trying to stop the spending addition we have here in washington. he brought his responsibilities as speaker of the thousand govern the ins tougs but the fact that people are suggesting that his speakership would ride on the balance that there's not a deal that's accept a f acceptable is nonsense. he is well liked he was put in the leadership fora reason. strong steady leadership of the till. he's fine. >> maybe ron is missing something. >> yeah be i think so. >> freshmen congressman said he needs to be speaker. >> yeah,

mr. green was asking about william cullen bryant and whether history was kind to him. giamatti wasul they mon kind to you? >> i have not seen it. >> his beard was like yours. let me turn to the fiscal restrictions that have come into play. it looks like there was a huge surge in federal spending. and my reading about rights? >> it looks like 2009. >> i see what you are saying. yes, sir. >> there was a big expenditure, but in the first quarter of this year, a substantial drop. am i reading that right? >> yes. >> in my law practice i did a lot of chapter 11 bankruptcy work, and i do not think this country is near bankruptcy. we have fiscal management and we have to undertake, but you do not pay every bill overnight, because that puts you back into the troubles you are already in. i believe this country is going to keep going. how would you explain the cuts that keep happening in this quarter. is that how you would like to see fiscal policy? >> sorry not to be to direct. i will not get into the details here. i think the big spike in 2008, the tarp was counted as an expend

mr. president, but let's don't single out general aviation anymore. it might have been the case if he was on a corporate jet with kobe bryant or somebody, i don't know, maybe a hollywood actor or maybe going to a fund-raiser or something like that. maybe he got that in his head, that everybody that has a corporate jet -- ie., general aviation -- as opposed to going from kansas to north dakota to check on some farm ground, that that is the case. i hope that that is not the case anymore. so that's the end of the ball game but it is not the end of the debate, but i hope we have a debate without singling out an industry that is unfair and not accurate. thank you, mr. president. i yield the floor. i notice the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: the presiding officer: the senator from massachusetts. mr. kerry: mr. president, i ask that further proceedings of the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. kerry: mr. president, i ask unanimous consent i be permitted to proceed as if in morning business for about 15 minutes. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. kerr