|
|
Article: Briefly a Judge, Mitchell Often Resembles One
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- November 30, 1988
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
|
To the extent that most Americans have any impressions of the
Senate's new majority leader, they were probably formed at a dramatic
moment during the congressional investigation into the Iran-contra
affair when Sen. George J. Mitchell (D-Maine) delivered a stern
lesson on constitutional government to Marine Lt. Col. Oliver L.
North.
Responding to North's plea that Congress not abandon the
Nicaraguan contras "for the love of God and for the love of country,"
Mitchell said: "However important and noble an objective, and surely
democracy abroad is important and is noble, it cannot be achieved at
the expense of the rule of law in our country. . . . Although he's
regularly asked to do so, God ...