Earlier today Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) resigned his House seat after acknowledging he had an affair with a female staffer. Long an advocate for “family values,” Souder called for former President Bill Clinton to resign over the Monica Lewinsky scandal. On Sept. 17, 1998, during the Clinton impeachment scandal, Democracy Now! invited Rep. Souder and Rep. Bill McCollum (R-FL) (who is now running for governor in Florida) to discuss by phone a recent House vote on combating drugs. In the spirit of the times, Amy Goodman asked both men if they have ever had extramarital affairs. McCollum said “I am not, and, uh.. in, at this present time involved in anything whatsoever, have not been.” When Souder was asked, he hung up the phone.

Partial Transcript from Sept. 17. 1998

AMY GOODMAN: Well can I ask you, Congressmember McCollum, in the spirit of peep-hole politics that we all seem to be engaged in right now, are you now or have you ever been involved in an extramarital sexual affair?

REP. BILL McCOLLUM: No mam. I am… I am not, and, uh.. in, at this present time involved in anything whatsoever, have not been and I’m not going to get involved in that kind of discussion. You know I think this is really crazy, what they did with Henry Hyde yesterday.

AMY GOODMAN: Revealing that he had had a sexual affair? But isn’t this what we have come to?

REP. BILL McCOLLUM: well…

AMY GOODMAN: I mean isn’t this the question now that everyone will ask every person who gets involved with public life.

REP. BILL McCOLLUM: Unfortunately that is true, but that’s not what this issue’s about, the issue in the case of President Clinton is not about sex, it’s not about a sexual affair it’s about lying under oath in a court proceeding…

AMY GOODMAN: Congressmember McCollum we are also joined by Republican Congressmember Mark Souder of Indiana, and while we do want to go back to the issue of the Drug Act that was passed yesterday, let me ask you if you think that’s a fair question now to ask each public official? Is to start off by saying are you now or have you ever been involved in an extramarital sexual affair?

REP. BILL McCOLLUM: Are you asking me that or are you asking Souder that?

AMY GOODMAN: I’m asking Congressmember Souder that…Congressmember Souder?

REP. MARK SOUDER: [silence]

AMY GOODMAN: Are you there?

REP. MARK SOUDER: [silence]

AMY GOODMAN: I think he’s just dropped off the line.

REP. BILL McCOLLUM: Well and I’m gonna have to drop off the line unfortunately, I have to go and be in a committee hearing which deals woith the very subject the very matter of the Presidency we’ve been talking about. So, I’ve enjoyed being with you, but I gotta go do that.