"We aren't as bad as them."
Stop your whining and sniveling. What is wrong with you? Simply, stand up, say this is unacceptable, fix it and move on. Everything about this file this morning appears to be a mistake. You cannot justify what is fundamentally corrupt. We do not believe in it, we reject it, we condemn it. If Democrats want to play politics with this matter, so be it. The only choice for conservatives is to act responsibly. If Democrats are outraged by the behavior, our only choice is to be more outraged.
It's unacceptable and it's fixed. He's out of Congress and subject to prosecution (although if there is no other evidence, he probably will get probation).
Now, what did they know and when did they know it?