That’s how Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) characterizes his illicit distribution of a secretly taped conversation between John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) in 1996. This is not an April Fool’s joke — wiretapping is acceptable when it is done for the purpose of promoting Democratic politics.

McDermott made his enthusiastic statement to that effect after he was ordered to pay $1 million in legal fees to Boehner, The Hill reports. (Please, no jokes about whether the deposed Iraqi government will contribute to his defense fund.)