Hastert, Boehner, Shimkus, Reynolds, Alexander, and various members of their staff (Trandahl, Fordham) have all been linked into the cover-up of Foley’s stalking of young pages in Congress to varying degrees. (From the grossly incompetent, to the criminally negligent.) According to the WaPo this is a 5 year old issue AND…
You can add Kolby to the list:
A Republican congressman knew of disgraced former representative Mark Foley’s inappropriate Internet exchanges as far back as 2000 and personally confronted Foley about his communications.
A spokeswoman for Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.) confirmed yesterday that a former page showed the congressman Internet messages that had made the youth feel uncomfortable with the direction Foley (R-Fla.) was taking their e-mail relationship. Last week, when the Foley matter erupted, a Kolbe staff member suggested to the former page that he take the matter to the clerk of the House, Karen Haas, said Kolbe’s press secretary, Korenna Cline.
The revelation pushes back by at least five years the date when a member of Congress has acknowledged learning of Foley’s behavior with former pages. A timeline issued by House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) suggested that the first lawmakers to know, Rep. John M. Shimkus (R-Ill.), the chairman of the House Page Board, and Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-La.), became aware of “over-friendly” e-mails only last fall. It also expands the universe of players in the drama beyond members, either in leadership or on the page board.
How low BELOW will the GOP really go?
A source with direct knowledge of Kolbe’s involvement said the messages shared with Kolbe were sexually explicit, and he read the contents to The Washington Post under the condition that they not be reprinted. But Cline denied the source’s characterization, saying only that the messages had made the former page feel uncomfortable. Nevertheless, she said, “corrective action” was taken. Cline said she has not yet determined whether that action went beyond Kolbe’s confrontation with Foley.
There is clearly NOTHING INNOCENT about these E-mails…
This pushes it all back another by 5 more years and shows that there have been NUMEROUS OCCASIONS over the years where GOP Congressmen have been asked to address the situation.
Just another in a long line of failures by the GOP…
X-posted at X-posted at My Left Nutmeg and Drinking Liberally in New Milford
Is there anyone in the GOP that didn’t know about Foley’s disgusting behaviour?
I am sooo glad this didn’t happen to our side.
It hasn’t yet… And you better hope it doesn’t reach out across the aisle and bite the Dems on the ass.
The only way we can really be sure is to vote out all of the GOP congressman and senators. Shucks, I hate to do it but its the only way we can be sure.
No offense to Dems… But I am more for voting out ALL of them in all parties. And replacing them all with a bunch of non-party-associated unemployed poor people that could really use the easy money.
But voting out the GOP members only is a compromise I can live with for now. lol
Well then its agreed after a tough negotiation. I’m beat time for a nap. Politics is a brutal game.
Betcha there are more pages out there who
There is no reason to discontinue using teenaged messengers in Congress. Being a page won’t ever be the same, though, with new kinds of questions asked and comments thought. The GOP has robbed the system of its innocence.
It is sad that what could have been a great experience for the children of America has just been sullied to the point where no parent in their right mind would ever consider sending their kids there now.
And you aqre likely right about all of the silent pages that just don’t have the proof or might be too embarassed (or etc.) to come forward.
Now… I wouldn’t even consider letting my teen kid (or the younger ones!) volunteer for any politician (campaign, etc.) without my being there with them, at the very least, to keep them safe.