The White House and GOP leaders are standing together in supporting embattled House Speaker Dennis Hastert, under fire over the handling of the scandal involving former Rep. Mark Foley.
Several top Republican leaders, including President Bush, rushed to Hastert’s defense.
House Majority Leader John Boehner also said Hastert should keep his seat but acknowledged that the Foley matter was Hastert’s responsibility.
“My position is it’s in his corner, it’s his responsibility,” Boehner, R-Ohio, told WLW radio in Cincinnati, Ohio. “The clerk of the House who runs the page program, the page board — all report to the speaker. And I believe it had been dealt with.”
A GOP aide said House Republican leaders held a conference call Monday night with about 100 members, answering questions and reassuring them that there was an investigation into the situation. There were no calls for Hastert to resign, the aide said.
With just five weeks before midterm elections, GOP leaders are trying to stem the fallout from the Foley matter. The scandal threatened to hurt the GOP, with control of the House up for grabs in November.
As usual, the “standards” of Congress defer to power. Who controls what is more important than ethical policies and practices.
Jim Gerlach, Pennsylvania Republican, also is giving $1,000 Foley’s political action committee gave to his campaign to the “Crime Victims Center of Chester County…”
Other Republican representatives who say they are planning to donate to charities or return contributions from Foley include Rep. Nancy Johnson of California, Rep. Clay Shaw of Florida, Rep. Geoffrey Davis of Kentucky, Sen. Norm Coleman of Minnesota, Rep. Deborah Price of Ohio, Rep. Curtis Weldon of Pennsylvania and Sen. George Allen of Virginia.
Just the tip of the greenback iceberg. Every now and then a bit of slime oozes out into public view — how dollars are floated around Congress — money from sleazy sources is redistributed from one congresscreep to another.
Hang together or hang alone I don’t care as long as they hang.
All these clowns “doing the right thing” probably wouldn’t have if these facts hadn’t come to light. Truth is a relative term, subject to the spin master’s needs of the moment. The tragedy is that we have so many simple minds who buy into these convoluted versions of truth, without question and with fiery emotions, and many of these simpletons become cannon fodder, one way or the other.
You all act as if you’re shocked
Read it again, Jorge, and this time pay attention; we’re commenting on an age worn scenario. We’re too jaded to be shocked.
All republicans should be shot or hanged, this would make for a better
world.
50% of the Nation of Amerixa vote on their sexual beliefs. The democrats lost power in 2000 because of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal. Now, the Democrats have smartened up by utilizing the stupid, sexually-confused Religious Right prudency to their advantage. The only weapon the Replubicans have now is to wave the flag, but the Democrats have also done a good job in selling the war as a failure (another Vietnam), and a president who lied. The only way to save the Republicans now would be another terrorist bombing which would have to occur on an army base outside of America (if it happened inside, the Democrats would have a field day for Homeland Security allowing it to happen). Of course, many U.S. soldiers would have to die and the media would have to feed the Americans gory, graphic pictures of burnt corpses and dismembered bodies. Bush’s team must be planning, right now, what army base or aircraft carrier they are going to destroy in order to save their last remaining power.
Are there no more interesting stories to discuss? Oh and “sh” that’s a nice comment & I’m glad to see that the repartee of the left has not been lost.
Every now and then a bit of slime oozes out into public view…
Yeah, our Republican candidate for Governor made his required campaign contribution filing – just before the Republican Governor’s Association gave him $500,000.
I’m sure they didn’t plan it that way…
The real question that needs to be asked, is how many known about what was going on, or had even heard the rumors and did nothing. This sick person who would blame it on his drinking and his own childhood will not take responcibility for the evil he has committed. And neither will the accomplisses that stood by play “see no evil” while Foley diddled.
This isn’t about political parties it is about corruption and power and raw freaking evil.
I will also bet that a lot of people that voted for Foley did so because he was a “man of faith.” Damn good Christian, huh?
I’m surprised more religious people aren’t furious at the fact that Foley tried to blame his behavior on being molested by a priest. So when they need help getting elected the church is great, but when they get caught doing inappropriate things with kids, it’s the church’s fault?
The crowning moment for us in WNY is when our own Tom Reynolds – chairman of the RNC – rushed to defend himself at a news conference this week regarding his action (inaction) on the Foley emails… and surrounded himself with *children.* When a reporter asked him to have the kids leave so they could ask grittier questions, he said no. Using kids as a shield… What an utter sleazeball. (makes you wonder what their parents told those kids – “hey Timmy, we’ve gotta make Uncle Tom look good when those nasty reporters ask questions about Congressmen messing with kids! Will you hold his hand?”)
Where is all the bravado from Republicans about how well the campaign is going and their numbers are way up. Once again, tell me about the moral superiority the Republicans have over the Democrats. C’mon, tell us how the Republicans will sweep the mid-terms.
Funny how Fox News is now labeling Mark Foley a Democrat – not once or twice, but three times so far. Just watch, that strategy will work too – by next week, 43% of Murkans will believe he’s a Democrat.
[edited: pls use tinyurl for long links]
I’m fairly certain that doing whatever it takes to maintain power is a disease shared by most politicians.
12
I am willing to bet that the republicans pick up seats in both the House and Senate next month. However, I assure you it will not be their honesty and integrity that win them the seats. They have a growing electoral advantage in election rigging technology. Just look at the Maryland election for your preview of what happens next month.
Mike,
That simply isn’t true. In the 2000 election Al Gore could have refused to certify the stolen election and he would have become president. It was his right to do that, and he declined, favoring process.
Also I am looking for examples of Democrats slandering veterans, and I simply can’t find any examples at all. On the other hand….
Could you explain how Al Gore could have become President again? When exactly did he certify anything? At worst I saw him presiding over the electoral vote count and mocking Maxine Waters in the process’the rules DO care’.
The Republikans will figure out a way to sweep this all under the rug. It’s what they do.
POLITICIANS are more concerned with saving their bacon. Tis true of both parties.
ABCD,
I am simply uninterested in debating back and forth with a person under the influence of Satan such as yourself. Resign your Satanic ways, repent your sins and we can talk, but until then I am uninterested in talking to you.
Now it looks like Foley slept with at least one boy:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/10/instant_message.html
Alix Could this be the only time?? OR
The only time he was caught!!
Reminds me of the Lays Potato Chip commertial.
The only way to save the Republicans now would be another terrorist bombing which would have to occur on an army base outside of America
-113addiv
The exception would be an attack on The Green Zone in Iraq, where they’ve had some attacks getting into or nearly into the ‘safe area’.
The real question that needs to be asked, is how many known about what was going on, or had even heard the rumors and did nothing
-Hawkeye666
Here’s a list of who supposedly knew what, and it looks like there’ll be an attempt to say ‘no one (important) knew because of the bureaucracy:
“Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-LA) had first learned of the alleged email communications between Foley and the former page in the fall of 2005, after the recipient forwarded the emails — which he described as “sick, sick, sick” — to an Alexander aide. When Alexander advised Hastert’s staff of the issue, they told him to bring the matter to the attention of then-House clerk Jeff Trandahl, who subsequently informed Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL), chairman of the House Page Board. Trandahl and Shimkus then confronted Foley about the emails and requested that he cease communication with the minor in question.”
Damn good Christian, huh?
-Hawkeye666
“But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matt. 19:14
DON’T think Foley is what He had in mind.
#
POLITICIANS are more concerned with saving their bacon. Tis true of both parties.
Comment by Kevin Purcell — 10/4/2006 @ 10:06 am
And their PORK.
J/P=?
Well, for one Republicans excel at supporting their peers as long as there’s no sex in it. Bush screwed up big time and american soldiers are killed every day but his base firmly supports him.
Seven of Nine’s ex-husband forced her to do some strip dancing with a stripper and because of that he lost.
Which proves that as long as there’s no proof that you can achieve an orgasm, you can be a succesful Republican politician.
I can’t help but think that if Democrats or the media were really concerned with the ethics of Congressional Members this would have come out sometime in the last three years and not timed to coincide with the midterm elections. People in Washington DC know all sorts of dirty laundry and are just sitting on it biding their time for maximum political benefit. If Hastert knew more then he’s stating, he should resign for not being more proactive. Foley needs to be prosecuted for any crimes he committed. However the News media and the Democrats can’t claim the moral highroad for exploiting the exploitation of Congressional pages. This October surprise is just another part of the political gamemanship.
#21…Smartalix…where was that story? I only could find the internet stuff on the site. It would be breaking news all over if they found out he had actual sex with one of them. Not that it matters as far as the law goes. He’s still guilty of crimes even without the actual sex.
#12…Mr. Fusion….I never said the Republicans were going to sweep the board….just that they weren’t going to lose either house of Congress. I still say it. Until I can see some numbers taken after this week at least. I still say….9 to 12 seats lost in the House and 2 to 3 net losses in the Senate. But, then I’m not a Republican, just a Conservative.
#24…Angel….thats simply not true. The Republicans will dump a fellow member in trouble faster than you can say bear. Just look at Trent Lott, Congressman Crane, Senator Packwood, Newt Gingrich, and the Congressman that was supposed to succeed Gingrich, who had to resign before he even got to work a day as House Speaker. The Democrats are the ones who usually will stand by their members.(no pun intended)
“What we don’t have to do is allow our friends on the left to lecture us on morality,” Gingrich said at a party fundraiser in Greenville. “There’s a certain stench of hypocrisy.”
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_Gingrich_Foley.html
wow. just …. wow. Newt Gingrich on his moral high horse. wow, that’s just … amazing.
we are through the looking glass now, people.
#25….ZeOverMind…..I tend to agree with you. Based on stories I read today, ABC has had the IM’S for almost a year, and Foley’s fellow Congressman of both parties knew he was a closet gay. Reporters also knew about him
There are a lot of people that got some splainen to do here, of both parties and in the media. I can almost in a perverse way understand the politicians for holding the info back, either for cover or future use, but there is no excuse for anyone in the media to do it, if the stories turn out to be true. They are after all supposedly the watch dogs of the Republic(their own title for themselves). If he was allowed to continue what he was doing becuse of media waiting to spring a surprise on the Republicans or because politicians knew but kept quiet for whatever their reasons then they all should be punished and held accountable as accomplisis if any boys were molested or abused while they sat on the news.
Joshua,
That Limbaug spin is funny, because now we know people were complaining about this THREE years ago. Methinks if your limbaugh, “I wonder about the timing” spin had ANY MERIT WHAT SO EVER, the Democrats would have broke this story before the 2004 Election.
Feed the LAMA! SMACK DOWN. Try again.
I wonder if the Republicans have hired the same advisors for this scandal as did the Roman Catholic Church?