A Disgusting Cover-Up
It seems that top House Republicans knew about Foley’s, umh, questionable correspondence with minors for quite a long while already:
Among those who became aware earlier this year of the fall 2005 communications between Mr. Foley and the 16-year-old page, who worked for Representative Rodney Alexander, Republican of Louisiana, were Representative John A. Boehner, the majority leader, and Representative Thomas M. Reynolds of New York, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Mr. Reynolds said in a statement Saturday that he had also personally raised the issue with Speaker J. Dennis Hastert.
“Despite the fact that I had not seen the e-mails in question, and Mr. Alexander told me that the parents didn’t want the matter pursued, I told the speaker of the conversation Mr. Alexander had with me,” Mr. Reynolds said.
In a chronology of the episode released later on Saturday, the speaker’s office said Mr. Hastert did not recall any such discussion and had no previous knowledge of the matter. “While the speaker does not explicitly recall this conversation, he has no reason to dispute Congressman Reynolds’ recollection that he reported to him on the problem and its resolution,” the statement said.
The statement, issued after senior aides, the House clerk and legal advisers huddled for much of Saturday in the Capitol, said senior staff members in the speaker’s office first learned of the e-mail messages from Mr. Alexander’s office in the fall of 2005 and took steps to investigate.
[...]
The e-mail exchanges that came to light after the first news reports were far more graphic. When he was confronted about them on Friday, Mr. Foley resigned. Republican leaders said they had not known about the other e-mail correspondence
Unbefreakinglievable.
Those Republican leaders who knew about it, should resign ASAP. What an embarassing episode in the recent history of US politics, more specifically in the (recent) history of the Republican party.
53 Responses to “A Disgusting Cover-Up”
No way to spin it so easily now—Gonzales will have his hands full (see CNN story on main page).
Question now is ‘did anyone know about this and blackmail Foley with it (Democrat or Republican)?’
One person looks suspicious now—Tom Delay. He was so good at turning votes—did he know? Is there someone who will come forward in the next few days?
I wouldn’t want to be Denny Hastert right now. There are some nasty shoes out there that may drop before this settles. Then again, maybe it settles out quickly around some limited version of the truth and Foley plus one, maybe two other Congressmen get sacked. Washington is going to buzz like it hasn’t in years this week.
Rudi, exactly what part of “You’re mindlessly ranting at the wrong person for completely WTF off-target reasons” did you miss?
I see Joe has a comment policy. I also see it’s only there for show. Adios.
Tully: it is not there for show. We have banned people in the past. We are all simply involved ina lot of things right now and do not have the time to do the necessary checking up. If you have a complaint: just send an e-mail.
The comment policy is there for a reason and comments, when abuse, insulting, &c. will be deleted.
Rudi: stop with your obsession for links. As Tully pointed out, he could attack you time and time again on your links as well: sock puppeteer Greenwald for instance.
Message:
All of you start debating in a reasonable manner. Personal attacks (I saw that both sides made them) are not allowed.
If one of your comments is deleted -> it is because we found it to be inappropriate. Do it twice and you will be banned from the site.