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Saturday, October 07, 2006

Who Stated What 

Just a small collection:

An Oct. 3 editorial in the Wall Street Journal suggested that Democrats were being hypocritical in attempting to blame Hastert and his GOP colleagues for not taking more action against Foley when they learned last September of Foley’s non-explicit email to the 16-year-old.

“Some of those liberals now shouting for Mr. Hastert’s head are the same voices who tell us that the larger society must be tolerant of private lifestyle choices, and certainly must never leap to conclusions about gay men and young boys,” the Wall Street Journal editorial said. “Are these Democratic critics of Mr. Hastert saying that they now have more sympathy for the Boy Scouts’ decision to ban gay scoutmasters?”


The Washington Times, a conservative newspaper, startled some GOP leaders on Oct. 3 when it published a strongly worded editorial calling on Hastert to resign over the Foley scandal.

“House Speaker Dennis Hastert must do the only right thing, and resign his speakership at once,” the newspaper said. “Either he was grossly negligent for not taking the red flags fully into account and ordering a swift investigation, for not remembering the order of events leading up to last weeks revelations – or he deliberately looked the other way in hopes that a brewing scandal would simply blow away,” the newspaper said.


Norwich Bulleting: Our view: House speaker ignored scandal; he must resign

Given his failure to act in the case of former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla. -- a case which involved the well being of children -- House Speaker Dennis Hastert should resign immediately. House Republicans can get along just fine without his "leadership."

That Foley had sent inappropriate e-mails to underage congressional pages was known to more than a few members of Congress -- and more than a year ago.

When ABC News presented some of the e-mails to Foley Sept. 29, he resigned and checked into rehab for treatment of alcoholism. Later that day, House Speaker Dennis Hastert feigned surprise at the news.

Hastert said he detected a conspiracy funded by Democratic activist George Soros, when the truth was that Hastert had learned earlier this year of the allegations against Foley.

At one point, Hastert said, "I don't know who knew what when."

That Foley, who is gay, fawned over male pages was no secret. U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., and John Boehner, R-Ohio, had known of the Foley rumors for more than a year.

Hastert should have confronted Foley as soon as he heard the stories earlier this year. He then should have summoned hearings. And when the truth was known, Foley should have been stripped of his cochairmanship of the House Committee on Missing and Exploited Children.

But Hastert looked the other way, apparently confident the whole matter would pass unnoticed until after Election Day, and six-term Republican Foley's seat was safe.

Hastert apparently valued Foley's seat more than the well being of the teenage boys Foley pursued.

There's no excuse for that.


LA TIMES editorial: Hastert Must Go
His leadership of the House was already bad enough before the Mark Foley scandal.

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