In my last post Mark Foley IMs which is conveniently right below this one, I gave my two cents and although we’ve had a number of visitors, very few people have actually commented and those that have done so have resorted to email.
I only have a little to add, but it’s becoming more and more clear that Hastert knew there was a problem.
Chicago Tribune: House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Rep. Thomas Reynolds, R-N.Y., have said they were aware of one e-mail exchange in late 2005 and that Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., was notified, which Hastert has said he does not specifically remember. Foley was told to cease the communications, whereupon the issue was dropped at the request of the boy’s parents, Republican leaders say.
ABC news: A senior congressional aide said Wednesday he told House Speaker Dennis Hastert’s office about worrisome conduct by his former boss, Rep. Mark Foley, toward teenage pages more than three years ago, long before officials have acknowledged becoming aware of the issue. Kirk Fordham made his comments to The Associated Press in an interview as a Kentucky Republican cancelled a campaign fundraising event with Hastert. Rep. Ron Lewis said he wants to know the facts behind a scandal that has roiled Republicans since last week.
So Hastert is as guilty as Foley, maybe moreso because he had to have known it was a problem. And worse there was a pattern of abuse. And he did nothing. That’s just messed up.