Hastert knew.
By on Sep 30th, 2006 at 1:14 am
Hastert knew.
From the the Washington Post:
The resignation rocked the Capitol, and especially Foley’s GOP colleagues, as lawmakers were rushing to adjourn for at least six weeks. House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) told The Washington Post last night that he had learned this spring of some “contact” between Foley and a 16-year-old page. Boehner said he told House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), and that Hastert assured him “we’re taking care of it.”
It was not immediately clear what actions Hastert took. His spokesman had said earlier that the speaker did not know of the sexually charged e-mails between Foley and the boy.
Josh Marshall has much more on this story.
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Protect the flock Denny.
September 30th, 2006 at 1:21 amHastert & Boehner must resign, too.
Just how were they “taking care of it?” Hiding it isn’t taking care of it.
September 30th, 2006 at 1:28 amYep… whatever happened to that “Culture of Corruption” meme? Time to dust it off and put it back to work as far as I’m concerned.
September 30th, 2006 at 1:36 amCome on, now – a blowjob in the oval office has to be worse than sheltering a pedophile, right? Especially if he’s holding a valuable GOP senate seat!
I always believed that the worse thing you could do was put party before country, but party before all semblance of human decency? Bravo, Mr. Hastert.
September 30th, 2006 at 1:37 amDon’t worry, nothing will come of this anyway. Nothing sticks to these guys.
September 30th, 2006 at 1:38 amWhen the head of the committee found out about the emails, he investigated. His entire investigation: He asked Foley about the emails, and took him at his word. Oops. Way to protect the pages!!
September 30th, 2006 at 1:42 amI always believed that the worse thing you could do was put party before country, but party before all semblance of human decency? Bravo, Mr. Hastert.
Comment by Chimpin+ain’t+easy
Hastert exceeded all expectations for his party. He’ll probably get a Medal of Freedom.
He ought to get an anchor around his neck, and a long walk off a short pier.
September 30th, 2006 at 2:07 amI am afraid of my country.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/29/AR2006092900511.html
September 30th, 2006 at 2:12 amHe ought to get an anchor around his neck, and a long walk off a short pier.
Comment by Zooey — September 30, 2006 @ 2:07 am
—
They ALL should. Every single member of both parties. We need to start over from scratch. The system is broken and it can’t get up.
September 30th, 2006 at 2:18 amgop = gay old pedophiles
denny hastert = cardinal law
September 30th, 2006 at 2:38 amhastert is history -Dick Cheney and yes he really was a Republican, glad to see him go.
September 30th, 2006 at 3:13 amSo, Foley should be arrested and soon. It might be a good idea to keep him under suicide watch too. Anyone who is this imbalanced probably needs to be looked after.
If convicted as a pedophile under Internet Safety Act (Title VII), which he probably authored, he should get a minimum of 10 years. He will also have to register in the state of Florida as a sex offender.
September 30th, 2006 at 3:14 amI’ve seen some priests get more scrutiny than Foley.
September 30th, 2006 at 3:22 amYour actions have been noted hastert and boehner, the fates may well be upon you.
September 30th, 2006 at 3:24 amThis must be the upcoming “October Surprise” Karl Rove was refering to recently. You reap what you sow.
September 30th, 2006 at 7:05 amHastert: “We are taking care of it, Boehner buddy. We’re busy 24-7 trying to erase all tracks and traces as we speak. And if anything leaks out anyway then we’ll just lie about it, you know.”
September 30th, 2006 at 7:22 amI’m not willing to label an entire Party as a result of Foley’s actions. I wouldn’t want Democrats en masse labeled either on the actions of an individual.
Hastert does have questions to answer, we don’t know if authorities asked him to be quiet as the investigation went forward….that will come out and if he’s culpable he will suffer the consequences.
September 30th, 2006 at 7:27 amHeard a news report this morning, that the parents of some pages requested this not be made public…..I think the story is unfolding and more will come to light as reporters get information.
September 30th, 2006 at 7:34 amGotta luv the juxtaposition of this post with the one below re: Denny’s concern over libs and the 130 most treacherous people in the word. Denny, did you think your buddy Foley might be one of those?
These guys are all scum in my book. Foley clearly had self-control problems. Hastert? He’s the model of where a diet consisting of donuts and eggs gets you – no self control there either. Is it any wonder these bozos don’t seem to be able to exerise a modicum of fiscal restraint?
September 30th, 2006 at 8:20 amLet’s not let Boehner & Hastert “loose on the american public” either! These two guys are complicit if they knew about this for so long and did nothing. Just goes to show the level of total hypocrisy of the GOP…..protecting each other because they know that when one goes down, they’ll take the rest with them.
Let’s just see what skeletons Boehner & Hastert have in their closets now?
I suspect that, given another 2 years of their ilk being paraded in full flagrantia before the american public, the people will be “screaming for change”. Certainly the GOP can’t be trusted to even take care of our children….yuk!
September 30th, 2006 at 8:30 amIt certain seems that each day someone else in the GOP is going down or resigning because of illegal/amoral/illicit activities. Let’s see how many Abrahoff can take down with him…..385 visits to whe white house???? Might be quite a few.
September 30th, 2006 at 8:31 am#10. LOL @ Gay Old Pedophiles.
Hilarious!!
September 30th, 2006 at 8:42 amso the day after the rubberstamp republican congress abetted by roughly 25% betrayal of the democrats, tears up and discards the constitution and the rule of law, nmot to mention any moral standing the US may have had, we turn our undivided attention to yet another republican party of values sex scandal. Big news sure, but bigger than the willing destruction of the constitution????
September 30th, 2006 at 8:54 am.
The GOP leadership is just as guilty as Foley is. Lock them all away!
September 30th, 2006 at 9:01 amAmerica’s Least Wanted
Let me make sure I understand this.
You are the GOP Speaker of the House and basically have the responsbility to make or sign off on all committee assignments and leadership goodies for your GOP members. You know of the child abuse tendencies and actions of one of your members and allow that member to be in charge of a caucus to prevent and combat child sexual abuse and exploitation?
Do I understand this correctly?
These are the folks who uphold “family values?”
Any parents who allow their children to be sent to Washington as congressional pages in a GOP-controlled congress are delusional.
September 30th, 2006 at 9:14 amGrumpy Oligarchic Pederasts.
-GSD
September 30th, 2006 at 9:17 amI think it’s fair to say that Hastert has, to use one of his own words, “coddled” a sexual predator.
September 30th, 2006 at 9:17 amGood Morning all..Well here we are again, going over more corruption and terrible action’s of people in our administration…
If I were a parent of a page at this time I would pull them out of this entire mess….At the very least they can be subjected to the reich winged ajenda and the very worst ruined for life by some pedaphile nut case…
On the new’s this morning it’s starting to look like a white wash on the one hand and on some stations so much coverage an accused could get off, even if found guilty because of the mass coverage and possible tainted jury pool…
While this is a very important issue it is not as big as the house and senate passing the free reign for bull shit bush and his merry bunch of war mongers this past week.. Now I am wondering what must be done beyond this next election…First we must take back the house and senate then if possible all these miserable bill’s must be appealed and righted……Our country is at the worst point in history because of this cancer with in.. Blessings
September 30th, 2006 at 9:23 amIt’s funny how the parents told them not to make this public…You know that Bohner and Hastert’s plan is to say that the parents requested the issue be dealt with quietly and that’s why they didn’t say anything to date… I just wonder how much Americans will buy this excuse?
September 30th, 2006 at 9:24 am#29 Focus on the problem at hand… They want to run the media cycle. They want to beat democrats over the head with the two recent bills they just passed in the run up to the midterms. We cannot allow them to run the media. Unfortunately this is a good smear story on republicans on so many levels(family values, Lying, Coddling Pedophiles) We need to focus on the Mid-Term Elections… everything stems from that….
September 30th, 2006 at 9:30 amNo matter who says what, the GOP leadership knew they had a pedophile in their midst and that he had made inappropriate contact with at least one teenaged boy………and ALL of them ALLOWED him to remain in a critical position of trust with power and authority over teenaged boys. MONSTROUSLY INEXCUSABLE and UNACCEPTABLE! These men are the scum of earth. They MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE!
September 30th, 2006 at 9:39 amHe knew before he didn’t know.
Good ole Repuke-lican! Flippy-flop, the flipper-floppers.
September 30th, 2006 at 9:43 amNo one with any brains thinks that all Republicans are pedophiles or that all pedophiles are Republicans. What is disgraceful is that the Republican leadership decided that it was more important to cover up a scandal than to protect youngster entrusted to their care. That is absolutely unforgivable!
September 30th, 2006 at 9:49 amDown with Hastert & Boehner both!
September 30th, 2006 at 9:52 amwhat is scandalous is that they were more concerned with “covering up a scandal” than with the “welfare of our children”…pretty much says it all, doesn’t it? And we are entrusting them with our “national security”?????
September 30th, 2006 at 9:53 amRight! If you believe that I’ve got some prime swampland to sell you……
Think about it though… Bohner and Hastert’s plan is to say that the parents requested the issue be dealt with quietly and that’s why they didn’t say anything to date… What the public needs to see through this is that this is not a logical excuse. Protecting the family prevents them from dealing with Foely and protection the child… The media and the public need to go after this fallacy…
September 30th, 2006 at 9:58 amIt helps the progressive cause to use this as a campaign issue – The Republican leadership action should be analogized with the actions covering up pedophilia in the Catholic Church. Now this tactic is somewhat despicable with the limited information we have, but it is the stretch of the campaign season, it is the strategy that ROve would use if this happened in the Democratic party, and -I don’t know if you noticed but – we progs are in big trouble this election an basis of changes in the wind these past few months.
Need to get back to the Democrats main message: Republican’s cronyism, corruption, incompetence, and trashing of the Constitution.
There are several issues that have occurred that had caused the shift including….
1. “Path to 9-11″ resulting in Bill CLinton defending his own record on Chris Wallace’s program. ALthough Bill was correct in his assesment, all that 30% of Americans see out of this interview is a red faced BC wagging his finger and lecturing — same image as “I did not have sexual …..”. It also did not help that Hillary came out in his defense.
After eight long years of his presidency, a lot of people hate the sight of Bill Clinton and Hillary. This is the same as we will feel (and do now) about GWB after eight years of his pouting, and arrogance, and head thrusts (yuck).
As much as someone needed to defend his administration’s actions, it should not have been him; it needed to be Richard Clarke or someone more neutral. It brought the focus back to “who’s responsible for not getting Bin LAden pre-9-11″ instead of what to do now about terrorism. THe amount of focus on this issue detracted from what is effective for progressives in the campaign.
OK let’s now put BC back to work on humanitarian roles, but get him out ofthe public eye OR the Repub Revolution people will reappear.
2. THe barrage of bills recently passed solidify the Republican base, as stupid or ineffective or flawed or racist or Unconstitutional or Jingoistic as they may be.
3. THey have been (once again) been able to paint Liberals as terrorist lovers and weak on terror. How, because we cannot seem to elicit a clear concise vision here, it works every time. Also it works because (a.k.a. Goerring), when called unpatriotic the Democrats just fall into line – no spine, no courage, too much covering one’s own heiny.
Do you mean to tell me that we can’t come up with an effective way to handle terrorism without looking weak? We can’t present this as effective sound bites? It has been freaking 5 years!!! What the hell is the Democratic Leadership doing?
Once again – got to get back to the Republican cronyism, incompetence, and now coverup message.
September 30th, 2006 at 10:01 amWonder if Bill O’Reilly will have much to say about this one.
September 30th, 2006 at 10:27 amHastert should have been less obsessed with whether Democrats “coddle” terrorists and more interested in the fact that one of his House colleagues wanted to “cuddle” with a 16-year-old boy.
September 30th, 2006 at 10:29 amIf the democrats don’t seize this kind of opportunities they don’t deserve to take control of congress
September 30th, 2006 at 10:33 amBoehner blocks Pelosi’s investigation resolution: Surprise!
By: John Amato on Saturday, September 30th, 2006 at 5:30 AM – PDT
Boehner objects because he hasn’t seen the resolution. Hmmm. Might it be because your hands are a bit filthy regarding the Foley Sex scandal cover-up?
Video-WMP QT-later
The clerk reads the resolution calling for an ethics investigation into Foley – Republicans boo Nancy when she asks for a recorded vote. With a huge sex scandal brewing–they boo Nancy. I think they should take a long look in the mirror.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/09/30/boehner-blocks-pelosis-investigation-resolution-surprise/
evidntly there was a resolution passed last night – just couldn’t come from nancy:
…
And late Friday night, the House passed a resolution directing the ethics committee to begin an inquiry into Foley’s behavior.
“I’ll just simply say that the House has given us direction to look into this matter and we intend to do so,” said Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.), chairman of the ethics panel.
Ranking member Howard Berman (D-Calif.) added that they will do it “quickly.”
Both Hastings and Berman declined to comment when asked if they would look specifically into leadership and when they knew information about Foley.
September 30th, 2006 at 10:43 am…
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/1_1/breakingnews/15259-1.html
Hastert and Boehner behaved exactly like some of the bishops in the sex abuse scandal that’s hurting the Catholic Church right now. They deserve as much of the blame for allowing a sexual predator to use his job to find new prey.
September 30th, 2006 at 10:44 amQuestion 1 to Hastert: If you can’t keep a few pages safe from your fellow Republican members of Congress, how can we trust you to keep us safe from terrorists?
Question 2 to Hastert: If you were “taking care of” this in secret, what else have you been secretly “taking care of” and how much of it includes the actions of the White House – with Abrahmoff, for a single example?
September 30th, 2006 at 10:48 amThe really big question here is how aggressively the media will go after the House leadership. I can easily see them taking the passive route, but I think this is so explosive–House leaders harboring a known sex predator?–that the blood in the water will be too much to resist.
But what will REALLY give this story legs will be investigations coming from non-Republican-controlled law enforcement agencies, and so it begs the question of who can get involved–Louisiana cops? FL cops? DC cops? If it’s interstate can the FBI get involved? DOJ? It’s currently being investigated by the House ethics panel–talk about an oxymoron–which will clearly be an object lesson in toothlessness.
September 30th, 2006 at 10:58 amShoot, they’ll just write some new legislation making it acceptable for Republican congressmen to prey on young boys in the name of national security. You know, those kids could be terrorists too.
September 30th, 2006 at 11:03 amDid Foley go on any vacations with Rush Limbaugh?
I believe it’s time for Progressives/Democrats to paint all Conservatives/Republicans with the same brush that pundits like Coulter/Limbaugh/Hannity use.
Why do all Conservatives and Republicans support child molesters?
September 30th, 2006 at 11:10 amWater-boarding for Foley!
September 30th, 2006 at 11:12 amHastert took no action because he was informed of the situation during lunch. Never try talking to Denny in the presence of food.
September 30th, 2006 at 11:14 amI knew the name “Foley” was familiar! Check it out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foley_catheter
Foley should get life attached to one of these things.
September 30th, 2006 at 11:58 amAnd guess which disgraced, former GOP House Majority Leader must have been told about Foley’s predilections as well?
Tom DeLay
As was pointed out above, this MUST be used as an issue against the GOP, it must be used against Rove like we all know Rove would use it against the entire Dem party, in less than an instant
Tying this issue in with National Security, as shown in earlier replies in this thread, is truly necessary and good strategy as well, because if the House GOP Leadership can’t or won’t protect pages from one of their own members, how can they logically expect people to believe they can successfully wage war on terrorists or keep us safer from another 9-11 style demolition derby?
This really is the GOP’s version of the Catholic Church scandals, and at this point, both Boehner & Hastert ought to be nicknamed “Cardinal Law”
Unlike Law’s “cutting & running” from the US, Hastert & Boehner not only need to resign their Leadership positions and Congressional seats ASAP, they should also be charged criminally for covering up the problem as opposed to correcting it the right & ethical way
The talk of possible criminal charges needs to start being used specifically against Hastert, Boehner, DeLay & Rove
Why Rove?
Because while it’s likely W would have been told about this, it’s impossible to believe Rove would be ignorant of Foley’s plight, not if he’s the supposed detail-obsessed political genius he likes to paint himself as
This is only going to get worse for the House GOP Leadership, and the GOP’s Senate Leadership needs to be asked what, if anything, they knew about this, and are there any GOP Senators with the same allegations swirling around them
It seems the GOP pinata is starting to break apart, and right before the November elections
Such a damn shame
September 30th, 2006 at 12:54 pmThis event of Foley trolling for boys may be just the tip of an iceberg in DC > how many other GOP members are involved sexually with Pages?
September 30th, 2006 at 1:02 pmrandel
September 30th, 2006 at 1:35 pmYou’ve nailed it. How many more of these disgusting perverted queers are hiding behind the cloak(closet) of the GOP or the Church or even a beard? Any hint, rumor or accusation of being a disgusting perverted queer needs to be dealt swiftly and harshly. These queers know that the lifestyle they have chosen is perverted and they use otherwise mainstream institutions to hide behind .
idea! ‘dateline’ would have a whole season’s worth of sordid stories to tell…
i keep wishing these ‘investigative’ shows would spend the time and effort to go after the criminals that affect the general public… and since dateline is obsessed with online predators who target teens…
September 30th, 2006 at 2:14 pm…
Hastert: Liberals Want To Take ‘The 130 Most Treacherous People In The World’ and ‘Release Them Out In The Public’ should read “Hastert and Boehner Knew about Foley since Spring ‘06: GOP Speaker of the House and House Majority Leader Enable Sexual Harassment of Pages!”
September 30th, 2006 at 2:21 pmIn the State of Florida it is against the law for an adult to be aware of any form of Child abuse and not report it. In fact I think it is a felony.
If these congressmen were teachers then they would all be guilty for not immediately reporting it. They could/would be arrested. Hard to think that we would hold high school teachers to a higher standard than the United States Congress?
I am sure that you could do a search and easily find some teacher in Florida who was prosecuted for not notifying authorities of a sexual relationship that they became aware of between a student and another teacher or adult.
September 30th, 2006 at 5:22 pmWho Else Is A Pervert In The GOP?
30th of September 2006
by Jay Randal
Hypocrisy seems to bite the butts of Republicans, all the time, so the current scandal involving Rep. Foley emailing underage males for sex is NOT surprising!
GOP members tend to put themselves on pedestals of virtue, which makes them a target for sexual scandals, and causes them to fall from grace when exposed too!
Foley maybe a secret closeted homosexual, but since he solicits sex from under 18 teenagers that makes him a sexual predator, so someone who acts like a pervert!
If he had solicited sexual favors from adult males, and not minors, then this issue would be far less a scandal and more of an embarrassment to Republican party!
The GOP boasts a lot about “Family Values,” so they denigrate Gay Americans as immoral and promiscuous, but Republicans hiring hookers reeks of immorality!
Calling for outlawing Gay marriages, or civil unions, is blatant discrimination of minority Human Rights, so the GOP would be wise to stop being hypocrites!
( Jay Randal, political activist and writer in Stone Mountain, Georgia.)
September 30th, 2006 at 5:50 pmAnd a new Repug to add to the list, here.
September 30th, 2006 at 7:08 pm[...] House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) told The Washington Post last night that he had learned this spring of some “contact” between Foley and a 16-year-old page. Boehner said he told House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), and that Hastert assured him “we�re taking care of it.”read more | digg story [...]
October 1st, 2006 at 1:48 amLiberals
======
One lied about blowjob
Republicans
=========
One stolen election
Ignored BinLaden
Didn’t do anything to prevent 9/11
One illegal war
$380 billion spent on said war
100 000+ people dead from same illegal war
Illegal eavesdropping on citizens
Illegal searches
Torture
Protecting pedophiles
No rights to fair trials
Media bought and paid for
Outing a cia operative during wartime and lying about it
Doing nothing before, during and after Katrina
Corruption to new levels (Tom Delay and too many others)
Yup, clearly America will vote for Republicans again as one blowjob is soo much worse.
October 1st, 2006 at 2:22 amWhen my country can’t and doesn’t play with a full deck with it’s American citizens who trusted them and voted them into power, we have reason to fear the USA. What else is being kept from us? How much do we really know which is the truth? Why can’t we go back to days of TRUTHFUL POLITICS and NOT DIRTY POLITICS? That’s what the country wants. It’s easier to be dishonest and disloyal according to our government. Maybe that’s why it’s said Dirty Politics. How can we know what to beleive and who to beleive when you lie through your teeth to everyone about most everything?
October 1st, 2006 at 3:16 amJAIL FOR HASTERT!!!!
October 5th, 2006 at 1:19 pmGIVE HASTERT JAIL TIME!!! FIRE HIM. he doesn’t deserve the honor of resigning! HE ALLOWS KIDS TO BE SEXUALLY HARASSED, at the very least! he is disturbing. i find hastert as guilty as foley. he should go immediately! hastert was told about foleys behavior and when now questioned about he says “I DON’T REMEMBER”!!!! if you can’t recall if someone brought something LIKE THIS to your attention, what in the hell will you recall??? I DON’T RECALL???!!!! that is impossible. if someone told you something like this and your in congress, YOU WILL RECALL!!! if you were never told, you would know that absolutely also, because you would definitely remember IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS, even remotely was brought to your attention! THAT IS BS! so the only acceptable answer to if you recall or not, COULD ONLY BE A CLEAR YES OR NO! if indeed he doesn’t recall, which is bs, put here just for thought, what the hell are you doing working in congress anyway, when you can’t recall a congressman bringing something like this to your attention. what if a page was raped and it was brought to hasterts attention and today we are just finding out about it. all hastert has to say to be clear is “I DON’T RECALL”!!!!! we don’t need people in congress, those who should be protecting our children, who can’t recall a matter such as this. his memory of situations of the utmost importantance can’t be counted on??!!! if that is the case his memory isn’t sufficient to work in congress. either way he shoudld be OUT!!! he knew and did nothing! we don’t need people like this in congress. he is creepy himself, to me. i get bad vibes when i see him. he needs to be investigated. he needs to leave. i will never feel comfortable with congress as long he is the speaker of the house. i think he is as basd or worst than foley. FIRE HASTERT!!!! THERE IS NO EXCUSE!!!!
dear why,
you forgot attempting to outsource our own ports, doing nothing about illegal aliens and the failed social security reform. bush should be made to sit in a corner and told not to speak or move.
October 5th, 2006 at 1:30 pm[...] House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) told The Washington Post last night that he had learned this spring of some “contact” between Foley and a 16-year-old page. Boehner said he told House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), and that Hastert assured him “we�re taking care of it.”read more | digg story [...]
October 12th, 2006 at 11:26 pm