Pagegate
05-Oct-06
Hastert apologizes but refuses to resign
The House ethics committee opened an expansive investigation into the unfolding page sex scandal Thursday, approving nearly four dozen subpoenas for witnesses and documents as House Speaker Dennis Hastert held his ground against pressure to resign. “I’m deeply sorry this has happened and the bottom line is we’re taking responsibility,” Hastert, R-Ill., told at a news conference outside his district office.
TPM Muckraker has a transcript and video.
Thanks, Denny!
Internal Poll Suggests Hastert Could Devastate GOP
“The data suggests Americans have bailed on the speaker,” a Republican source briefed on the polling data told FOX News. “And the difference could be between a 20-seat loss and 50-seat loss.” Most GOP lawmakers have stood by Hastert, pending a full airing of the facts in his handling of the Mark Foley affair, in which the former Florida representative was caught exchanging salacious messages with teen pages in Congress. The new polling data, however, suggests that many voters already have made up their minds.
WORST IDEA EVER!
Roll Call
FREEH WILL LEAD PAGE PROBE: Sources said Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) will announce today that former FBI Director Louis Freeh will oversee an investigation of the House page program, which has been rocked in recent days by the scandal surrounding resigned Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.). Hastert is expected to hold a news conference in Illinois this afternoon.
CNN said that Nancy Pelosi objected, so Hastert didn’t announce this in his press conference. According to Think Progress, MSNBC also reported that Pelosi blocked the Freeh appointment.
WASHINGTON - The House ethics committee on Thursday launched an investigation of a congressional page sex scandal that has imperiled Republican election prospects, approving dozens of subpoenas for documents and testimony.
Boehner, Hastert blame Foley victims (AmericaBlog). . . “Gay conspiracy” meme starting up to defend GOP leaders’ inaction (TPM). . . Rep. Shimkus: “What do you want me to do? Take off my shirt and give myself 40 lashes?” (Think Progress). . . Cheney: It “makes no sense” for Hastert to resign (Think Progress). . . One Foley teen may have been 18 at the time of nasty IMs(Wonkette, Instapundit). . . Righty Blogs “Out” Foley Victim (Think Progress). . . Righty blog outing of Foley victim was wrong (Michelle Malkin). . .Some back story and supposition on Kirk Fordham (TPM). . . An array of Foley pics (Wonkette). . . Foley emails were classic examples of predatory behavior (Think Progress) Ex-page says he got messages from Foley
ATLANTA - A former congressional page said Thursday he received sexually suggestive messages from then-Rep. Mark Foley in 1997.
Voters say scandals will affect votes
WASHINGTON - Congressional Republicans, already struggling against negative public perceptions of Congress, now face voters who say new scandals will significantly influence their vote in November.
61% Believe Republican Leaders Have Been Protecting Foley
Sixty-one percent (61%) of American adults believe that Republican leaders have been “protecting [Mark] Foley for several years.” A Rasmussen Reports national opinion survey conducted Tuesday and Wednesday nights shows that only 21% believe that the leadership “just learn[ed] about Foley’s problems last week.”
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