by Hunter -- Daily Kos
Sept. 30, 2006
Roll Call:
"At least four Republican House Members, one senior GOP aide and a former top officer of the House were aware of the allegations about Foley that prompted the initial reporting regarding his e-mail contacts with a 16-year-old House page. They include: Majority Leader John Boehner, National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Reynolds (N.Y.) and Reps. Rodney Alexander (R-La.) and John Shimkus (R-Ill.), as well as a senior aide to Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and former Clerk of the House Jeff Trandahl. (R-Ohio),"
Hastert has been denying he knew about the allegations -- Boehner even got the WaPo to pull the quote he gave them yesterday, which is a story in itself -- but after the latest statement by NRCC Chairman Tom Reynolds also stating that Hastert was informed, Hastert issued a statement neither disputing nor denying Reynolds' statement:
Congressman Tom Reynolds in a statement issued today indicates that many months later, in the spring of 2006, he was approached by Congressman Alexander who mentioned the Foley issue from the previous fall. During a meeting with the Speaker he says he noted the issue which had been raised by Alexander and told the Speaker that an investigation was conducted by the Clerk of the House and Shimkus. While
the Speaker does not explicitly recall this conversation, he has no
reason to dispute Congressman Reynold's recollection that he reported
to him on the problem and its resolution.
That's what's known as a walkback.
Even more news: we already had heard from Roll Call that Shimkus confirmed that he didn't tell any Democrats of the "investigation", but kept it to himself and Clerk Jeff Trandahl. Dale E. Kildee, the sole Democratic member of the House Page Board, now confirms that he wasn't told (press release):
As the Democratic Member of the House Page Board, any statement by Mr. Reynolds or anyone else that the House Page Board ever investigated Mr. Foley is completely untrue. I was never informed of the allegations about Mr. Foley's inappropriate communications with a House Page and I was never involved in any inquiry into this matter.
The first and only meeting of the House Page Board on this matter occurred on Friday, September 29 at approximately 6 p.m., after the allegations about Mr. Foley had become public.
More info later, but Hastert is in huge trouble here. Huge.
LINK: Daily Kos
