The Washington Times Editorial: Resign, Mr. Speaker

The facts of the disgrace of Mark Foley, who was a Republican member of the House from a Florida district until he resigned last week, constitute a disgrace for every Republican member of Congress. Red flags emerged in late 2005, perhaps even earlier, in suggestive and wholly inappropriate e-mail messages to underage congressional pages. His aberrant, predatory — and possibly criminal — behavior was an open secret among the pages who were his prey. The evidence was strong enough long enough ago that the speaker should have relieved Mr. Foley of his committee responsibilities contingent on a full investigation to learn what had taken place, whether any laws had been violated and what action, up to and including prosecution, were warranted by the facts. This never happened.

Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois, the Republican chairman of the House Page Board, said he learned about the Foley e-mail messages “in late 2005.” Rep. John Boehner of Ohio, the leader of the Republican majority, said he was informed of the e-mail messages earlier this year. On Friday, Mr. Hastert dissembled, to put it charitably, before conceding that he, too, learned about the e-mail messages sometime earlier this year. Late yesterday afternoon, Mr. Hastert insisted that he learned of the most flagrant instant-message exchange from 2003 only last Friday, when it was reported by ABC News. This is irrelevant. The original e-mail messages were warning enough that a predator — and, incredibly, the co-chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children — could be prowling the halls of Congress. The matter wasn’t pursued aggressively. It was barely pursued at all. Moreover, all available evidence suggests that the Republican leadership did not share anything related to this matter with any Democrat.

Now the scandal must unfold on the front pages of the newspapers and on the television screens, as transcripts of lewd messages emerge and doubts are rightly raised about the forthrightness of the Republican stewards of the 109th Congress. Some Democrats are attempting to make this “a Republican scandal,” and they shouldn’t; Democrats have contributed more than their share of characters in the tawdry history of congressional sexual scandals. Sexual predators come in all shapes, sizes and partisan hues, in institutions within and without government. When predators are found they must be dealt with, forcefully and swiftly. This time the offender is a Republican, and Republicans can’t simply “get ahead” of the scandal by competing to make the most noise in calls for a full investigation. The time for that is long past.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert must do the only right thing, and resign his speakership at once. Either he was grossly negligent for not taking the red flags fully into account and ordering a swift investigation, for not even remembering the order of events leading up to last week’s revelations — or he deliberately looked the other way in hopes that a brewing scandal would simply blow away. He gave phony answers Friday to the old and ever-relevant questions of what did he know and when did he know it? Mr. Hastert has forfeited the confidence of the public and his party, and he cannot preside over the necessary coming investigation, an investigation that must examine his own inept performance.

A special, one-day congressional session should elect a successor. We nominate Rep. Henry Hyde, also of Illinois, the chairman of the House International Relations Committee whose approaching retirement ensures that he has no dog in this fight. He has a long and principled career, and is respected on both sides of the aisle. Mr. Hyde would preside over the remaining three months of the 109th Congress in a manner best suited for a full and exhaustive investigation until a new speaker for the 110th Congress is elected in January, who can assume responsibility for the investigation.

Yet there are GOP apologists like Hugh Hewitt. He is WRONG and should be ASHAMED of attempting to SPIN grossly negligent conduct by the Republican House Leadership.

But, even Hugh may be hedging.

American voters will punish the GOP in a few weeks.

Flap does not blame them.

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Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert Watch: President Bush – DON”T RESIGN, Mr. Speaker

Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert Watch: RESIGN, Mr. Speaker

Technorati Tags: MarkFoley, DennisHastert, JohnShimkus, JohnBoehner

Fox News: Bush Backs Hastert Investigation of Foley Online Messages With Male Page

Using the words “disgusted,” “disappointed” and “dismayed” to describe his reaction to reports that former Rep. Mark Foley exchanged inappropriate e-mails with a congressional page, Bush stood by the speaker as he launches a probe of the matter.

“I know Denny Hastert. I meet with him a lot. He is a father, teacher, coach; he cares about the children of this country. I know that he wants all the facts to come out,” Bush said. “I’m confident he will provide whatever leadership he can to law enforcement in this investigation … This investigation should be thorough and any violation of the law should be prosecuted.”

The president’s support came after a newspaper editorial board and a leading conservative critic called on Hastert to resign from his leadership post over his handling of the Foley matter.

Hastert’s spokesman said Tuesday the speaker is going nowhere.

“The speaker has and will lead the Republican conference to another majority in the 110th Congress,” Hastert spokesman Ron Bonjean said.

The Speaker and the President just don’t GET IT.

American voters will punish the GOP unless there is a quick adjudication of this matter.

The Speaker has been GROSSLY NEGLIGENT in his duties.

Flap agrees with Richard Viguerie:

Added Richard Viguerie, chairman of ConservativeHQ.com: “Anyone who covers up such behavior should have the full wrath of the authorities and of the public fall upon them as they are the enablers who made it possible.

“This isn’t an isolated situation. It is only the most recent example of Republican House leaders doing whatever it takes to hold onto power. If it means spending billions of taxpayers’ dollars on questionable projects, they’ll do it. If it means covering up the most despicable actions of a colleague, they’ll do it,” Viguerie said in a statement.

Allah has Hastert’s intransigence and obstinance on the Rush Limbaugh show here.

Hugh Hewitt and La Shawn both have it WRONG (La Shawn only partly). Sorry, but, Positive Spin-doctoring just does NOT cut it.

Captain Ed has it partly RIGHT.

Hastert and his leadership team MUST resign or the voters WILL PUNISH the GOP in the coming elections.

The choice is clear…….

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Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert Watch: RESIGN, Mr. Speaker

Technorati Tags: DennisHastert, GeorgeBush, RichardViguerie, HughHewitt, LaShawnBarber