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

Virginia Sen. George Allen, left, answers a question as Democratic challenger James Webb listens during a debate sponsored by the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce in McLean, Va., Monday, Sept 18, 2006

Virginia Papers Have Mixed Reaction to Sen. Allen’s ‘N-Word’ Problem

The current uproar over Sen. George Allen (news, bio, voting record)’s (R-VA) alleged racist comments, including several stories accusing him of using the N-word and engaging in other anti-black statements years ago, has drawn mixed reaction from his home state newspapers as they cover his re-election campaign.

While some papers, such as the Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk, are stepping up coverage of the issue as the accusations spread, others, like The Free Lance-Star in Fredericksburg, are purposely downplaying the story out of concern for other issues in the tight Senate race with Jim Webb, a Demcorat. All of those local journalists who spoke with E&P, however, deny missing the story in the past, claiming any indication that Allen may have made such comments were nothing more than rumors.

“There were rumors that never rose to a news story,” said Warren Fiske, a Virginian-Pilot political reporter and 20-year veteran of state coverage. “In the past, we dealt with what we knew and could prove. We wrote stories about the Confederate flag in his house, his opposition to the Martin Luther King holiday and black legislators’ concerns of his sensitivity. But I don’t recall a teammate ever coming out and putting a name behind it.”

Well, it appears the original Salon story and the resulting follow-ups have not been substantiated than to be more than rumors or a partisan Democrat set-up to “GET” George Allen.

Read Captain Ed Morrissey’s account here and read it well.

One thing is certain: the only first-hand sources that have gone on the record have political axes to grind against Allen and their stories have fallen apart under close scrutiny. It’s a smear campaign, a character assassination in slow motion, and one that should shame James Webb and his campaign. They have yet to distance themselves from these attacks, and one has to conclude that they have no desire to do so.

It appears the local Viriginia press has miscounted the entire N-Word FLAP or lack thereof. This smells of a DIRTY TRICK and the SMELL emanates from the James Webb campaign.

Might this KERRFUFFIL backfire on the Webb candidacy?

Possible but more likely it will die a lingering death…..

Stay tuned ….

Blogosphere:

Allah: Pushback: NRO questions Sabato’s racism charges against Allen

Powerline: The macaca offensive

Powerline: The macaca offensive, take 2

Previous:

Senator George Allen Watch: The N-Word FLAP

James Webb Watch: Nancy Reagan Demands Webb PULL Fraudulent Campaign Ad Featuring Ronald Reagan

Senator George Allen Watch: Webb NOW leads Allen in Latest Poll

Senator George Allen Watch: Allen Apologizes for Offensive Remarks – FLAP Part II

Senator George Allen Watch: Allen Apologizes for Offensive Remarks – FLAP

Technorati Tags: GeorgeAllen, JimWebb

Sen. George Allen, R-Va., answers questions about his Jewish heritage during an interview at the offices of the Associated Press Monday, Sept. 25, 2006, in Richmond, Va. Allen also denied the allegations of racism made against him which appeared in a recent magazine article.

AP: Allen denies using racial slur in school

Sen. George Allen (news, bio, voting record) on Monday denounced as “ludicrously false” allegations from a former college football teammate that he frequently used a racial slur to refer to blacks in the early 1970s and that he once stuffed a severed deer head into a black household’s mailbox.

Allen’s campaign also released statements from four other ex-teammates defending the senator and rejecting Dr. Ken Shelton’s claims. Shelton leveled the allegations against the former University of Virginia quarterback in an article published Sunday in the online magazine Salon.com and during an Associated Press interview Sunday night.

“The story and his comments and assertions in there are completely false,” Allen said during an interview with AP reporters and editors. “I don’t remember ever using that word and it is absolutely false that that was ever part of my vocabulary.”

Larry J. Sabato, one of Virginia’s most-quoted political science professors and a classmate of Allen’s in the early 1970s, said in a televised interview Monday that Allen used the epithet.

“I’m simply going to stay with what I know is the case and the fact is he did use the n-word, whether he’s denying it or not,” Sabato, now director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, told Chris Matthews on MSNBC. Sabato would not say whether he had heard Allen say the word, and did not know whether it was true that Allen used the word frequently in college.

Flap has used the N-Word. And he is NOT proud of it. Alot of folks have said this epithet/slur either out of frustration, anger or stupidity. However, Flap has NEVER cut off the head of an animal and stuffed it into a mailbox of some black folks – nor has he been falsely accused of such a stunt.

Flap warned that during the Macaca FLAP, Senator Allen appeared unbalanced and angry.

On the other hand, James Webb has FRAUDULENTLY used President Reagan’s likeness in political ads. He, in fact, has LIED – implying the dead President has endorsed his candidacy.

Whether this N-Word story is true or not, Senator Allen and candidate Webb should re-examine their campaigns and abandon the politics of personal destruction.

If it were up to Flap, he would disqualify both of these MORONS and select two new candidates who could BETTER address the issues upon which Virginians demand of a United States Senator.

Virginia Sen. George Allen, left, and Democratic challenger James Webb, greet each other after a debate sponsored by the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce in McLean, Va., Monday, Sept 18, 2006.

Blogosphere:

Captain Ed has ‘A Rather Hyperactive Imagination’

Allah has Allen campaign responds to “N-word” allegations Update: Black teammate vouches for Allen

Dean Barnett has Allen – Webb: Still Depths to Plumb

Mary K has Surprise! Many George Allen Teammates Remember Him Not Being a Racist 

Prevous:

James Webb Watch: Nancy Reagan Demands Webb PULL Fraudulent Campaign Ad Featuring Ronald Reagan

Senator George Allen Watch: Webb NOW leads Allen in Latest Poll

Senator George Allen Watch: Allen Apologizes for Offensive Remarks – FLAP Part II

Senator George Allen Watch: Allen Apologizes for Offensive Remarks – FLAP

Technorati Tags: GeorgeAllen, JimWebb

Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., ranking Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, takes part in a hearing on homeland security, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2006 on Capitol Hill in Washington.

AP: Lieberman and Lamont lash out in Conn.

Sen. Joe Lieberman bemoaned the nasty tone of Ned Lamont’s campaign — even as he swiped at his Democratic rival, accusing him of waffling on the Iraq war.

“Ned Lamont is running one of the most negative campaigns that I can remember,” Lieberman said in a telephone conference call with reporters Tuesday. “He constantly criticizes, criticizes, criticizes. And he blames me for just about everything, maybe except the weather.”

Lieberman, who is running as an independent after losing last month’s Democratic primary to Lamont, was responding to his foe’s complaint that he has missed 16 votes on Iraq since 2003.

“Senator Lieberman, how can you hold the president accountable for his foreign policy when you’re not there for the votes that count?” Lamont asked at a Connecticut event.

Lieberman, insisting he has a nearly 95 percent voting record, complained the attack was to divert attention from recent Lamont “inconsistencies and hypocrisies” on Iraq and the 1998 sex scandal involving President Clinton and a White House intern.

Lieberman accused Lamont of flip-flopping on Iraq: “Three different positions, in three different places on three different days. That’s quite a feat.”

Challenger Ned Lamont is playing defense after criticizing Joe Lieberman for his condemnation of Bill Clinton’s seedy sexual behavior with Monica Lewinsky in the White House. Last week it was discovered that Lamont had praised Lieberman’s rebuke of Clinton in an e-mail sent to Lieberman’s office.

Last week, Lamont rapped Lieberman for publicly scolding Clinton over the sex scandal. Lieberman’s Senate office then released a 1998 e-mail from Lamont saying he “reluctantly supported” Lieberman’s rebuke of Clinton.

“And so, one might say that he praised me before he criticized me,” Lieberman said. “I couldn’t resist that one.”

JoeMentum is gathering speed.

Ned Lamont’s offense is sputtering and moaning a 95 % Lieberman voting record is NOT going to win you an election.

Stay tuned…..

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Senator Joe Lieberman Watch: “Hey Ned, it’s 2006″

Technorati Tags: JoeLieberman, NedLamont