Posted by
Bruce Armstrong on Sunday, October 01, 2006 8:56:48 PM
If this ABC Blotter report is correct, it looks like some current and former Republican House leaders have, to borrow a phrase from Ricky Ricardo, "some 'splainin' to do" - again:
A Republican staff member warned congressional pages five years ago to watch out for Congressman Mark Foley, according to a former page.
Matthew Loraditch, a page in the 2001-2002 class, told ABC News he and other pages were warned about Foley by a supervisor in the House Clerk's office.
Loraditch, the president of the Page Alumni Association, said the pages were told "don't get too wrapped up in him being too nice to you and all that kind of stuff."
I can see only two scenarios here: (1) House staffers knew of Rep. Foley's behavior five years ago, yet didn't tell House Republican leaders, or (2) House staffers knew of Rep. Foley's behavior five years ago and told House Republican leaders, and those leaders took no substantive action.
The first scenario is frankly unbelievable in the CYA (Cover Your A**) atmosphere of Washington. House staffers likely would have run screaming to the leadership as soon as they had information about Rep. Foley. Additionally, since Washington has more leaks in it than a New Orleans levee, somebody would have gone to the WaPo or the Old Gray Lady.
The second scenario, which seems to be coming true with every passing day, is that the House Republican leadership knew of Rep. Foley's reprobate behavior as long ago as 2001, and did little or nothing. If this turns out to be the case, it simply adds to the case for removing Hastert, Boehner, and any others remaining from the time from their leadership positions, committee chairs, and the like.