From The Associated Press, 12/8/06:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16107115/
House Ethics finds GOP leaders negligent
WASHINGTON -
The House ethics committee reported Friday that Republican lawmakers
and aides failed to protect young male pages from former Rep. Mark
Foley's improper advances, concluding an investigation into a scandal
that convulsed Congress and contributed to the GOP defeat in last
month's elections.
The panel said it found no evidence that any current lawmakers or
aides violated any rules.
But it said it discovered a pattern of conduct among many "to remain
willfully ignorant of the potential consequences" of Foley's conduct.
Foley, R-Fla., hurriedly resigned his seat Sept. 29 after the
existence of sexually explicit computer messages sent to teenage pages
came to light.
But the scandal damaged Republicans politically, and raised questions
about whether Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., or his aides had done
enough to investigate reports of improper advances by Foley.
Florida authorities have opened a criminal investigation into whether
Foley broke any laws related to his communications with the teens.
Federal authorities are also investigating.
The report found that Hastert was likely told about Foley's e-mails by
two Republican leaders last spring.
Hastert has said he doesn't recall the conversations.
But both Majority Leader John Boehner of Ohio and Rep. Tom Reynolds of
New York have said they informed the speaker last spring.
"The speaker's reported statement in response to Majority Leader
Boehner that the matter 'has been taken care of' is some evidence that
the speaker was aware of some concern regarding Rep. Foley's conduct"
even prior to the spring conversation, the report said.
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The immorality of Republican leaders is exposed to the world.
Harry
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