Ex-GOP Aide: Hastert Knew 3 Years Ago
A senior congressional aide said Wednesday he told the office of the Republican leader of the House of Representatives about worrisome conduct by his former boss, Rep. Mark Foley, toward teenage pages more than three years ago, long before officials have acknowledged becoming aware of the issue.
Kirk Fordham told The Associated Press that when he learned about Foley's inappropriate behavior toward pages, he had "more than one conversation with senior staff at the highest level of the House of Representatives asking them to intervene," alluding to House Speaker Dennis Hastert.
Hastert's office denied the explosive allegations.
While conservatives have been debating whether Hastert, one of the most powerful men in Washington, should resign, the embattled legislator has said he will not step down. The uproar has enveloped Republicans who were already at risk at losing control of Congress in elections Nov. 7 in which all 435 seats in the House are at stake.
The conversations took place long before the e-mail scandal broke, Fordham said, and at least a year earlier than members of the House Republican leadership have acknowledged.
Fordham, once Foley's top aide, is known to be gay. CBS News has learned that several other top Republican staffers who handled the Foley matter are also gay. Their role in this controversy has caused a firestorm among GOP conservatives, who charge that a group of high-level gay Republican staffers were protecting a gay Republican congressman, reports CBS News correspondent Gloria Borger.
Foley's attorney, David Roth, announced for the first time that Foley is gay, but insisted Foley never had sexual contact with a minor.
That precise wording may turn out to be very important, because in Washington D.C., 16-year-olds — the minimum age of a page — are not considered minors when it comes to having sex, reports CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson.
Fordham resigned Wednesday as chief of staff to Rep. Thomas Reynolds, a member of that leadership.
Fordham spoke to the AP after ABC News quoted unidentified Republican sources as insinuating that he had intervened on behalf of Foley, his former boss, to prevent an inquiry into Foley's conduct.
"This is categorically false," Fordham said. "At no point ever did I ask anyone to block any inquiries into Foley's actions or behavior."
The longtime Capitol Hill aide said he would fully disclose to the FBI and the House ethics committee "any and all meetings and phone calls" regarding Foley's behavior that he had with senior staffers in the House leadership.
"The fact is even prior to the existence of the Foley e-mail exchanges I had more than one conversation with senior staff at the highest level of the House of Representatives asking them to intervene when I was informed of Mr. Foley's inappropriate behavior," Fordham said.
Fordham said one staffer to whom he spoke remains employed by a senior House Republican leader. He would not identify the staffer.
"Rather than trying to shift the blame on me, those who are employed by these House leaders should acknowledge what they know about their action or inaction in response to the information they knew about Mr. Foley prior to 2005," Fordham said.
A Capitol Hill aide for more than a decade, Fordham said he resigned because he did not want his role in the Foley matter to harm his boss Reynolds' re-election bid.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Kirk Fordham told The Associated Press that when he learned about Foley's inappropriate behavior toward pages, he had "more than one conversation with senior staff at the highest level of the House of Representatives asking them to intervene," alluding to House Speaker Dennis Hastert.
Hastert's office denied the explosive allegations.
While conservatives have been debating whether Hastert, one of the most powerful men in Washington, should resign, the embattled legislator has said he will not step down. The uproar has enveloped Republicans who were already at risk at losing control of Congress in elections Nov. 7 in which all 435 seats in the House are at stake.
The conversations took place long before the e-mail scandal broke, Fordham said, and at least a year earlier than members of the House Republican leadership have acknowledged.
Fordham, once Foley's top aide, is known to be gay. CBS News has learned that several other top Republican staffers who handled the Foley matter are also gay. Their role in this controversy has caused a firestorm among GOP conservatives, who charge that a group of high-level gay Republican staffers were protecting a gay Republican congressman, reports CBS News correspondent Gloria Borger.
Foley's attorney, David Roth, announced for the first time that Foley is gay, but insisted Foley never had sexual contact with a minor.
That precise wording may turn out to be very important, because in Washington D.C., 16-year-olds — the minimum age of a page — are not considered minors when it comes to having sex, reports CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson.
Fordham resigned Wednesday as chief of staff to Rep. Thomas Reynolds, a member of that leadership.
Fordham spoke to the AP after ABC News quoted unidentified Republican sources as insinuating that he had intervened on behalf of Foley, his former boss, to prevent an inquiry into Foley's conduct.
"This is categorically false," Fordham said. "At no point ever did I ask anyone to block any inquiries into Foley's actions or behavior."
The longtime Capitol Hill aide said he would fully disclose to the FBI and the House ethics committee "any and all meetings and phone calls" regarding Foley's behavior that he had with senior staffers in the House leadership.
"The fact is even prior to the existence of the Foley e-mail exchanges I had more than one conversation with senior staff at the highest level of the House of Representatives asking them to intervene when I was informed of Mr. Foley's inappropriate behavior," Fordham said.
Fordham said one staffer to whom he spoke remains employed by a senior House Republican leader. He would not identify the staffer.
"Rather than trying to shift the blame on me, those who are employed by these House leaders should acknowledge what they know about their action or inaction in response to the information they knew about Mr. Foley prior to 2005," Fordham said.
A Capitol Hill aide for more than a decade, Fordham said he resigned because he did not want his role in the Foley matter to harm his boss Reynolds' re-election bid.
- no previous page
- next
1/2
Popular in Politics
- Officials on Benghazi: "We made mistakes, but without malice" 435 Comments
- Major immigration overhaul passes first big test
- Top IRS official to invoke 5th Amendment at congressional testimony 131 Comments
- U.S. IDs several men possibly responsible for Benghazi attack
- Anthony Weiner comeback try begins: Running for NYC mayor
- Va. GOP candidate: Planned Parenthood "more lethal" for blacks than KKK 1204 Comments
- Obama: "Full focus" is on recovery from Oklahoma tornado 89 Comments
- IRS scandal highlights leadership vacancies
Besides his lawyer has assured us that Tom never (note the finger shake), never had *** with a minor.
Minors in DC are defined as less than 16-years...which just happens to be the minimum age for a page. See how neat it all works out?
Support your local Family Values candidate.
leader is an embarassment to us all.
Can't wait til November !
Thank you.
One demands a loyalty based upon secret trust, the other a fellowship based upon open truth."
The wise man answered "The one believes you are a fool."
SearingTruth
"The truth is simply what it is, defined by the weakest of us who must suffer through it."
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com
The Republican Party
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com
are the very same liberals who, eight years ago, were DEFENDING another politician who was caught with a 22 year old intern.
And were liberals demanding resignations eight years ago? NO
Just what were liberals saying eight years ago? And I quote:
"If it's consensual, it's OK", and
"It's a private matter, and none of our business"
Don't those same liberal beliefs apply today? Apparently not.
If anyone is being hypocritical, it's the liberals.
P.S.
At least Foley was honorable enough to resign, unlike the politician in the 1990's
Thomas Jefferson, letter to Dupont de Nemours, April 24, 1816
"People will believe in almost anything, except for reality."
SearingTruth
A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com
By the way "searingtruth", If I wanted to read your rants, I would visit your website. This forum is for comments not rhetoric.