Ethics Panel Launches Foley Probe

(CBS/AP)  The House ethics committee approved nearly four dozen subpoenas Thursday, opening an investigation of a page sex scandal that has ensnared the GOP-led Congress. Speaker Dennis Hastert took responsibility but refused to step down.

"Ultimately ... the buck stops here," the Republican speaker said, using the phrase of a Democratic president, Harry Truman.

Hastert held to his assertion that he did not know about ex-Rep. Mark Foley's e-mails and sexually explicit computer messages to former pages until the scandal broke last week.

The ethics committee promised to finish its investigation in weeks, not months, but it was unclear whether that would occur before the Nov. 7 election. Hastert's handling of the issue has brought harsh criticism from some fellow Republicans and conservative activists.

An AP-Ipsos poll found that about half of likely voters say recent disclosures of corruption and scandal in Congress will be very or extremely important when they cast their votes. That group is much more likely to vote Democratic.

The speaker, at a news conference, mixed a newfound contriteness with defiance.

"Could we have done it better? Could the page board have handled it better? In retrospect, probably yes. But at the time what we knew and what we acted upon was what we had."

But he also vowed to win re-election and run for House speaker again.

Privately, Republicans say that Hastert's mea culpa was the very least he could do, but they're far from sure it will be enough, CBS News correspondent Gloria Borger reports. On the record, they're trying to be upbeat.

"Hopefully he's cleared the air so members and challengers can have this off the front pages of the paper," Rep. Ray Lahood, R-Ill., told Borger.

Meanwhile, President Bush called Hastert to thank him for how he has handled the situation. The White House says that Mr. Bush praised Hastert for "making a clear public statement that said the House leadership takes responsibility and is accountable."

While the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct — the ethics committee — is investigating potential violations of House rules, the Justice Department appeared to be moving with dispatch in its criminal investigation.

Timothy Heaphy, a lawyer for ex-Foley chief of staff Kirk Fordham, said his client had just met with the FBI. Fordham emerged as a key figure Wednesday when he told reporters that he had talked three years ago with top aides to Hastert about Foley's conduct with pages. His comments pushed back the time when information may have reached the speaker's office.

CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports that the FBI also visited former page Tyson Vivyan, who said Foley sent him sexually charged instant messages, but only after he left the page program. He told CBS News the messages were "referencing genitalia, referencing specific acts between the two of us, things like that."

Since Vivyan wasn't a minor, the FBI told him it didn't appear Foley had violated any laws in his case.

Ethics committee chairman Doc Hastings, R-Wash., and ranking Democrat Howard Berman of California would provide no details on the subpoenas but told a news conference the committee was seeking both testimony and documents.

Hastert spokesman Ron Bonjean said the speaker had not yet received a subpoena from the ethics committee but was willing to testify. "If the ethics committee asks him to, of course," Bonjean told The Associated Press.

• 1
• 2
• Next Page »

[houser123]

Ms. Jane McGreeve

Someone has an attitude today. I could not help but notice you left off your list of liers and cowards the following names. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Wolfowitz, Perle, Hastert, Delay, just to name a few. I only wanted to make you aware of your error.

[janemcgreeve]

Corruption, boys, what about the congressman from Louisiana with the money in his refrigerator. Sure wish that lil' ol' dem would send me some of his moolah.

He still retains his seat, Republican haters - where are you with your loudmouths and empty heads?

[janemcgreeve]

the "obscene war on terror has made us less safe"? How stupid can you get.

The problem is, we are NOT fighting it hard enough. Everytime the administration and the military do something, however small, it is the usual creeps that cry torture - that cry abu gharib, that cry "cut and run"...

So suppose we did "cut and run", mh - funny how these libs use alphabet soup to cover up inadequacies - what next? Are you prepared for more bombings here, for more slit throats, or do you plan to take up Sharia. Appeasement got the world nowhere - ask Neville Chamberlain if you could.

But beat the drums, shriek as loudly as Howie Dean, and push the lies. That of course will always make hypocrites, liars and cowards feel better. Just ask Clinton, Kennedy, Dean, Byrd, Carter - they're reknown for doing just that.

Oh, since you were off topic, also ask Gerradine Studds, and Jim McGreevey too.

[houser123]

Its disgusting to see how the pricincipals in this obscene affair are reacting. Hastert " I would not be surpised to see Clinton behind this", "Once our base sees who is funding this operation, they will be outraged." Here, he is referring to George Soros. In addtion to Clinton and Soros, Hastert has also blamed ABC news. Now the republican talking points are that the "Pages" were conspiring agaist Mr. Foley in a form of *** bashing. Boehnert is placing all the blame on Hastert, some in the republican party are calling for him to step down, but no he proclaims, "I did not do anything wrong". The problem Mr. Hastert is that you did not do anything right and that is a textbook example of a failed leader and you Mr. hastert are a failed leader. Hopefully, the voters will make the decision for you to step down come November.

[processor2]

I wish Dennis Hastert would have said this (while pounding the table every other word with his fist & pointed index finger):

"Let me (pound) just say (pound), that I (pound) did not (pound) have(pound) sexual relations (pound)with that intern (pound), oops I mean page (pound)"

Then liberals everywhere would be saying;

"if it's consensual, it's OK".........and
"it's a private matter, and none of our business"

snicker, snicker, snicker

[pirkey76]

Just what I expected from the speaker of the house, a twisted bunch of double speak that means absolutly nothing. This just so later on he can say that he never said that. You bet he didn't. He wants his seat and his money to much. Why wasn't Foley censured three years ago if that is when worries about his actions first surfaced? And isn't it just so convenient that while this has the front page GWB dosen't have to sweat answers for his less than grand actions. I honestly fear for our country now and I hope that all the other world powers do not think we are just like GWB.

[kge723]

PBS prior to re-organazation had a special report on G.W. Bush failure to report (after transfer from the Tx. Air Ntl.Guard) to the Alababama Air National Guard. The Squadredon leader that he was assigned to report stated that G.W. Bush never reported. The non reporting was a long time frame.
Please confirm this & the (if any) statue of limitations on desertion. Thankyou, K.E.

[mperkel]

Republicans are going on the offense fighting back against the Foley scandal. "It's the usual suspects", claim Republicans. The Democrats are behind this! It's those Lib'rals, like mysterious bloggers funded by George Soros, ABC News, operatives associated with Clinton(s), and Hollyweird. They're the ones who suppressed the proof until just before the election! After all, we all know that Republicans are far too disciplined to get caught trying to have *** with underage boys just 5 weeks from an election. So it's the Democrats fault. It's a vast left wing conspiracy.

It's not our fault, Republicans declare. Foley was an alcoholic. He had a disease. And he was sexually abused by clergy. (Probably Lib'ral clergy!) And he's a *** man. He can't control himself. But we have to protect our children. Our children come first. So the Republicans are suggesting ending the 200 year old Page program to make sure our children are protected from ***** *** Republicans. Republicans who are being victimized by evil Democrats who are taking advantage of scandal for purely political purposes. How dare they! How dare they!

The Republican's can stop Foley because he raises so much money that it causes anyone who looks at it to go blind, deaf, and lose their memory. But Republicans are going to take responsibility for this scandal that the Democrats started. "The Buck Stops Here" exclaims Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert! What he means is - Republicans are going to keep Foley's money!

[themartyred]

REPUBLICANS HAVE TOTAL POWER - THE DEMS GET THEIR A-HOLES CHEWED OUT FOR USING SPARE ROOMS FOR MEETINGS!

Every power in Washington is the Republicans, and just LOOK at what they've done to preserve that power?

May God have mercy on their souls for letting teen boys be sought after by a *** crazed closeted self hating man who couldn't accept who God made him so he went after the least powerful, which is children he could flash his cash and car and fancy title that they loved, to.

[mh4cbs1]

Foley deserves what will come to him as he is prosecuted. CBS and the corporate medial will cover this story ad naseum.

Meanwhile they give a free pass to the far more horrendus obsenity -- which comes in the form of Cheney and Bush. It was their LIES that led us into Iraq, where tens of thousands of innocent civillians have died, where 2,733 US troops have given their lives for this needless War of Agression, where we have now spent $300 Billion. The chickhawk Bush/Cheney gang played cowboy for the power and profit of their super-wealthy friends, and in doing so have feuled anti-American ism and terrorist recruitment, making us far less safe than before 9-11.

Foley is disgusting and dispicable. But I wonder, why doesn't Bush and Cheney get similar mainstream media coverage for perpetrating their obsence War OF Terror and making us Less Safe?? Thousands and thousands of innocent dead may have wanted to ask the same question.