Key Figure In Foley Case Testifies

(CBS/AP)  The House ethics committee Thursday questioned the one-time chief of staff to ex-Rep. Mark Foley, who challenged Speaker Dennis Hastert's account of his office's first notification of Foley's conduct toward male pages.

Kirk Fordham gave crucial testimony behind closed doors as investigators sought to learn who is telling the truth. Fordham said he gave the information to Hastert chief of staff Scott Palmer in 2002 or 2003, but Palmer has disputed Fordham's account. Hastert's office said his staff was first told about Foley last fall.

Before Fordham appeared, a Republican member of the House page board, which oversees the program for teenagers, said she was never told about Foley.

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said after her questioning, "I'm a member of the page board who was not informed of the e-mail messages that were sent. I want the investigation to go forth quickly and reach a conclusion."

Capito's Democratic opponent had earlier accused her of failing to protect the high schoolers in the page program.

Keeping Capito out of the loop would raise questions about whether other Republicans tried to tell as few people as possible about Foley as part of a cover up. She is one of three members of Congress who serve on the page board. Rep. Dale Kildee of Michigan, the lone Democrat, also said he was not told about Foley.

Capito's testimony preceded that of Fordham, who was ready to directly question the truthfulness of Hastert's top aide.

Fordham said he could demonstrate that he warned Palmer about Foley's approaches to male pages in 2002 or 2003. Palmer has challenged Fordham's description of events.

Capito said she knew nothing about the allegations until Sept. 29, when Foley's conduct became a major Capitol Hill scandal.

"It disturbs me greatly. I am very upset about it and I think it is disgusting, quite frankly," Capito said in a West Virginia debate Wednesday after her opponent accused her of shirking her responsibility. She has called for more members on the page board, more training for those members, and peer counseling for the pages.

According to a timeline released by Hastert, the speaker's office was informed about an overly friendly e-mail that Foley sent in the fall of 2005. Subsequently, the clerk of the House and Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., head of the page board, met with Foley, who assures them he was only acting as a mentor to the boy. Shimkus ordered Foley to cease contact with the boy, apparently without notifying Kildee or Capito.

Shimkus will testify Friday.

At a recent news conference, the speaker said that Shimkus was following the wishes of the parents of the former page by not telling other page board members about it.

"I think Congressman Shimkus acted in an expedited manner to find out what happened, again with what the framework of what the family concern was," Hastert said.

Shimkus also said he did not inform the other board members because he was following the wishes of the boy's parents.

Meanwhile, House Majority Leader John Boehner has been invited by the ethics panel to testify, but no date has been set. Boehner has said he informed Hastert about Foley and was told the matter was being handled. Hastert has said he doesn't recall the conversation.

Hastert's aides said they first learned of an overly friendly Foley e-mail to a former page in the fall of 2005 — and never knew about sexually explicit messages to others until late last month when they became public.

The FBI also is investigating, trying to determine whether any crimes were committed by Foley.

On Wednesday, agents interviewed former page Jordan Edmund, now 21.

CBS News has learned that Edmund told the FBI he had limited contact with Foley as a page in 2001 and 2002, but that after Edmund left the page program Foley began e-mailing him.

They met in person twice, including for dinner in San Diego in 2002. They went to Foley's hotel room but Edmund told agents he left after about 20 minutes and nothing untoward happened, CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports.

While the ethics committee will try to learn who's telling the truth, the court of public opinion appeared to be moving against the Republicans, who hold majorities in the House and Senate.

Polls show most Americans say the House Republican leadership worried more about politics than the safety of teenage pages. However, most also say Democrats would not have handled the situation better.

Several polls also show a split on whether Hastert, R-Ill., should step down, with just under half of those surveyed saying he should. More than half in several polls said Hastert tried to cover up what he knew about Foley.

Next week, the ethics panel also is to hear from Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La., whose testimony also is poised to raise questions about how GOP leaders handled the Foley problem. A former page he sponsored from Louisiana received friendly e-mails from Foley that were not sexually explicit but raised questions about Foley's motives.

The former page contacted Alexander's office about Foley in fall 2005. Foley, R-Fla., had asked the boy's age — then 16 — and his birthday. Foley also requested a photo.

There is no dispute that Alexander's chief of staff, who also will be questioned, called Hastert's office. This, according to a report by Hastert, was the initial notification that something was wrong.

Last spring, Alexander mentioned the Foley situation to Boehner, R-Ohio. Alexander said Boehner referred him to Rep. Tom Reynolds, R-N.Y., chairman of the House Republican campaign organization.

Both Boehner and Reynolds said they spoke with Hastert, who says he cannot recall those conversations and raised questions about whether they occurred.

Boehner initially quoted Hastert as telling him the Louisiana page's complaint "had been taken care of."

Foley resigned Sept. 29 after his sexually explicit instant messages to former pages became public.

[ginoson]

Should Hastert resign? Not no, but h&&l no. Do you think Harry Reid should resign? How about Barney ***, or Ted Kennedy? If all the perverts, crooks, liars, rapists, and pedophiles in the democRAT party had to resign, we would then, be down to one party.

[long_rider]

The actions of Foley transend politics, and needs no further discussions. What is more upsetting is the fact that this investigation is being conducted behind closed doors. Hastert told the world he knew nothing about Foley's actions, but persons stepped forward and contradicted Hastert. Hastert got caught in a lie and ran and hid under the chimps skirt.

This entire matter is going to end up to be nothing. The entire political system is controled by the current administration, and this investigation serves little more than going through the motions.

The chimp gave Hastert his full support - in other words - republicans if you want funding for re-election leave my man alone.

This administration has been predicated on lies, and supports liars. So why all he fuss, just more fodder for the medias cannon of mis-information.

"And the American sheep keep grazing"

[plratlanta]

Americans should insist on term limits in the U.S. Congress because the most influencial men on the hill have been there twenty-thirtysome years. Mark Foley was caught, he is a creep, but he is gone. If someone deliberately covered up any crime in order to influence the outcome of an election they should be held accountable. There is an entire generation of voters who do not understand how serious our elected officials should take their job. This is not a joke or a satire or a comedy of affairs. The "ethics" committees who set in judgement of Foley (or Clinton) or anyone is a joke...Teddy Kennedy & Barney Franks are two that comes to my mind. IF AMERICANS WERE SMART WE WOULD SEND THEM ALL PACKING ELECTION 2006 & 2008.

[xccoach]

Pressure is getting to ya, huh. Don't you hate it when you can see all of those supeonas coming after Jan 1?

BTW, the light at the end of your tunnel vison is an oncoming train. :)

[cyberdale1]

lets see are the demogogs gay bashing? they say we have to accept any aberrent behavour unless it is a Republican! Whatabout Barny Frank? What about gary stubbs? What about Mel Reynolds? Mel had *** with teenage girls (15 & 16) for christ sakes!!!!! ol Barny Frank ran a gay prostitution ring from his appartment!!! At least when Republicans find scumbags we do the right thing and throw them out!!! The Demogogs just cover for them and say we have to accept them! Maybe Nacy Peloci SHUOLD RESIGN AND ALL OF THE DEM LEADERSHIP SHOULD GO!!!!

[lonevoice66]

This whole scandal is a waste of time and my tax dollar. Foley is a pervert. The DNC is bankrupt of ideas so they go after Hastert (no longer about Foley). Both parties disgust me in that they are more concerned in cashing in than doing what is best for us as a whole. Rather than lead they play the game of gotcha. The GOP did it with Clinton. The Dems are doing it now.

I say throw out all incumbents and get some new, younger blood in that might actually care to return us to the superpower we once were.

[garydeeman]

I don't believe any of this happened. this is just another ploy by the mean democrats, the republicans are perfect, they do the best and right things, if you don't believe me ask any or all of them in washington. They need to do the right thing and say it is over and bring Foley back, pat him on the back,take him out to lunch, go golfing with him, tell him not to accept anymore free drinks from the democrats, they made him do this, he didn't want to, he should be straightened out by now, he has been in rehab around two weeks or so.tsk, tsk, tsk, it is shamefull that people would think a republican like Foley would do this kind of perverted thing to a child. Shame on the democrats.

[garydeeman]

I cannot believe everyone thinks that Hastert and Scott Palmer would lie just to keep their jobs. They are perfect politicians backed up by most of the ruling republicans in the white house, "W" included, all sworn to be the best you can be. They need to do the right thing and sweep it under the rug and get rid of all the problem causing kids that are pages, most under age who know nothing and are vulnarable to all perverts in this republican administration. Send thier little ***** packing as another republican congressman suggested then it won't happen again.

[harddriver_2]

Clinton was "hounded" because he WAS a sexual predator--oh, wait did I say "WAS", I mean IS. When he got caught he LIED! Repeatedly! Then it was "Everyone does it, so what's the big deal" Foley got caught and he resigned. What he did should NEVER have happened and if what he did is a violation of any laws he should go to jail for a long time, but so should Bill Clinton.

[moleshire]

I'll decline to participate in this trial of public opinion. It seems prudent to let the investigations run their course. Foley chose the correct path and resigned without delay (no pun intended). I would expect nothing less of a party that claims to be a party of morals.