and how?
IMO, harsh consequences for Mark Foley's apparent crimes are likely to extend beyond Foley.
There are reports that top House leadership knew what Foley was doing and covered it up, keeping Democrats and the rest of the world in the dark about it for almost a year (see the two snippets below).
On ABC World News Friday, reporter/blogger Brian Ross, who uncovered the scandal, quoted a former page as having said, 'his entire class was warned about Foley by people involved in the program".
IMO, nothing consequential should or is likely to happen until the preliminary Ethics Committee report authorized last night is released. There may be insufficient evidence left, or no credible witnesses may be willing to come forward. But, assuming a complete coverup will not work, what might happen then?
(1) Who do you think may play hardball in this presumably unprecedented scandal 38 days before a key election?
(2) Who are the Democratic opponents of House members implicated in the coverup?
(3) Will the Democratic leadership demand that a special prosecutor be appointed?
(4) Are there historical Washington scandals that may give some indication of how this one will play out?
(5) Which Democratic candidates may go how negative? For example, a candidate might demand, "My opponent must RESIGN at once!", or "I call on my opponent to denounce the Reppublican leadership and demand that ... resign"
(6) What kinds of ads might 527s run in the media?
(7) How might the media cover this scandal?
Here are snippets from the two best resources I've found on the coverup so far:
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From
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/1_1/breakingnews/15259-1.html :
"Foley Interviewed About Page Last Year; Democrats Not Told
Ethics Inquiry Ordered
By John Bresnahan and Susan Davis; Roll Call Friday, Sept. 29; 10:58 pm
At least four Republican House Members, one senior GOP aide and a former top officer of the House were aware of the allegations about Foley that prompted the initial reporting regarding his e-mail contacts with a 16-year-old House page. They include: Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Reynolds (N.Y.) and Reps. Rodney Alexander (R-La.) and John Shimkus (R-Ill.), as well as a senior aide to Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and former Clerk of the House Jeff Trandahl.
Boehner strongly denied media reports late Friday night that he had informed Hastert of the allegations, saying "That is not true." Reynolds refused to comment. Shimkus, who chairs the page board, and Trandahl, who administered the program, met with Foley in 2005 after learning of Foleys e-mail exchange with the former page by Alexander. Shimkus released a detailed statement Friday night.
House sources said that Foley denied any improper sexual activity when confronted by Shimkus and Trandahl. Their information only included some August 2005 e-mails that contained no references to sex or other improper behavior, and not the other messages that have been reported by ABC News. According to a senior House GOP leadership aide, Hasterts office was informed of the interview shortly after it occurred, but Hastert himself was not told.
Rep. Dale Kildee (D-Mich.), who serves on the page board, was never told of the interview with Foley. "I became aware of it this afternoon when
came by my office. I think we should have had a page meeting right away," Kildee said, referring to last year's discovery of Foley's e-mails. When asked if was upset about being excluded, Kildee said yes, adding, "I've been on the page board for 20 years.""
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From http://americablog.blogspot.com/2006/09/house-gop-leadership-knew-about-foley.html ):
"Does House Republican leader Denny Hastert have a soft spot for child sex offenders? Seems so. Republican House Speaker Denny Hastert has some serious explaining to do, after today's revelations that they knew about ex-Congressman Mark Foley's sexscapades a good year ago, and did nothing. ...
(A) why did Republican House Speaker Denny Hastert permit Foley to remain in the House GOP leadership for almost a year after they knew he was having sex talk with minors online, minors he met on the job?
(B) Why did Republican House Speaker Denny Hastert leave Foley as the co-chair of the House body in charge of child sex offenses for a good year after they knew?
(C) Why did Republican House Speaker Denny Hastert permit Foley to stay in the House at all, where he would be around other pages every day all day long?
(D) And just as importantly, why did Republican House Speaker Denny Hastert let Foley lie publicly yesterday about the emails, claiming they were innocent, and simply a dirty attack from the Democrats, when the House leadership knew the real story?
(E) And finally, we find out that the FBI was contacted two months about this story. Was there any follow-up from the Bush FBI? Or did they just let this potential case of child sex offense go by the wayside because it involved a friend of Bush?"
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