Panel Probing Scandal Questions (Hastert) Aide Six Hours

[truthpusher]

http://www.wfsb.com/politics/10141949/detail.html?rss=hart&psp=news

Panel Probing Scandal Questions Aide Six Hours

POSTED: 10:20 pm EDT October 23, 2006
UPDATED: 10:37 pm EDT October 23, 2006

E-mail this story | Print this story

CAPITOL HILL -- The House ethics committee questioned Speaker Dennis Hastert's top aide for more than six hours Monday, as investigators tried to determine whether Hastert's office knew at least three years ago of Rep. Mark Foley's come-ons to male pages.

The closed-door testimony by Hastert chief of staff Scott Palmer could help determine who is telling the truth about when the speaker's office first learned of Foley's conduct. Hastert has said it was in the fall of 2005.

Campaigning for a Republican candidate in Tennessee, Hastert said he plans to testify before the committee this week.

"What Mark Foley did was wrong. It was ethically wrong. It's a shame. It's actually disgusting," Hastert told reporters after a campaign rally.

(snip)

Palmer spent the longest time in the committee offices than any other witness, entering at 1:57 p.m. and leaving at 8:18 p.m. This is the third week of testimony, as the committee tries to learn how the Republican leadership handled Foley's inappropriate conduct.

(snip)

link: http://www.wfsb.com/politics/10141949/detail.html?rss=hart&psp=news

[donco6]

1. So what do you ask that takes six HOURS?

I was on a murder trial jury, and the main witness there was only on the stand two hours. Was he recounting every encounter in excruciating detail? Were they fishing for inconsistencies (knowing that if they asked long enough they'd find SOMETHING?)

[sam sarrha]

3. trying to look like they are doing something..

[krispos42]

8. It must have been an exhausting process

"No, I didn't."
"Yes, you did."
"No, I didn't."
"Yes, you did."
"No, I didn't."
"Yes, you did."
"No, I didn't."
"Yes, you did."
"No, I didn't."
"Yes, you did."
"No, I didn't."
"Yes, you did."
"No, I didn't."
"Yes, you did."
"No, I didn't."
"Yes, you did."
"No, I didn't."
"Yes, you did."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Not!"
"Too!"
"Not!"
"Too!"
"Not!"
"Too!"
"Not!"
"Too!"
"Not!"
"Too!"
"Not!"
"Too!"
"Not!"
"Too!"
"Not!"
"Too!"
"Not!"
"Too!"
"Not!"
"Too!"
"Not!"
"Too!"
"Not!"
"Too!"
"Not!"
"Too!"
"Not!"
"Too!"
"Did too times ten."
"Did not times a hundred."

Et cetra, et cetra, ad nauseum.

[goclark]

2. Watch, it's going to be all show and no GO

They will do nothing until after the election.

[bluestateguy]

4. The panel's probing about sex took six hours?

Yikes. That must have hurt.

[yellowcanine]

11. Editors really need to find a new word when discussing sex crime

investigations. Or maybe they do it on purpose?

[truthisfreedom]

5. i have a feeling that they're going to come up blank as far as their spin.

it's just going to look bad all around no matter how they try to lipstick it up.

[rodeodance]

6. Hastert's top aide grilled (front page USA Today)

Front page:
http://www.usatoday.com/

Hastert's top aide grilled
House Foley probe lasts over 6 hours.

Click on story to get (a different headline):

House panel questions Hastert's top aide in Foley case
Updated 10/23/2006 11:36 PM ET Permissions | Subscribe to stories like this Subscribe to stories like this


By Kathy Kiely, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — House ethics committee members spent more than six hours Monday grilling the top aide to House Speaker Dennis Hastert as the panel continued its investigation into what Republican leaders did when warned about former representative Mark Foley's attentions to teenage congressional pages.

Scott Palmer, who has served as Hastert's chief of staff for more than 20 years, occupied the committee all afternoon. Hastert has said he knew nothing of concerns about Foley's sexual communications with pages — high school students who work as messengers for Congress — until the Florida Republican resigned Sept. 29.

.........
Kirk Fordham, Foley's former chief of staff, said he alerted Palmer several years ago to his concerns about Foley's friendships with pages. Fordham's lawyer, Timothy Heaphy, said Fordham's warnings could have come as early as 2002. Palmer has denied Fordham's account.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-10-23-foley-pages_x.htm

[krispos42]

7. Ah, more "alternative interrogation techniques"

Oh, wait, they're not using the actual grill yet. My bad! :evilgrin:

[rodeodance]

9. glad to see the papers are still making this scandle news.

[Toots]

10. Can't Hastert take Cheney in there with him to testify?

Bush* was able to take Cheney with him to give him the answers so why can't Hastert do the same?

[Ian David]

12. I didn't know Republickers could go six hours without masturbating. n/t

[TheMadMonk]

13. maybe that's why it took so long. n/t