1 Boring Old Man

Ethics Panel Questions Foley’s Ex-Chief of Staff

As early as 2000, House Clerk Jeff Trandahl periodically called Fordham to say Foley was spending too much time with pages, the source said, and Fordham would have to "pull him back a little." In brief, awkward conversations, the source said, Fordham would tell Foley: "I just got a call from Jeff Trandahl. And Mark, you just need to be conscious of appearances. Everyone knows you’re gay. You’re being held to higher standards than everyone else. They see the stereotype — a gay man going after kids."

In 2003, Trandahl placed another call to Fordham, according to the source. But this time, it was because Foley was seen drunk outside the pages’ dormitory after the 10 p.m. curfew, trying to get in. Exasperated, Fordham reputedly told Trandahl, "I don’t know if my saying something [to Foley] would make any difference."

Both Fordham and Trandahl decided that Fordham should call Palmer, according to the source. In a phone call with Palmer, Fordham expressed his concern about Foley’s "over-friendliness" to pages, although Fordham did not specifically mention that Foley was seen outside the pages’ dorm. Palmer said he would talk to Foley about it; two days later, Fordham checked in with Palmer. Palmer said that he spoke with Foley and that he told the speaker about it, the source said.

I’ve learned within the last few hours that unnamed sources have purported that I intervened on behalf of Congressman Foley to prevent a page board investigation. This is categorically false. At no point ever did I ask anyone to block any inquiries into Foley’s actions or behavior. These sources know this allegation is false.

Having stepped down as Mr. Reynolds’ chief of staff, I have no reason to state anything other than the facts. I have no congressman and no office to protect. I intend to fully cooperate with any and every investigation of Mr. Foley’s conduct. At the same time, I will fully disclose to the FBI and the House ethics committee any and all meetings and phone calls I had with senior staffers in the House leadership about any of Foley’s inappropriate activities.

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. One of these staffers is still employed by a senior House Republican leader. 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.

So what we now have to decide is did Hastert and his staff drop the ball? Did Hastert and his staff attempt to "cover-up" Foley’s misbehavior to avoid partisan scandal? If, as it seems, Forham did talk to Palmer, did Palmer really talk to Foley? Did he report it to Hastert? Or did he just tell Fordham he did [I believe Foley confirmed this to Fordham]?

Why does it matter? Foley was more than a nuisance, he was a dangerous character. We certainly all agree with that now. If Speaker of the House Hastert, his Staff, Majority Leader John Boehner [or Tom Delay], or National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Reynolds obstructed the proper handling of the Foley complaints – diverting them into Party circles rather than through the proper House of Representatives channels, they have to go. It’s just not that hard. They put their Party in front of the Congressional Procedures and the welfare of the kids who were in their care. If they didn’t do that, if they were simply dense about things, they sure don’t get any medals, but it’s not a terminal offense. But, unless Kirk Fordham is simply a pathological liar, just on the basis of the public information, it looks like somebody high up there  is lying through the teeth.

It’s tempting to think that this is all a great partisan attempt by the Democrats to win in November. Lord knows, a lot of us pray nightly for anything to break the Republican strangle-hold on our government [or at least this Republican Administration]. But I think this scandal stands on its own. After Cunningham, Abramoff, K-Street, Ney, Delay,  and now Foley, we can’t afford to overlook anything in the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Pentagon, or the Executive. There’s already been enough shady stuff for the entire rest of the this fledgling century. American confidence in government is understandably tanking. Clinton’s behavior didn’t help and there’s always the specter of Nixon.

We’ve just got to play it straight…