Re: Key aide heard in US e-mail row

[Robert <Robert@xxxxxxx>]

Robert L Bass wrote:
> Key aide heard in US e-mail row
>
>       Mr Trandahl says he confronted Mr Foley about the matter in 2005
> A key witness in a US congressional inquiry over an explicit e-mail scandal has testified before the House of Representatives ethics
> committee.
> The scandal began after revelations that ex-Republican congressman Mark Foley had sent lurid e-mails to pages - young male staff on
> work experience.
>
> The latest testimony came from ex-House Clerk Jeff Trandahl, a former pages' boss. He testified behind closed door.
>
> He was expected to be grilled about how the Republicans dealt with the issue.
>
>
>       The row is dominating politics ahead of mid-term elections
>
> At issue in the investigation - now in its second week - is also how House Republican leader Dennis Hastert's office dealt with the
> knowledge that Mr Foley was sending lurid e-mails.
>
> Mr Foley resigned over the scandal. He has said he is gay but denies any sexual contact with pages.
>
> In a further twist, a Roman Catholic priest admitted having an inappropriate relationship with Mr Foley 40 years ago.
>
> Recent polls suggest that the majority of Americans are unhappy with how senior Republicans handled the page scandal, the BBC's Nick
> Miles in Washington says.
>
> That could have an impact on the Congressional mid-term elections in November, our correspondent says.
>
> Aide denials
>
> Mr Foley resigned on 29 September after revelations that he had sent sexual messages to House high school students appointed to help
> with administrative work.
>
>
>       House leader Dennis Hastert has received backing from the president
>
> The youngest recipient of the suggestive e-mails is said to have been 16 years old.
>
> Mr Hastert says he first became aware of Mr Foley's actions just before his resignation.
>
> But a former advisor to Mr Foley says he reported concerns about his contacts with pages to Mr Hastert's chief-of-staff several
> years ago.
>
> The chief-of-staff, Scott Palmer, has denied the claims.
>
> Mr Hastert, who earlier this month rejected calls for his resignation over his handling of the case, has said he will sack any
> member of his staff who may have covered up the e-mail scandal.
>
> The ethics committee, on which there are five Democrats and five Republicans, will examine who became aware of the allegations and
> when, although it has no jurisdiction over Mr Foley.
>
> Committee chairman Doc Hastings said he hoped to finish the inquiry "in weeks", but it is unclear whether it will be complete before
> the 7 November mid-term polls.
>
>
>
>