Sunday, October 08, 2006
Rep. Kolbe knew about Foley in 2000
According to the WaPo, Kolbe was told of another set of e-mails by a former page because they made him uncomfortable.
This latest revelation really does raise a lot more questions than it answers. Hopefully they will be answered soon.
A Republican congressman knew of disgraced former representative Mark Foley's inappropriate Internet exchanges as far back as 2000 and personally confronted Foley about his communications.This story needs more details. I mean, here we have something that brings a confrontation between Members but the Clerk of the House isn't told until the poop hits the propeller six years later. Did Kolbe talk to any one? Did he keep an eye on his friend Foley? And then the article drops this confusing piece of information.
A spokeswoman for Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.) confirmed yesterday that a former page showed the congressman Internet messages that had made the youth feel uncomfortable with the direction Foley (R-Fla.) was taking their e-mail relationship. Last week, when the Foley matter erupted, a Kolbe staff member suggested to the former page that he take the matter to the clerk of the House, Karen Haas, said Kolbe's press secretary, Korenna Cline.
A source with direct knowledge of Kolbe's involvement said the messages shared with Kolbe were sexually explicit, and he read the contents to The Washington Post under the condition that they not be reprinted. But Cline denied the source's characterization, saying only that the messages had made the former page feel uncomfortable. Nevertheless, she said, "corrective action" was taken. Cline said she has not yet determined whether that action went beyond Kolbe's confrontation with Foley.So the reporter has heard the contents of the e-mails but neither confirms or contests the "friendly" chacterization by Kolbe's press aide. It is one thing to not reprint or reveal the contents. It is "he said, she said" journalism of the worst sort to let the two opposite views just sit there staring at each other. And was the "corrective action" more than a confrontation that had little effect, as we have seen?
This latest revelation really does raise a lot more questions than it answers. Hopefully they will be answered soon.
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