GOP leaders chalk up one more disgrace

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http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2006/10/08/editorial_main/doc452452ef95937373144437.txt

The Republican leadership in the House of Representatives has disgraced itself — again.

Its handling of the Rep. Mark Foley scandal has been atrocious. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and other key GOP leaders reacted lackadaisically last year to the initial complaints from young congressional pages.

Then when ABC News made Foley’s actions public, Hastert went into self-protection mode. He even attempted briefly to characterize it as a partisan attack, complaining to radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh that Democrats were “trying to put us on defense.”

Sheesh.

If Republican leaders had shown an interest in protecting young congressional pages from a predatory member that was anything close to the zeal with which they protect their partisan rule, they might have been able to salvage a shred or two of respect.