Republican leaders try to distance themselves from Foley sex scandal

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http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/15649897.htm

WASHINGTON - Republican leaders in Congress, including Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois, scrambled Saturday to distance themselves from a Florida congressman's sex scandal as they disavowed responsibility for investigating the matter when it came to light months ago.

Aides to the speaker say he was not aware until last week of inappropriate behavior by Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., who resigned on Friday after portions of racy e-mail exchanges between him and current and former underage congressional pages became public. But the aides conceded that they could not be conclusive on the timing.

In the chaotic hours after news of the scandal broke, GOP leaders offered confusing versions of events about how much they knew, and when. One top House Republican said he relayed to Hastert his sketchy understanding of the situation months ago, and another said he "cannot say with certainty" whether he passed along the information or not.

Meanwhile, an aide to Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill. - chairman of the board that oversees the page program - said Shimkus confronted Foley last year after learning of one e-mail message he sent to a former page. Shimkus declined to investigate when Foley assured him there was nothing to it, the aide said, and Shimkus declined comment Saturday, relying instead on his spokesman.

While House Republicans attempted to avoid blame, Democrats raised questions about why there wasn't an official investigation after the first internal reports of impropriety.