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Former Page Says He Sent Foley's Sexually Explicit IM to Rep. Kolbe in 2001
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ShareDecember 08, 2006 4:21 PM
A former congressional page told the House Ethics Committee that he received a sexually explicit instant message from then-Congressman Mark Foley (R-Fla.) in 2001, and the page says he forwarded that message to Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.), according to today's report released by the House Ethics Committee.
Around October 2001, while a freshman in college, the page said he sent Foley an IM saying that his girlfriend was coming for a visit. The page said Foley responded with a comment making reference to the size of his penis, according to the report. The page also testified that he then forwarded the IM as an attachment to Kolbe's personal e-mail address. The page had been sponsored by Kolbe, and he asked Kolbe to "take care of it."
About a week later, the page received an e-mail from Foley apologizing for making him uncomfortable. The page concluded that Kolbe had spoken to Foley about the message.
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While Kolbe told the committee that he recalls having been contacted by the former page about Foley, he told the committee that he denies having seen the actual IM. Kolbe told the committee:
"I did not see any communication that [the former page] had received, and as far as I know Mr. Baugh [Kolbe's assistant] had not either seen that."
Click Here for the Brian Ross Investigative Homepage.
Kolbe told the committee that he asked his assistant to contact Foley's chief of staff Kirk Fordham to suggest that Foley cease contact with the former page.
The report goes on to say that following Foley's resignation, the page said he called Kolbe's cell phone to ask for advice on what he should do if asked about the 2001 IM by authorities. According to the page, Kolbe replied, "It is best that you don't even bring this up with anybody...there is no good that can come from it if you actually talk about this. The man has resigned anyway."
Kolbe confirmed to the committee that he talked to the former page, but he says the page simply told him he wasn't going to say anything, and Kolbe responded, "That's your decision."
The former Clerk of the House Jeff Trandahl also had some negative testimony about Kolbe. He testified that he thought Kolbe, like Foley, "spent far too much time socially interacting with pages. I was uncomfortable with it."
While the committee said it found Kolbe's former page's testimony to be credible, "given the absence of documentary evidence, the denial by Rep. Kolbe of having seen the communication, and the possibility that the instant message could have been attached to an e-mail sent to Rep. Kolbe but not opened and read," they could not definitively conclude that Kolbe saw the message.
They did go on to say, however, that Kolbe should have asked for the message if he didn't have it, "in order to make sure that his response was the correct one," according to the conclusions of the report.
The committee did not recommend further investigation into Kolbe in light of his imminent retirement and "the preliminary federal inquiry" into his actions.
Kolbe's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment from ABC News.
December 8, 2006 in Mark Foley Internet Scandal | Permalink | User Comments (20)
For Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-AZ) to try to cover up the 2001 IM from Foley AFTER Foley resigned must be a violation of House Rules. I wonder why it won't be considered a possible conspiracy to cover up a crime?
Meanwhile voters in Kolbe's district are stuck with him for 2 more years because the House Ethics committee CLEARED Kolbe of all wrongdoing. Only if Kolbe is convicted of a felony can he be removed from office!
Posted by: Chris Baker | Dec 8, 2006 5:12:59 PM
In my previous comment I didn't realize Kolbe had retired, so voters in his District won't be stuck with him after all.
Posted by: Chris Baker | Dec 8, 2006 5:22:19 PM
Chris, it's UNBELIEVABLE.
Posted by: Amie | Dec 9, 2006 10:28:33 AM
Looks like that 'coverup' quilt just had a few more patches added to it so it would cover the extra territory to take care of this latest bit of unethical behavior. Let's face it, Democrat or Republican, Congress is one big Brotherhood and everyone protects everyone else, no matter how foul their their actions. The Power machine in Washington is becomming too strong and lethal for the people to penetrate. We have kept silent too long while they built their 'fortress'. Now, it might be too late.
Posted by: Bess Cannon | Dec 9, 2006 11:06:24 AM
The only reason i'm outraged by this, is because of the Republican constant gay bashing and their self inflicted image of conservatives. However, i dont understand why are people talking about being convicted of a crime?
the kid is in college, he is obviously over 18. I'm tired of the double standards of some people that consider some one a kid for some things and a man for others, for instance if he had had sex or attempted to do with a 14 year old they he would probably be going behind bars, however if the 14 year old commited a crime they he would be tried as an adult
Posted by: EJ | Dec 9, 2006 1:12:32 PM
Kolbe will retire with a lavish pension and perks that you and I could only dream of.
To have the House Committee "investigate" itself is like hiring the fox to guard the hen house. What a complete farce our Congress is!It doesn't matter one bit whether they are Democrat or Republican, they are a complete law unto themselves. And they call this the House of "Representatives"? The only thing these crooks represent is their own self interests. We are no better than any 3rd. world banana republic!
Posted by: Jim Richards | Dec 9, 2006 3:03:18 PM
How long must the American people be victimized by a rogue government due to cronysim?
Posted by: George Johnson-Hill | Dec 9, 2006 7:11:36 PM
Anybody, who could ever even think of voting for anything even related to republican needs their head examined.
Posted by: stevex47 | Dec 9, 2006 10:06:08 PM
this issue is not gaybashing,andi am tired of people jumping the discrimination wagon,everytime a
pedophile,make an attempt using their position in office to intimidate,this is happening often,
a homosexual politician using their office,to fullfill their twisted sexual fantacies,this thing just got to stop!!!!
Posted by: TOMMY | Dec 10, 2006 3:10:41 AM
It is time for our American Journalists at ABC to start reporting on the rest of the world and its problems. Your negativeness towards our country leaves me to beleave that your company has either accepted socialism, communisim or anti-Americanism. In any event - you need to home your talents in other parts of the world (and the UN - please do some reseach and reporting on the outrageous spending of US dollars by the UN that does not help the rest of the world). Find out where our US dollars are going in the UN. Us Americans really want to know that kind of news. Why can't ABC look into it? Do some good for a change other than attacking your own country continually. Defend it once in awhile.
Posted by: Henry G. Vinal | Dec 10, 2006 4:31:52 AM
What I see as the bigger issue is the torrent of BS that the Republicans have gotten so good at pumping through their firehoses.
Can you imagine the dialog possible - if we could get to a standard of straight talk? As it is, there's no issue that can't be effectively diluted with a healthy dose of BS.
We have increase the pressure on these people via the Press. When reporters ask a question, they should get a pertinent answer - never back down! Accept no BS!
Kudos to Brian Ross & his crew. Keep the pressure on!
Posted by: Wayne Ruffner | Dec 10, 2006 8:14:30 AM
The real scandal in the Foley scandal is the whitewash that covers it: Having the House Committe "investigate" itself is worse than hiring the Fox to guard the hen house: Animals act instinctually. Oooops, silly me. Now Congress is the Fox. And we're the hens.
Posted by: James Pizza | Dec 10, 2006 9:32:43 AM
Seems the rules don't apply to our government "leaders". The party of "family values" show what they really are; a bunch of morally bankrupt crooks.
Posted by: Sjaak B | Dec 10, 2006 12:57:42 PM
Its very similar to the Catholic priests' sexual abuses cover-up by the clergy. This kind of so-called "team playing" needs to stop where misplaced loyalty surfeits the truth. If its wrong, its wrong, regardless of where its found.
Posted by: Frederick Russ | Dec 10, 2006 1:04:05 PM
What I really don't understand about all these explicit instant messages and the emails is something that anybody who uses a community library experiences on a daily basis and that is certain types of messages with this type of content is blocked using a security program. In fact, most libraries have to have these securities under federal law.
It makes you think, what exactly is going around in congress these days.
Posted by: sunnypuck | Dec 11, 2006 10:28:54 PM
My comment was confused with someone elses on Dec. 10th. My comment suggested that Congress is the hen house fox. Thank you.
PS. Could you say "hi" to Martha Raddatz for me?
Posted by: James Pizza | Dec 12, 2006 7:22:42 AM
People, people, people - I agree that congress has turned into a private club and that our elected officials couldn't seem to care any less about us. So it's time to repeat it - TERM LIMITS. They've passed laws limiting every other branch of government wht not them? Item for thought - why would someone spend $20 million on a campaign to get ellected to a job the pays $180,000 a year?
Posted by: Dave | Dec 12, 2006 11:22:54 AM
um does any one think that this is disturbing behavior
Posted by: alex | Dec 17, 2006 12:22:45 PM
Silly liberals... Clinton's top security guy STOLE documents from the national archive to help lie about there record on terrorism and you guys don't make a peep? Yes, gay bashing - the nasty republicans are saying mean things about my fabulous neighbor. You guys are joke - go bash the only gay republican you know of (Foley) some more and the republicans will continue to protect your silly heads....
Let's recap - you are offended when I fly an American flag and wish you a Merry Christmas. You guys are on a roll - keep it up!
Posted by: Frank Lee Dumm | Dec 21, 2006 2:10:25 PM
Term Limits - a correction for most of Congress's failures. There is no good reason to continue Sen. Byrd in office at this age so he can continue raiding the Treasury. Two 6-year terms for a Senator are enough and six terms are enough for a member of the house.
Posted by: Walt. Hannan | Dec 23, 2006 2:23:12 AM
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