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US House considers e-mail scandal US House leader refuses to quit
(about 3 hours later)
A US House of Representatives ethics panel has met to discuss the actions of disgraced ex-Congressman Mark Foley, who sent lurid e-mails to teenage boys. The US House of Representatives leader says he takes full responsibility for the scandal of a colleague who sent lurid e-mails to boys.
It comes as the House's top Republican faces new charges of covering up the scandal observers say is dominating politics ahead of the mid-term polls. But Republican Speaker Dennis Hastert said he would not resign over the case of ex-Congressman Mark Foley, the focus of a House ethics panel inquiry.
A former aide to Mr Foley says he warned House leader Dennis Hastert about Mr Foley's conduct in 2003. He said he wanted measures to ensure such a scandal never happened again.
Mr Hastert denies early knowledge of the e-mails and says he will not quit. Mr Hastert said he hoped to run for speaker in the next session, and denied he had prior knowledge of the e-mails.
President George W Bush has defended Mr Hastert and spoken of his disgust at Mr Foley's actions. Mr Foley, a member of the House caucus on missing and exploited children, resigned last week after revelations that he had sent sexual messages to young men on his staff.
Mr Foley, a member of the House of Representatives caucus on missing and exploited children, resigned last week after revelations that he had sent sexual messages to young men on his staff. The scandal is dominating politics ahead of the mid-term elections and recent opinion polls suggest it may be having an effect.
'Point scoring' 'High calibre' person
The House Ethics Committee, which has five Democrats and five Republicans, has held a meeting and is expected to begin an inquiry. Mr Hastert called a news conference on Thursday after Kirk Fordham, Mr Foley's chief of staff until early 2004, said he had warned the Speaker's office of Mr Foley's behaviour more than three years ago.
House leader Hastert has received backing from the president We are taking responsibility because the buck stops here Dennis Hastert
The comments added to the pressure, including from within Republican circles, on Mr Hastert.
Mr Hastert insisted he would stay as speaker, but asked the Ethics Committee to consider new rules on inappropriate contact with page workers.
Page workers are high school students appointed to help with administrative work in the House.
Mr Hastert said: "We are taking responsibility because the buck stops here."
He said he had asked for investigations by the House Ethics Committee, the FBI, the Justice Department and the state of Florida.
Mr Hastert said he wanted a "high calibre" person to investigate the page system.
"We want a system in place to ensure this never happens again and we will do everything possible to make sure the programme is safe," he said.
He denied any early knowledge of the e-mails, saying: "I learned of this last Friday... I don't know who knew what or when - that's why we've asked for an investigation."
He added: "If members of my staff didn't do their job, we will act appropriately."
Subpoenas
The House Ethics Committee, which has five Democrats and five Republicans, held a meeting on Thursday and announced it had begun an inquiry.
Mark Foley denies ever having sexual contact with a minor
The committee will examine who became aware of the allegations and when, although it has no jurisdiction over Mr Foley.The committee will examine who became aware of the allegations and when, although it has no jurisdiction over Mr Foley.
Kirk Fordham, Mr Foley's chief of staff until early 2004, told the Associated Press he had warned Mr Hastert's office of Mr Foley's behaviour more than three years ago. It has already ordered almost 50 subpoenas for evidence.
Mr Fordham said he had had "more than one conversation with senior staff at the highest level of the House of Representatives asking them to intervene". Committee chairman Doc Hastings said: "The American people, and especially the parents of all current and former pages, are entitled to know how this situation was handled."
He also denied allegations that he covered up any misdeeds by Mr Foley. The youngest recipient of the suggestive e-mails is said to have been 16 years old.
Mr Hastert has strongly defended his role, accusing the Democrats of political point-scoring.
Mr Bush has backed Mr Hastert, saying he "wants all the facts to come out".
But correspondents say some senior Republicans are distancing themselves from Mr Hastert and suggesting further resignations are required to restore the party's credibility.
The latest opinion poll shows the Democrats within reach of retaking the House of Representatives, leading in 11 of 15 vital Republican-held seats.
Sexual contact denied
The youngest recipient of the suggestive e-mails is said to have been 16-years-old.
Mr Foley denied ever having sexual contact with a minor, his lawyer said - adding that his client had declared he was gay and had been abused in his early teens.Mr Foley denied ever having sexual contact with a minor, his lawyer said - adding that his client had declared he was gay and had been abused in his early teens.
On Wednesday, US media revealed a possible romantic link with a young congressional worker and that warnings about Mr Foley's conduct went as far back as 1995.On Wednesday, US media revealed a possible romantic link with a young congressional worker and that warnings about Mr Foley's conduct went as far back as 1995.
ABC Television published intimate e-mail exchanges showing Mr Foley and one congressional "page" worker planning an encounter and trading internet kisses. The latest opinion poll suggests the Democrats are within reach of retaking the House of Representatives, leading in 11 of 15 vital Republican-held seats on 7 November.
Page workers are high school students appointed to help with administrative work at the House of Representatives.
The Washington Post reported that as far back as 1995, some pages were warned to be aware of the actions of Mr Foley.
The Post said about a dozen former pages had talked of Mr Foley's behaviour, some of them expressing how it made them uncomfortable.
None has suggested any sexual activities ever took place.