GOP Page Board chair didn't tell Democratic panel member about Foley complaint because "he's a Democrat"

Apparently Representives Berman and Hastings, who head the Ethics Committee, see no problem in that GOP Rep. John Shimkus, a senior member of the House who chairs the Page Board, didn't inform another member of the House, who is also on the page board, about the Foley matter because "he's a Democrat."

So, a senior member of the House kept this scandal quiet for partisan political reasons. He didn't do his duty and report this scandal to the only Democrat on the page board because the other member was a Democrat, and worse, the Republican thought the Democrat would blow the matter out of proportion. I.e., the Democrat would make a big deal about the Foley scandal, and the Republicans didn't want to make a big deal out of the Foley scandal.

And Representative Howard Berman, a Democrat, and the co-chair of the Ethics Committee, agrees that what Shimkus did is no big deal, and certainly not a violation of any House rules. Meaning, that Shimkus is free to do this all over again the next time pages are set upon by horny old men because there is nothing in the House rules that says Shimkus is required to tell the other page board members about any page sex scandal that might make waves.

Congressman Howard Berman (D-CA)
(202) 225-4695

Congressman Doc Hastings (R-WA)
(202) 225-5816