I Looked The Other Way While Foley Whored Around.....

Page accuses Kolbe of suppressing sexually-explicit messages from Foley

Ron Brynaert and Brian Beutler
Published: Friday December 8, 2006

According to the "Investigation of Allegations Related to Improper Conduct Involving Members and Current or Former House Pages" (what's become known as the "Page Report"), Congressman Jim Kolbe (R-AZ) received--and tried to suppress--sexually-explicit communications in October 2001 sent by Rep. Mark Foley to a House page Kolbe had sponsored the previous semester.

That communication, the former page told the authors of the report, involved Foley making "reference to the size of his penis," via instant message.

The former page contends that he affixed the IM conversation to an email he sent to Kolbe asking Kolbe to "take care of it." Soon thereafter, the former page received an email from Foley apologizing for "making him feel uncomfortable."

But later in the report, Kolbe denies that he knew the precise nature of the inappropriate communication. The page, "said that he had an email from Congressman Foley," according to Kolbe's deposition. "I did not see any communication that [the former page] had received, and as far as I know [my assistant] had not either."

Later in the report though, according to the former page, Kolbe warned him, "it is bes[t] that you don't even bring this up with anybody.... [T]here is no good that can come from it if you actually talk about this. The man [Foley] has resigned anyway."

According to the report, Kolbe himself is under investigation by federal authorities. "The Investigative Subcommittee was provided with information concerning certain allegations made regarding Rep. Jim Kolbe and his interaction with former House pages," the report reads.

And, though the report concludes that an investigation of Kolbe would be within its jurisdiction, and "[t]he Subcommittee heard some testimony" about Kolbe's actions, "Rep. Kolbe did not provide full and complete testimony regarding the allegations, citing the pending federal inquiry."

Because the FBI is investigating the Arizona congressman, and because that investigation will conclude after "Rep. Kolbe's imminent retirement" at the conclusion of the 109th congress today, Kolbe "will no longer be within the Committee's jurisdiction," and "the Investigative Subcommittee does not recommend further investigative or disciplinary proceedings by the House against Rep. Kolbe."

Unclear from the report is whether the federal investigation concerns Kolbe's handling of information provided to him by his former page or other, unspecified allegations of improper conduct.

"no rules were broken"

Dems won congress, let them deal with it....their own as well.