Posted on 10/04/2006 8:39:44 PM PDT by PhiKapMom
A former U.S. House page working on the gubernatorial campaign of Republican Rep. Ernest Istook may be a part of the scandal involving former Congressman Mark Foley, The Oklahoman has learned.
The former page, a Californian named Jordan Edmund, on Wednesday hired Enid attorney Stephen Jones to represent him, the attorney confirmed.
Jones would not say exactly why he was hired, but did say, “I understand the FBI and the House Ethics committee have an interest in the matter ... the allegations concerning Congressman Foley which have surfaced.”
Foley, a Republican from Florida, resigned abruptly on Friday after it was learned that he exchanged sexually explicit e-mails with former pages. The FBI is investigating.
Istook’s campaign manager, Chip Englander, who is also from California, declined comment Wednesday to an Oklahoman reporter.
However, Englander gave The Oklahoman a statement that was attributed to Istook.
The statement says, “The sad and sick behavior of Mark Foley was a total surprise to me when it was revealed. Law enforcement is doing its job, and I support that effort. Now we should all support and protect the victims, and they should not be hounded by the press.
“It was a complete surprise to learn this morning that one victim may be someone I know. Each one of the victims deserves their privacy. To every reporter I request, please have the decency to avoid making things worse for the victims, and just leave them alone. This happened years ago when the victims were minors.”
Reached at his home, Istook referred to the prepared statement.
Edmund’s name surfaced on Internet “blogs” that linked him to the instant message address used in communications with Foley.
One blogger got the instant message address from the Web site of ABC News, which has obtained the instant messages sent between Foley and a former page.
In the sequence of messages identified by the blogger, Foley tells the person to “strip down and get relaxed.”
It is not clear whether Foley’s other instant messages, including one in which he apparently conducted “instant message” sex with a person, were all to the same person.
Asked why Edmund needed an attorney, Jones said, “You read the blogs. You know why he needs an attorney.”
Jones, who represented Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh in his murder trial in Denver, confirmed Edmund was a U.S. House page.
“I’ve been retained in the last several hours,” Jones said. “I’m still reviewing matters.”
Jones said the two met Wednesday in Oklahoma City.
Edmund had an Internet page on the popular MySpace Web site.
On that page, he identified himself as being 21 years old and said he had been attending college at the University of California at Berkeley. He said he was going to Oklahoma to be deputy campaign manager for Istook’s gubernatorial effort, the Web site stated.
Edmund registered to vote in Oklahoma in March, records show.
The House Ethics Committee is scheduled to hold a closed-door meeting this morning about the Foley matter.
Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore, one of the 10 members of the committee, flew back to Washington on Wednesday for what he called an “emergency meeting.”
He said the committee today would not hear from witnesses but would set the parameters of the investigation.
Contributing: Staff Writers Joe Wertz, Bryan Dean, Jennifer Mock and Ryan McNeill
Copyright 2006
I don't know who has sent what to whom. But it wouldn't hurt for more of us to send this info to EVERYONE and EVERY blog we can collectively think of.
and ? how much they can't be trusted with ANYTHING when it concerns this country.
I wish I knew of some way to do more in getting the real facts out there.
There are thousands of registered FREEPERS. Take off several 100s, for those will more than one nic, discount the sleeper trolls and the yet to be banned trolls/disruptors and that still leaves quite a hefty number of people out there, telling the people that they know. :-)
I had already posted to WL-law that he should send that splendid analysis of his out.
What do y'all think...maybe, Tony Snow and perhaps Dick Cheney himself should also get a copy of this?
...or is it just late, and I am nutz and need to go to bed? LOL!
Rats! LOL. If I EVER get out your way I'll take you to lunch.
I think "alledged victim", might be appropriate. I'm becoming more and more convinced some of these pages were mocking old wierd Foley behind his back, perhaps even egging him on for sport so they could ridicule him. Far more likely to me, a group of savvy teenage boys would be cruel, rather than be hapless victims.
Foley was surely a fool, there are many ways to characterize his bizarre, unethical, perhaps criminal behavior, but once the FBI starts questioning the pages, and reading their email to each other, we may have less sympathy for them.
Really appreciate your insider take on Jordan.
What is shows is the p*ss-poor state of so-called journalism.
I hope they sue ABC and Brian Ross!
From Powerline, a GREAT analogy!!
"But the main reason for the Democrat/press focus on Hastert, to the virtual exclusion of Foley, is that they are trying to destroy Hastert so as to seize control of the House next month. Certainly, when Democrat Stubbs was caught seducing male interns, no one turned the story into an attack on Tip O'Neill. "
I am amazed how the LameStream Media ignores history: the actual sex Democrats have with pages (Gerry Studds) and the they scandalize Foley who talked about sex with former pages.
My exact thought. Who's paying this guy's lawyer?
I agree with you. It's starting to sound like these "kids" were setting him up all along... I'm not defending Foley, but these "kids" are certainly no saints.
Maybe he could fear being in trouble for not reporting it. He probably also has fears of his reputation being harmed. I wouldn't jump to conclusions yet - that will cost us a lot.
This just keeps getting better and better!
[On the night of the 2002 mid-term election,] the House Democratic Whip, Nancy Pelosi of California, a contender for Gephardt's leadership job, said the Democrats "should have found a way to criticize Republicans more strongly. I do think it behooves the national party to be clear enough about the distinction between the two parties, and we may not have been strong enough with our message." http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec02/shakeup_11-7.html
Pelosi & dems have been in full attack mode ever since. First she got Gephardt's job, and now she is going after Hastert. This is her mindset. Her faux rage and "I'm a grandmother" sound bites don't obscure her visciousness.
Placemark
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