REPUBLICANS ARE NOT SAYING THIS WAS ALL A JOKE, OR THAT THERE IS NO "THERE" there.
There's plenty of "there" there -- Foley's actions were inexcusable, possibly illegal, and seriously detrimental to the Rs' electoral campaigns.
But even more "there," is the mechanism by which this scandal hit. Plenty of club to beat the D's with... ;-)
Because Republicans are concerned about Foley behavior, but eventually if this is a Prank, then the story is dead.