The emails have been semipublic knowledge for more than a year. Apparantly the IMs and knowledge of Foley's AIM handle just came to light in the past 48 hours.
What to do with emails like Foley's when they are written by someone you are responsible for is unclear.
It sounds like Hastert a) delegated responsibility, b) didn't ask too many questions, and c) was glad that the whole thing went away.
Most of us would have been no different.
The key thing is that Foley lied, repeatedly - this makes Hastert look worse than the facts actually justify.
You write above:
"What to do with emails like Foley's when they are written by someone you are responsible for is unclear."
"It sounds like Hastert a) delegated responsibility, b) didn't ask too many questions, and c) was glad that the whole thing went away."
"Most of us would have been no different."
I hope and pray that no one whose attitude is to avoid asking "too many questions" and to be "glad that the whole thing went away" is ever responsible for investigating anything to do with child molestation. Heaven forbid that that should be the reaction to something involving anyone's child -- especially my own!
Let's not be apologists for gladhanding politicians who are content to let evil occur so long as it "goes away" before an election. And let's hope that Hastert and anyone else who let this "go away" and didn't ask "too many questions" get what they richly deserve.