The Speaker acted the same way the press did with only the innocuous emails (not the hot stuff) and parents who insisted on privacy, precluding further investigation.
Steve Gilbert has reminded me about the state of Franks' knowledge of the male prostitution ring being run out of his basement:
washingtonpost.com: TV Movie Led to Prostitute's Disclosures
In late 1985, Gobie says, he began to use Frank's apartment and two other locations for prostitution. Frank knew about the prostitution all along, but it was never explicitly discussed, Gobie says.
"He knew exactly what I was doing," Gobie said. "It was pretty obvious. If he had to come home early {from work}, he would call home to be sure the coast was clear . . . . He was living vicariously through me. He said it was kind of a thrill, and if he had been 20 years younger he might be doing the same thing."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/tours/scandal/gobie2.htm
You don't excuse or explain away this crime by telling me the dems didn't dump Franks. When you have the responsibility, you have to step up and do the right thing, not say "Well they got away with it."
So what are the chances that the "dirty" emails are real?
How old was that kid? (clearly gay) was he a page?
was he a hustler?