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'd hire a lawyer too if there was a chance my name would get out into the open and i'd be dragged through the mud. I don't understand why some on here are so quick to defend an old pervert.
It is getting very interesting. I am not sure I have recovered from clicking on the thread tonight and finding out the page was the same person who came to our Meet and Greet for Bob Sullivan as a mole for the Istook campaign.
"He provided The Washington Post with a handwritten letter that Foley had sent him after the page left Washington to return home to California, suggesting that they get together during the Republican National Convention in San Diego in 1996."
The Republican National Convention in San Diego was held August 12 to August 15, 1996 meaning Beck-Heyman would have been 18 at that time. Foley appears to be a calculating sicko-stalking when young then waitng till 18 to get em.
Who has done that?
Be specific, with link or post number, and direct quote.
That would be great! J.C. Watts is available!
Maybe you can reference a post where someone defended Foley?
"Myself, I suspect he must get bored with just doing lucrative,"
This is quite lucrative for him in another way. Gets him tons of national publicity.
Do you think Nancy Peolsi will still be whining about protecting the children tomorrow, or will she go to that line about politics being a contact blood sport? Obviously, the pages are politically connected and ambitious. Its not boys State.
I have no idea what Bella Legosi will do tomorrow. I ignore whatever comes out of her wretched mouth.
Awww now, he probably didn't know he had to buy ammunition for it.
I am not defending Foley because I didn't like his stance on issues. That said this is no naive kid. A lot of us have been wondering about him since he was a mole to an event I helped sponsor.
You don't hire Stephen Jones because your name has been drug through the mud. The kid bragged about the IM's to his fraternity brothers so there is something more here.
I am glad to see Foley go and if they threw away the key on him I would be happy but looks like this kid has managed to mess with the Republican campaign for Governor here in OK which was already in trouble. There is more to the story then can be posted on an open forum.
Dern macaca could never be trusted.
It's a blessing that our guard shall forever be up. It's also telling that a guy like George Allen recognized the plant in his own campaign endeavors.
Perhaps this former Page hired Jones because when the FBI come calling, his lawyer can tell him not to talk? Perhaps some Dem. operative is paying for the attorney?
I wonder where Ben Chao and Chris Lehane are tonight.
George Allen is the man!
LOL! Haven't seen those names for awhile. The way things are going, we might want to check to see if they have been here in OK.
I don't understand why you haven't offered any proof of any such defense.
Surely you can prove that defense actually happened.
Very. But I think it was Foley.
One of the things I postively abhor about the left is their absolute and total intollerance for an opposing view. "Go away" ???? Guess you have taken a page from their workbook.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.