Didn't the Democratic head of pages know all about this before Hastert knew but did nothing about it? What did Pelosi know and when did she know it?
[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.