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US House to mull e-mail scandal
Mark Foley denies ever having sexual contact with a minor
A US House of Representatives ethics panel is due to discuss the actions of disgraced ex-Congressman Mark Foley, who sent lurid e-mails to teenage boys.
It comes as the House's top Republican faces new charges of covering up the scandal observers say is dominating politics ahead of the mid-term polls.
A former aide to Mr Foley says he warned House leader Dennis Hastert about Mr Foley's conduct in 2003.
Mr Hastert denies early knowledge of the e-mails and says he will not quit.
President George W Bush has defended Mr Hastert and spoken of his disgust at Mr Foley's actions.
Mr Foley, a member of the House of Representatives caucus on missing and exploited children, resigned on Friday after revelations that he had sent sexual messages to young men on his staff.
'Point scoring'
Kirk Fordham, Mr Foley's chief of staff until early 2004, told the Associated Press he had warned Mr Hastert's office of Mr Foley's behaviour more than three years ago.
Mr Fordham said he had had "more than one conversation with senior staff at the highest level of the House of Representatives asking them to intervene".
He also denied allegations that he covered up any misdeeds by Mr Foley.
Mr Hastert has strongly defended his role, accusing the Democrats of political point-scoring.
Mr Bush has backed Mr Hastert, saying he "wants all the facts to come out".
But correspondents say some senior Republicans are distancing themselves from Mr Hastert and suggesting further resignations are required to restore the party's credibility.
The latest opinion poll shows the Democrats within reach of retaking the House of Representatives, leading in 11 of 15 vital Republican-held seats.
Sexual contact denied
The youngest recipient of the suggestive e-mails is said to have been 16 years old.
Mr Foley denied ever having sexual contact with a minor, his lawyer said - adding that his client had declared he was gay and had been abused in his early teens.
On Wednesday, US media revealed a possible romantic link with a young congressional worker and that warnings about Mr Foley's conduct went as far back as 1995.
ABC Television published intimate e-mail exchanges showing Mr Foley and one congressional "page" worker planning an encounter and trading internet kisses.
Page workers are high school students appointed to help with administrative work at the House of Representatives.
The Washington Post reported that as far back as 1995, some pages were warned to be aware of the actions of Mr Foley.
The Post said about a dozen former pages had talked of Mr Foley's behaviour, some of them expressing how it made them uncomfortable.
None has suggested any sexual activities ever took place.
Mark Foley denies ever having sexual contact with a minor
A US House of Representatives ethics panel is due to discuss the actions of disgraced ex-Congressman Mark Foley, who sent lurid e-mails to teenage boys.
It comes as the House's top Republican faces new charges of covering up the scandal observers say is dominating politics ahead of the mid-term polls.
A former aide to Mr Foley says he warned House leader Dennis Hastert about Mr Foley's conduct in 2003.
Mr Hastert denies early knowledge of the e-mails and says he will not quit.
President George W Bush has defended Mr Hastert and spoken of his disgust at Mr Foley's actions.
Mr Foley, a member of the House of Representatives caucus on missing and exploited children, resigned on Friday after revelations that he had sent sexual messages to young men on his staff.
'Point scoring'
Kirk Fordham, Mr Foley's chief of staff until early 2004, told the Associated Press he had warned Mr Hastert's office of Mr Foley's behaviour more than three years ago.
Mr Fordham said he had had "more than one conversation with senior staff at the highest level of the House of Representatives asking them to intervene".
He also denied allegations that he covered up any misdeeds by Mr Foley.
Mr Hastert has strongly defended his role, accusing the Democrats of political point-scoring.
Mr Bush has backed Mr Hastert, saying he "wants all the facts to come out".
But correspondents say some senior Republicans are distancing themselves from Mr Hastert and suggesting further resignations are required to restore the party's credibility.
The latest opinion poll shows the Democrats within reach of retaking the House of Representatives, leading in 11 of 15 vital Republican-held seats.
Sexual contact denied
The youngest recipient of the suggestive e-mails is said to have been 16 years old.
Mr Foley denied ever having sexual contact with a minor, his lawyer said - adding that his client had declared he was gay and had been abused in his early teens.
On Wednesday, US media revealed a possible romantic link with a young congressional worker and that warnings about Mr Foley's conduct went as far back as 1995.
ABC Television published intimate e-mail exchanges showing Mr Foley and one congressional "page" worker planning an encounter and trading internet kisses.
Page workers are high school students appointed to help with administrative work at the House of Representatives.
The Washington Post reported that as far back as 1995, some pages were warned to be aware of the actions of Mr Foley.
The Post said about a dozen former pages had talked of Mr Foley's behaviour, some of them expressing how it made them uncomfortable.
None has suggested any sexual activities ever took place.
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