NBC: Kolbe on camping trip: "fawning, petting and touching"

[DeepModem Mom]

Feds probe trip that Kolbe made with pages
NBC exclusive: Congressman alleged to have been inappropriate in '96
By Jim Popkin, Aram Roston and the NBC News Investigative Unit
Oct 13, 2006

WASHINGTON - Federal prosecutors in Arizona have opened a preliminary investigation of a camping trip Congressman Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., took 10 years ago that included two teenage congressional pages, a Justice Department spokesman told NBC News....A spokesman for the Justice Department in Washington said that the U.S. attorney in Arizona has started a "preliminary assessment" of the trip, after an unidentified source made allegations about the congressman's behavior on the expedition....

***

NBC News interviewed several people who were on the trip, and their accounts vary. One participant, who requested anonymity, said he was uncomfortable with the attention Kolbe paid to one of the former pages. He was "creeped out by it," he said, adding that there was a lot of "fawning, petting and touching" on the teenager's arms, shoulders and back by Kolbe.

However, Gary Cummins, the deputy superintendent of the Grand Canyon National Park at the time — and who also was on the trip — said he did not see anything inappropriate take place.

NBC also interviewed the two former pages, who are now in their late 20s. One of them said that Kolbe was a gentleman and never acted in an improper fashion. He recalled that the pair spent time in Kolbe's house at one point — and briefly were alone with him on the trip — and that Kolbe always acted professionally and decently.

The other would not comment on Kolbe's behavior during the trip or characterize it in any way.

"I don't want to get into the details," he said. "I just don't want to get into this... because I might possibly be considered for a job in the administration."...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15249733/

[Demeter]

1. Page Two: The Camping Trip

How many Pages in this serial novel?

[Ian David]

2. Exclusive photo

[AlCzervik]

5. ok i shouldn't laugh but i did. I've that image in my mind since

the Foley problem came to light.

[wicket]

10. Same here

:rofl:

[Irreverend IX]

26. The oath taken by Foley's pages:

[BlueManDude]

3. Kolbe was an important player in the Whitewater "scandal"

He was I believe Chair of the banking committee and respected as a "serious" person (not a bomb thrower) and a moderate and he took to the floor to attack Clinton and call for investigation into WW.

I remember pundits at the time saying how important this was because he was such a respected guy and not a RW hot head type. They even cited the clothes he wore (sweaters) as proof of his serious temperment.

Fuck Kolbe.

[rockymountaindem]

4. I think this smells fishy

I think they're trying to slime the only openly gay Republican. An openly gay Republican whose responsible personal behavior in this regard put the lie to the Freeper notion that all gays are pedophiles. Unwilling to put up with a living example of why Foley is the embodiment of the "gay lifestyle", they've tried to tar him. I'll take the word of the Park Ranger, thank you very much.

[Tinksrival]

20. Thats the first thing I thought

Looks like a message. "SHUT THE F*CK UP, KOLBE"
Isn't he the main person that is pushing the Foley time line seven years?
I remember reading a story last week that mentioned this trip but it was specific to say it was a large group of both men and women, (Kolbe's sister?) and many people collaborated that nothing inappropriate had happened on the trip. Now there are anon pages? This is starting to seem like a witch hunt. Why can't the media be this agressive on Bush's out right crimes? Geesh!

[mac56]

23. no doubt about it

Kolbe was more or less a whistleblower, and now he's being thrown under the bus.

I'd be more gleeful about this, but frankly I feel sort of sorry for the guy.

[frylock]

6. FOX Breaking: Preliminary investigation of Congressman Jim Kolbe, D-Ariz

[sandnsea]

18. Did you forget the sarcasm tag?

Because Fox would do this, if they could get away with it. I do hope it's sarcasm though.

[bluestateguy]

7. Wouldn't there be a statute of limitations issue here?

If we figure the underage pages turned 18 the next year, and the statute of limitations clock began ticking at that point, that would be 9 years. Isn't it a little late?

[Ksec]

8. Jeebus. This gets deeper and deeper in doo doo

That bunch should just resign and admit they are predators. Of course since there Repubs, they wont do the right thing.

[whistle]

9. There used to be a joke back in my college days from the 1960s

....where you'd ask a republican, "If you went camping overnight with the guys and really got wasted and woke up the next morning totally naked, with a hangover headache, sore jaws, a fowl taste in your mouth, scratches on the palms of both hands and on your knees, bruises on your butt cheeks and a large double condom hanging from your ass, would you tell anyone?"

The answer coming back from the republican would usually be, "Gawd no!"

And then looking the republican straight in the eye and close in on the face the rapid and enthusiastic response would be, "So, want to go camping?"

It was always good for a laugh to see the expressions on their faces, but also risky if you weren't gay.

[Ksec]

11. "So, want to go camping?" LMAO Funny stuff......nt

[Captain Hilts]

12. This does two things for Republicans...

It gives them yet another excuse to label gays as pedophiles, AND lets them trash the guy who has said they've been sitting on this for SIX years.

[Ksec]

13. Well its republicans who are saying that

Republicans believe the dumbest things.

Any sane person knows better.

[sandnsea]

16. I agree

This is a blatant attempt to change the focus from covering up a pedophile to blaming the sinful homosexuals. We would be stupid beyond belief to let them get away with it.

[originalpckelly]

14. There are so many pages in this scandal...

that they should call it book-gate.

[sandnsea]

15. This is nonsense

Touching on the arms, shoulders and back are a FAR CRY from the vile filth in Mark Foley's emails. This is an attempt to turn a pedophile case, YES GODDAMMIT PEDOPHILE, into a homosexual case. I don't buy it for one minute and I don't care that Kolbe is a Republican.

[AlCzervik]

17. i don't buy it either, it sounds like a fundie far right gop dirty trick

to try and continue painting all homosexuals as child molesters. there was plenty of other adults on that trip and i really doubt all of them would have covered for Kolbe.

[DeepModem Mom]

19. Of all people, Scarborough, I thought made a good point last night.

The issue should be taking these pages on a camping trip, regardless of gender. Scarborough, an ex-GOP Congressman, said what if he had taken two teenaged female pages on a camping trip?

[sandnsea]

21. I disagree completely

Are you saying I can't trust my teen-agers to go on overnight trips with coaches, teachers, ministers, etc?? If the kid is interested in politics and wants to spend a week-end with MANY adults who are involved in politics, or some activist group, they ought to be able to do it. We're a pretty pathetic country if we've gotten so far off the track that kids can't even do that.

[DeepModem Mom]

22. I think Joe meant the power aspect of his position as a Congressman...

As the page said in the article posted, he might get a job with the administration. I don't think he, or I, would make the same point about teachers, ministers, etc.

[sandnsea]

24. It shouldn't matter

Of course a young person would be thinking of their future. Which is exactly why a Congressman would invite them on an issue oriented trip along with other adults interested in that issue; and even more so if the Congressman knew the page's parents were interested in the particular issue. We would seriously be a pathetic generation if we had to lock our kids away because the adults can't figure out how to behave themselves.

[DeepModem Mom]

25. You make a good point, sandnsea. nt

[Captain Hilts]

27. There were so many other people there. Park rangers, Kolbe's sister...

I am reluctant to assume The Worst.

[kdpeters]

28. Absolute homophobic crap

This is news? Because he's gay?

Good God, this feels like junior high, but it's supposedly a nationwide mainstream news organization. Gotta love the ratings on baseless, prurient innuendo.