ABC Exclusive-House Clerk:Hastert Top Aide Knew ALL Issues For Years

[kpete]

Exclusive: Former House Clerk's Testimony
October 19, 2006 3:11 PM

John Yang and Brian Ross Report:

The former clerk of the House of Representatives, Jeff Trandahl, who testified for more than four hours before the House Ethics Committee today, is believed to have testified that a top aide to House Speaker Dennis Hastert was informed of "all issues dealing with the page program," according to a Republican familiar with the investigation.

The Republican source said Trandahl planned to name Ted Van Der Meid, the speaker's counsel and floor manager, as the person who was briefed on a regular basis about any issue that arose in the page program, including a "problem group of members and staff who spent too much time socializing with pages outside of official duties." One of whom was Mark Foley.

Trandahl's testimony before the House Ethics Committee could provide additional evidence that key members of the speaker's staff were aware of problems involving the page program for years.

Van Der Meid declined to comment to ABC News, but a source close to Van Der Meid says he expects to be called to testify before the House Ethics Committee next week and plans to answer all questions.

more at:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/10/house_clerks_te.html

[Jacobin]

1. "problem GROUP of members and staff"

who spent too much time with the pages?

Oh my. A group, one of which was Foley.

[gully]

2. "oopsy daisy"

nt

[Cheney Killed Bambi]

3. Hastert

is TOAST!

[Jacobin]

4. He'll fire his assistant for 'not telling him'

[Pachamama]

14. Does this mean they won't be roommates anymore?

Firing him could make living together so awkward...then again, maybe they will both be unemployed soon.. :eyes:

[Jacobin]

18. I'm sure they'll have an 'understanding'

I'd forgotten they were roommates. How cozy

[Raksha]

30. Now I'm even happier that I dropped my widow's mite

into John Laesch's campaign fund earlier today--gave a little bit to DU while I was at it and got my star back too! Hopefully, it will help Hastert get toasted just a little bit faster!

[sinkingfeeling]

5. Well of course. Another of those damned staffers running amok and

poor Hastert just didn't know nothin'.

[malaise]

11. The issue that Dems need to keep on repeating is

not just that they knew but they also allowed him to run again and took loads of money from him for the party as well. Reperv Party before the kids.
Edit -gr.

[riderinthestorm]

6. Boehner's next up today. And he says he told Hastert directly, a year ago.

About Foley

I really, really hope Hastert's toast.

[SharonAnn]

9. Beohner's got the knifeout for Hastert. Wants his job, bad!

[OzarkDem]

27. Boehner is just as guilty

He didn't do anything either, though he knew for at least a year.

[LanternWaste]

7. I hate to say this...

I hate to say it, but I think that Ted Van Der Meid will be as far as this thing goes and he's going to be the fall guy for Hastert, et.al.

The GOP message will then be, "See... we cleaned this muck out of our family and every thing's right as rain. The Dem's would've covered it up-- but when we found out about it, we took care of it. Trust us. Vote for us..."

That'll be the end of the scandal and anyone who brings it up just "can't get over it".


I hope I'm wrong.

[bobthedrummer]

8. I wonder what Karen Haas knew? eom

[whistle]

10. If the top aid knew then Hastert knew

[riderinthestorm]

13. And Hastert's aide actually lives with Hastert.

Of course Hastert knew. I just can't believe Hastert's poll numbers aren't hovering in the single digits yet... the damn brainwashed sheep of Kane County....

[frogcycle]

15. have you seen any recent polls?

[riderinthestorm]

20. Monkeyman on another thread said he's closed the gap to 7 pts

Why the hell isn't the DCCC kicking in some money for John Laesch?

It's just wierd the way they are ignoring this candidate - he's a good one too. Do they think Hastert's just going to implode and resign? Like hell....

[never_get_over_it]

23. THANK YOU and AMEN!!!! eom

[frogcycle]

33. Boss Daley wants his airport

and Denny supports it. And Daley delivers Chicago, which means Illinois. So dem hierarchy is afraid to piss off Daley.

Face it - $ trumps political affiliation. And corruption comes in all colors.

[spanone]

12. K & R

[RufusEarl]

16. Someone mentioned that Hastert wrote in his latest book,

(para phasing here) Nothing goes on in congress that i'm not aware of. Someone should remind Hastert of this quote, seems telling to me.

[Supersedeas]

25. suddenly he's become Schultz from Hogan's Heros

[Fridays Child]

17. Sing along: Oh, the wheels on the bus...

...ARE COMING OFF!!! Bwahahahaha!!! :rofl:

[Pastiche423]

28. Damn you!

Now I'll have that tune in my head for the rest of the day...

Oh, the wheels on the bus
Are coming off
Coming off
Coming off
Oh, the wheels of the bus
Are coming off
All across the land

This is a good thing.

[Dr Fate]

19. I'd like Democrats on TV to ask when Karl Rove knew of all of this.

If they are not too frightned of their own shawdows to do so, that is.

[Kingofalldems]

22. That is THE question that must be asked

I don't believe Snow has been asked either. Also the the political group Reynolds heads RCCC?, was told.

[Dr Fate]

24. If we could just get 1 DEM on TV who is not too frightened to ask that.

If the cowering, shuddering, hand wringing DEM "strategists" who lost the last 3 elections will let them, that is.

I am flabbergasted that EVERY Democrat on TV has not been asking this question from day one. It is a logical, valid question to ask.

Oh well, who am I but an apparent troll or "DEM basher" to question the wise "strategists" who lost the last 3 elections.

[dougkeenan]

21. When does Scott Palmer testify?

[Kadie]

26. k&r n/t

[SpiralHawk]

29. Clerk: "Hasty is just another lying republicon crony pervert protector."

"very much like Commander AWOL and his sidekick, Dick "Five Deferments" Cheney."

Incontrovertible photo evidence: a typical republicon vegetable pervert

[many a good man]

32. greatest vegetable photo ever

nt

[Beetwasher]

31. 'a "problem group of members and staff..'

IOW, not just Foley. Interesting...