(Hat tip to ZappoDave, whose early pursuit of the Fox News angle on Foleygate led to an exchange that pointed to the WaPo article whence this diary came. - oh)
Jeff Trandahl very abruptly "resigned" as Clerk of the House of Representatives in November 2005. As clerk, he had direct responsibility for administering the page program.
From the
Washington Post:
Trandahl's departure came within days of his confrontation with Foley over e-mails that the congressman had sent a former page. House aides say the circumstances of Trandahl's exit were oddly quiet. The departure of a staff member of long standing, especially one as important as the House clerk, is usually marked with considerable fanfare, said Scott Lilly, a former Democratic staff director of the House Appropriations Committee. Debate is suspended in mid-afternoon to accommodate a stream of testimonials from lawmakers.
Trandahl's departure was marked by a one-minute salute from Shimkus and a brief insert into the Congressional Record.
"My one-hour Special Order changed to a five-minute Special Order, now to a one-minute," Shimkus said. "I just want to say thank you for the work you have done."
Trandahl, who had served for more than six years - one of only eight clerks to have served in five or more Congresses - was whisked from the stage.
Lilly said: "He seemed to suddenly disappear in a puff of smoke."
Trandahl, now the executive director of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, has not returned repeated phone calls and e-mails.
WTF was that all about?
From yesterday's Wall Street Journal:
Kirk Fordham, Mr. Foley's chief of staff until late 2003, has said warnings from Mr. Trandahl about Mr. Foley's conduct were what led him to ask the speaker's office to intervene with the congressman more than two years ago. And last fall, Mr. Trandahl again played a central role when he was dispatched with Rep. John Shimkus (R., Ill.) the chairman of the page board, to warn Mr. Foley against any further emails to a former page from Louisiana.
Do the math:
Trandahl, who works effectively at the pleasure of the Speaker (uh, that would be one Denny Hastert, R-Dead Meat), tries for years to corral Foley on his indiscreet digital practices (and thus Trandahl is one authoritative figure who can categorically confirm that Hastert knew of Foley's activities years longer than Hastert is currently admitting). When the heat gets too much, BINGO! - here's a box; clean out your desk! - Mr. Trandahl decides he'd rather be counting the fishes.
Let's just hope he won't be sleeping with the fishes any time soon.