The
Amherst Record discusses the recent'human shield' press conference.
We have the same excuses and self-serving assertions that we've seen elsewhere:
Rep. Thomas Reynolds beat back criticism on Monday that he didn't do enough to stop another congressman's inappropriate e-mail exchanges with a minor, saying he did his "due diligence" by alerting his superiors to the possible problem. . . . Reynolds, R-Clarence, held a news conference Monday evening, saying that there are two sets of e-mail and instant message correspondence, and he was aware of "overly friendly chit-chat" between former Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., and a 16-year-old former page but didn't know about the more explicit conversations. . . . During Reynolds' remarks, he spoke often that he passed on his concern to his superior, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, and noted that two large newspapers, the Miami Herald and the St. Petersburg Times, had the same information that he did and decided last year not to print a story.
Reynolds likened his position in the House to employees of private companies who witnesses sexual harassment and report the incidents to their superiors.
"I did due diligence by talking to the speaker," he said.
Oh really, Mr. Reynolds? Where I come from, due diligence means, you know, actually asking some questions and making at the very least a superficial inquiry. Trust but verify, and all that jazz.
But, where would Tom Reynolds turn for information about Mark Foley to determine if there was anything to this? It would take someone who worked with Foley--a real insider.
Where would he find such a person? How about HIS OWN FUCKING STAFF.
Reynolds said he never saw any of the correspondence between Foley and the page, either the first or second set, before they were released by ABC News. He was informed of the "overly friendly" conversations by the page's sponsor, Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La., in the spring.
Foley resigned Friday.
Reynolds now employs Foley's former chief of staff, Kirk Fordham, as his own.
Reynolds deflected questions about why he never asked Fordham, who worked for Foley for 10 years, about Foley's character, saying he had a "member to member" conversation with Alexander and he didn't discuss other members of Congress with Fordham.
"I don't think I went wrong at all," he said.
Got that? When concerns about Mark Foley reached Tom Reynolds, he didn't bother to ask his own chief of staff, he had worked with Foley for ten years.
Because he doesn't discuss other members of Congress with his own chief of staff.
You can run, but you can't hide, Mr. Reynolds
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