Taylor Marsh – TaylorMarsh.com – News, Opinion and Weblog on Progressive Politics

Hastert Isn't Going Anywhere –updated–

“Where's the accountability?”
– Kevin Tibbles of NBC asked, to which Speaker Hastert walked away.

UPDATE (11:35 a.m.): MSNBC just reported that Leader Pelosi nixed Louis Freeh's plan to “overhaul” the page program. Just now (11:55 a.m.), Think Progress just put up the video.

UPDATE (10:45 a.m.): From Roll Call… FREEH WILL LEAD PAGE PROBE: Sources said Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) will announce today that former FBI Director Louis Freeh will oversee an investigation of the House page program, which has been rocked in recent days by the scandal surrounding resigned Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.). Hastert is expected to hold a news conference in Illinois this afternoon. Let's remember Freeh was FBI Director September 1, 1993 – June 25, 2001, so don't expect much.

Update (10:35 a.m.): This is the quote of the day, at least so far:

“I'm not going to take a lecture on morality from a party that took hush money from a child predator,” said Ford Wednesday in Memphis, TN after speaking to the downtown Kiwanis Club. – Harold Fold, Jr. (h/t)

Don't feed the beast. Fight back. John Zogby called it “grasping”, but what else can they do? Besides, it's what they do best. It's Karl Rove's stock in trade. Offense.

The first clue came on Rush today. It's push back all the way. But blaming
it on Democrats isn't going to go anywhere.

The source who in July gave news media Rep. Mark Foley’s (R-Fla.) suspect e-mails to a former House page says the documents came to him from a House GOP aide. That aide has been a registered Republican since becoming eligible to vote, said the source, who showed The Hill public records supporting his claim. The same source, who acted as an intermediary between the aide-turned-whistleblower and several news outlets, says the person who shared the documents is no longer employed in the House. But the whistleblower was a paid GOP staffer when the documents were first given to the media. … Longtime Republican was source of e-mails

Republicans are going to turn their machine outward. Regardless of the right-wing
criticism they're going on offense. It's going to be fierce. They are coming out of this reenergized and they can thank wingnut radio for the adrenaline.

Meanwhile, we find out that Foley might have shown up to a dorm
drunk.

Hastert and others will be out on camera within the hour. Republicans run for your lives. Democrats, lock and load, baby. It's every politician for him or herself until November. Stay tuned…