If Congress were a movie, they'd call it a chick flick. I'm beginning to realize why they never get any work done in Washington.
But let's tune in to the next episode of As Washington Turns, in which we discover that Denny Hastert may have, uhm, passions to be uncovered.
This episode of As Washington Turns is brought to us by Lawrence O'Donnell via Huffington Post:
Who is Scott Palmer?
He is Speaker Hastert's chief of staff, which makes him the key player in the what-did-Hastert-know-and-when-did-he-know-it drama. Scott Palmer has issued a statement flatly denying that Kirk Fordham, Mark Foley's former chief of staff, warned him that Foley was crossing the line with pages long before Foley's inappropriate email surfaced.
Palmer's denial of Fordham's headline-grabbing claim is the thread Hastert's Speakership is now hanging by.
In Hastert's brief, evasive press conference on Thursday, sharp reporters immediately zeroed in on Palmer's role in the Foley information flow. Did Hastert leap to the defense of his chief of staff's honor in the crucial credibility contest with Kirk Fordham? Did he say I know Scott Palmer and I know he's telling the truth? No. He avoided every question with Palmer's name in it. Hastert obviously does not want to talk about Scott Palmer.
If Fordham did warn Palmer about Foley a long time ago, what are the odds that Palmer did not tell Hastert? As close to zero as you can get. Many chiefs of staff are close, very close, to their bosses on Capitol Hill. But none are closer than Scott Palmer is to Denny Hastert. They don't just work together all day, they live together.
There are plenty of odd couple Congressmen who have roomed together on Capitol Hill, but I have never heard of a chief of staff who rooms with his boss. It is beyond unusual. But it must have its advantages. Anything they forget to tell each other at the office, they have until bedtime to catch up on. And then there's breakfast for anything they forgot to tell each other before falling asleep. And then there's all day at the office. Hastert and Palmer are together more than any other co-workers in the Congress. [via firedoglake]
Gay activist and blogger Mike Rogers recently told Bill O'Reilly that he plans to release the names of closeted members of the Senate and the House before election day. (Fox News Video)
Denny Hastert is gay???
Denny Hastert has passion???
Hell, ever since Bush moved into the White House, I have been able to believe anything. But stay tuned for the next episode . . . in which Fordham testifies on Thursday about how he alerted Scott Palmer about Foley's "inappropriate behavior."
But, of course, Scott Palmer, or uhm, Denny's roomie denies everything.
Related post: On Outing Republican Gays Before Election Day
Hastert Gay Scott Palmer Fordham Foley Mark Foley Republicans Politics Michael Rogers Email Sex Scandal Foleygate News
