'Horny' page scandal: Who knew what?

Hastert's office says he didn't know of alleged explicit instant messages

U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, on the defensive Sunday for his handling of a congressional page sex scandal, is asking the Justice Department to investigate everyone involved, including himself.

FBI spokesman Richard Kolko confirmed Sunday that the FBI is ''conducting an assessment to see if there's been a violation of federal law.''

Former Republican Rep. Mark Foley resigned over revelations he had exchanged "over friendly" e-mails with one congressional page and sexually explicit instant messages with another page. Both pages were teenage boys.

Critics -- including Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the Senate's second-highest ranking Democrat -- blasted Hastert and other GOP leaders for failing to protect pages after they learned of the e-mails last year.

Hastert released a letter he wrote to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales asking the Justice Department to launch a criminal investigation of "any and all individuals who may have been aware of this matter -- be they members of Congress, employees of the House of Representatives or anyone outside the Congress."

Hastert's office has given this account of the speaker's involvement: In the fall of 2005, Hastert's office learned Foley had exchanged e-mails with a former page that were "over friendly" but not sexual. Aides discussed the matter with another congressman and the clerk of the House, who ordered Foley to stop communicating with the youth.

Aides didn't discuss the e-mails with Hastert. Rep. Thomas Reynolds (R-N.Y.) said that months later, he mentioned the matter to Hastert. Hastert doesn't remember the conversation but doesn't dispute Reynolds' recollection.

Neither Hastert nor any other Republican leaders were aware of an alleged sexually explicit instant message exchange between Foley and another page until it was revealed by ABC News.

In the exchange, Foley and the page allegedly discussed masturbation techniques, and Foley wrote he was becoming sexually aroused.

"No one was ever made aware of any sexually explicit e-mail or text messages at any time," Hastert's office said.

But Democratic National Committee spokeswoman Karen Finney asked why Hastert and other Republican leaders failed "to take action to protect our children from an online predator, choosing instead to protect their Republican majority in the House?"

Durbin said Republicans who knew about the e-mails and kept quiet should be investigated.

"They have to be held accountable," Durbin said. "Hard questions need to be asked."

The scandal has become a campaign issue as Democrats hope to pick up enough seats to regain control of the House and replace Hastert as speaker.

"They put their own protection over the protection of that boy," said Democrat Dan Seals, who is trying to unseat North Shore Republican Rep. Mark Kirk. "Their second mistake was trying to cover it up."

Kirk, the assistant majority whip, called on Hastert and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to appoint an outside panel to investigate.

Hastert is seeking re-election in his northern Illinois district against John Laesch, a Navy veteran. Laesch says he's the underdog but believes the scandal will help his fund-raising and hurt Hastert. "I would be embarrassed to have a Dennis Hastert sign in my lawn right now," said Laesch, urging Hastert to resign. Congressional pages are high schoolers who serve as gofers in the House and Senate. The program was nearly eliminated in the 1980s after alleged sexual misconduct and drug use. Republican leaders are creating a hot line for pages to report any incidents.

Contributing: Lynn Sweet, AP