10/27/2006
Trandahl: Jim Kolbe (R-AZ) a "Problem Member" for Pages
ABC's The Blotter reported yesterday that Arizona Congressman Jim Kolbe was frequently cautioned by House Clerk Jeff Trandahl that "adults should hang out with adults, pages should hang out with pages." It was a message Trandahl also delivered to the pages themselves.
According to ABC's source, Kolbe was "one of a small number of 'problem members' of Congress (along with Foley) whom page program supervisors complained spent too much time socializing with pages, taking them to dinner or sporting events outside of official duties."
Kolbe was questioned about those allegations and also reports that he acted inappropriately toward two former pages during a 1996 camping trip. Said Kolbe:
"I know there are a number of inquiries underway, and we're cooperating fully with all those inquiries, and I'm sure at the end of the time it will show that we acted appropriately and did exactly the right thing."
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Posted 8:58 AM EST by Andy Towle in Jim Kolbe, Mark Foley, News, Republican Party | Permalink
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um. for that 3rd paragraph, don't you mean that "also reports that he acted appropriately" not "inappropriately."
i realize its a fine line and all . . .
Posted by: jeremy | Oct 27, 2006 9:48:08 AM
unless they had pages/old-man gangbang whilst ripping lines of blow off a dead hooker's ass, nothing's gonna top that foley story and this is going to blow over real quick.
Posted by: b mac | Oct 27, 2006 10:18:26 AM
The camping trip thing is a non-story unless you believe gay men are predators, particularly since he was not the only adult there.
Posted by: Anon | Oct 27, 2006 11:25:16 AM
Did House Clerk Trandahl caution any straight congressmembers to curb their interactions with the pages? I guess I don't see the automatic connection between taking pages to dinner and sports events and inappropriate behavior. I'd like to know which other congressmembers the supervisors complained about.
When I was young, I was taken to dinner by adults in my field of study while I was involved in different internships. As far as I know, all of them were straight. But it was a pretty standard activity. That's why this chapter of the congressional page story kind of irks me. There is no evidence Kolbe did anything wrong; all we have is some anonymous adult's report of being "creeped out" by Kolbe on a camping trip.
Is every gay adult who takes an active interest in young people assumed guilty of inappropriate behavior until proven innocent? High school teachers and counselors? Tutors? Advocates for gay youth? Gay aunts and uncles? Is every gay man who puts his hand on the shoulder of a young person in his charge a secret pervert?
Posted by: Tom | Oct 27, 2006 12:19:14 PM
Kolbe is a friend of my family's and he has never done anything inappropriate with his pages. The camping trip thing was part of his job for a committee he was on and the pages that went paid their own way. There was always other adults present.
This is just some wannabe's hope to get his name in the real papers, making something out of nothing.
Posted by: joshua | Oct 27, 2006 9:48:56 PM