MEJIAS: KING IS ALL TALK AND NO ACTION ON CONGRESSIONAL SCANDAL

The Facts Are In – Hastert Knew And Did Nothing, Yet King Refuses to Call for Ouster of the Leaders Who Made Him Chairman

FARMINGDALE – Nassau County Legislator Dave Mejias, Democratic Candidate for Congress in New York ’s Third Congressional District, today said Peter King must now, finally, call on Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert to resign in light of news reports that Hastert failed to act when informed of the inappropriate actions of former Congressman Mark Foley (R-Florida).

“Even the conservative Washington Times has called for Hastert’s resignation,” said Mejias. “Yet Peter King refuses to call for the Speaker to step down. Could it be because Hastert made King Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee?”

Mark Foley resigned last week as a Member of Congress when email and instant message communications between Foley and several underage boys who had served as Congressional Pages were revealed in the press. The communications were of a graphic sexual nature, and the F.B.I. has launched an investigation into Foley’s contacts with these pages. The Associated Press has reported that “A senior congressional aide said Wednesday he told House Speaker Dennis Hastert's office about worrisome conduct by his former boss, Rep. Mark Foley, toward teenage pages more than three years ago, long before officials have acknowledged becoming aware of the issue.”

In today’s edition of Newsday, Peter King again refused to call for Hastert’s resignation, saying "I want to see what else was going on ... I don't want to rush to judgment against anyone, except Foley.”

“It’s simply inexcusable that while Peter King is ready to condemn Mark Foley, he just can’t bring himself to condemn Dennis Hastert,” said Mejias. “Hastert allowed Foley to prey on children with impunity, and for that he should step down. By failing to denounce Hastert, Peter King shows he is more concerned about keeping his committee chairmanship than he is about punishing those who allowed Mark Foley to remain in office.”

As a Nassau County Legislator, Dave Mejias sponsored one of the toughest Megan’s Laws in New York State , cracking down on sexual predators in Nassau County , and is the first elected official in the nation to publicly call on Hastert to resign.