US Democrats assail Republicans over Foley scandal

WASHINGTON, Oct 7 (Reuters) Democrats has said that warnings about former Rep Mark Foley's inappropriate contact with young congressional aides were ''swept under the rug'' by Republican leaders in the US House of Representatives intent on protecting their power.

''We need to stop the sexual exploitation of children across the country, and in Washington we must hold accountable all those complicit in allowing this victimization to happen,'' Democratic congressional candidate Patty Wetterling said in excerpts of her party's Saturday radio address released yesterday.

Foley, a Florida Republican, resigned last week following the publication of lewd Internet communications with male teenage congressional assistants. The scandal has rocked Congress and buoyed Democratic hopes they can win control of the House and the Senate in the November 7 congressional elections.

''Foley sent obvious predatory signals, received loud and clear by members of congressional leadership, who swept them under the rug to protect their political power,'' said Wetterling, who is locked in a tight race against Republican Michele Bachmann to succeed Republican Rep. Mark Kennedy, who is running for the Senate.

Several other Democrats have criticized Republicans. On Thursday, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California said, ''Those who covered up Mark Foley's behavior must be held accountable.'' Wetterling's son was abducted 17 years ago and has never been found. Since then, the math teacher-turned-politician has promoted child protection legislation.

Some conservatives have called for the resignation of House Speaker Dennis Hastert, an Illinois Republican, saying he did not do enough to protect congressional assistants after learning earlier this year of one e-mail from Foley to an ex-intern that has been described as ''over-friendly.'' More explicit communications with other young assistants were subsequently revealed.

Hastert has said he will not step down as speaker. During a news conference on Thursday, he acknowledged Republicans could have done a better job of handling the Foley matter. He also said he had done nothing wrong.

The House Ethics Committee has approved some 50 subpoenas for what it promised would be an aggressive and wide-ranging investigation.

The scandal has been a dominant question among voters in many congressional districts across the country.

An aide to one Republican lawmaker said the Foley scandal ''makes it very difficult to talk about'' family values, a centerpiece of many Republican candidates' campaigns.

REUTERS DKS RAI0530