US House leader testifies in sex scandal probe

WASHINGTON, Oct 24 (Reuters) The top Republican in the US House of Representatives went before investigators today in the Capitol Hill sex scandal that has rocked his party as it tries to keep control of Congress in the November 7 elections.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois went behind closed doors with the bipartisan congressional ethics panel for what was expected to be at least a few hours of questioning about what he knew and what he did about the troublesome behavior by disgraced Rep. Mark Foley toward teenage interns.

Foley, a Florida Republican, abruptly resigned last month following disclosure he sent lurid electronic messages to teenage boys.

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