Indiana Gazette from Indiana, Pennsylvania • 8

Nation Page 8 Tuesday, October 3, 2006 Hastert defends aides' actions Court upholds polygraph tests LAUREN VICTORIA URKEMssOCiatttl Press HOUSE SPEAKER Dennis Hastert. R-IIL spoke to reporters Monday with Rep. John Shimkus. R-IIL who chairs a panel of lawmakers that oversees the House page program, regarding the resignation of Rep. Mark Foley.

R-Fla. Democrats claim cover-up of Foley scandal By ANDREW TATL0H Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON House Speaker Dennis Hasten and other COP leaders are dismissing suggestions (hat they should have done more to investigate an e-mail from Rep. Mark loley to a former teenage page that had raised a "red flag" with the boy's parents and his congressional sponsor. Hasten said his lop aides and Rep. khn Shimkus.

a fellow Illinois Republican overseeing the page program, acted appropriately by trying to resolve the matter as an internal COP problem rather than mounting a more formal investigation that would have involved Democrats. With their party having been left out of that discussion. lie-mucrats criticized Hasten and other Republicans, referring at times to the COP handling of the affair as a cover- up intended to protect their congressional power. I he scandal, breaking just five weeks before the November elections, put Republicans on the defensive on an unexpected front. The Washington Times, one of the most reliably conservative voices in (lie nations capital, called for Hastert.

111., to "resign his speakership at once" for not doing enough to investigate questions about Foley e-mails. "Hither he was grossly negligent for not taking the red flags hilly into account and ordering a swift investigation, for not even remembering the order of events leading up to last week's revelations, or he deliberately looked the other way in hopes that a brewing scandal would simply blow away" The limes' editors wrote in todays editions. "Mr. Hasten has forfeited the confidence of the public and his party, and he cannot preside over the necessary coming investigation, an investigation By UATT APUZZ0 Assooaiefl Press Writer WASHINGTON The FBI and Secret Service may keep using lie-detector lest to screen potential employees, a federal judge ruled Monday. U.S.

District Jutigv Emmet G. Sullivan's ruling ends a six-year lawsuit brought by six applicants who failed polygraph tests and were denied jobs. 1 hey said the policy violated their rights to privacy and due process Hie Secret Service has required polygraph tests for potential agents since 1 985. All TBI employees have been tested since 1994. Applicants are asked questions about their medical histories, finances, sex lives, drug use and mental health.

Secret Service applicants are asked whether they have committed adultery or other sex crimes. While those questions are personal. Sullivan said, they're not an unconstitutional invasion of privacy. Because the applicants sought positions ut public trust, the agencies have the right to inquire about the backgrounds of their agents, he said. "With regard to the Secret Service's specific questions, the agency has made a reasonable determination that there is a danger if its employees in sensitive positions could be blackmailed for some reason," Sullivan wrote.

I he courr will not second guess that conclusion." Tour of the six applicants who brought the case probably were turned down based on their answers to drug-related questions, according to court documents. All denied using drugs. The lawsuit claimed the tests are unreliable, yet there is no way for applicants to clear their name. They said the stigma attached to failing the test would prevent them from getting other law enforcement jobs. Receive up to a I $500 I until last l-ridayot the reportedly tar more lurid computer exchanges iwn wars earlier between (he Horida Republican and another page.

He urged anyone with sexually graphic e-mails that prt-cded i-oley resignation to contact authorities. l-oley attorney. David Ruth. told on Mondav thai loley was "absolutely, positively not a pedophile' and had never had inappropriate sexual contact wilh a minor. AHC News reported that its initial report prompted another former page to come forward with a graphic e-mail.

Hasten said he does not recall being told last spring by Rep. Tom Reynolds, the House (rOP campaign chairman, about the questionable e-mail, but he doesn't dispute Reynolds' account. "I don't think I went wrong at all," Reynolds said at a Monday evening news conference, surrounding himself with about 30 children and about as many parents. BRIEFS fnm fiantt vtra wntem Lawmakers criticize 'cocaine soft drink NEW YORK Lawmakers on Monday denounced the manufacturerofa new. highly cafteinated suit drink tailed Cocaine, and tilled tor a boycott of the beverage, saying it glamorized an illegal and deadly stimulant that has ravaged families and neighborhoods.

"There arc only two reasons that you would seek 10 use this infamous and insidious name to market your so-called energy drink," said Councilman lames Sanders Jr. of Queens, who organized a news conference at City HalL "hither you an woefully ignorant of the horror of cocaine addiction, or your god is the dollar bill." The beverage has attracted considerable publicity, most of it negative, since it was introduced last month by its manufacturer. Kedux Beverages in southern California. The company's Web site lists five retailers that sell the beverage, all of them in or around New York City: It is also available in l.os Angeles and San Diego. While the site stales that "we don't advocate drug use," it suggests that the carbonated beverage be mixed with alcohol offering recipes for cocktails with names like Liquid Cocaine, Cocaine Smash.

Cocaine Blast and even Cocaine Snort. he site promotes the beverage's page on MySpace, the heavily trafficked social-networking Internet site that is popular among children and teenagers. New York Times News Service Judge won't unseal Kan documents SANTA ROSA. Calif. lAP) A judge refused to unseal police documents in the child pornography case against farmer fonBenet Ramsey slaying suspect John Mark Karr, whose attorneys are fighting to have the misdemeanor charges tossed out.

The Press Democrat of Santa Rosa had sought to view the documents in the case against the high-profile suspect, but Sonoma County Judge "Cerena Wong agreed with prosecutors who argued it could harm the investigation and prejudice potential jurors. Authorities said they found five images of child porji on Karr's computer when he was arrested in April 200 1 He fled before he went to trial. Karr's trial was originally scheduled to start Monday, but was postponed for further hearings today on defense motions to dismiss the case or throw out newly revealed computer data. Truck driver pleads guilty in 4 slayings TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) A truck driver on trial in the deaths of two women pleaded guifry Monday to killing them and two others, officials said. Prosecutors said they agreed not to seek the death penalty in exchange for Delimits Colvin guilty plea to aggravated murder in the deaths of four prostitutes and complicity to commit murder in a fifth slaving.

The victims" bodies all were found in the Toledo area between 2000 and 2005. prosecutors said. Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Thomas Osowik sentenced 47 -year-old Colvin to two consecutive terms of life in prison with no chance for parole. "EITHER HE givssly negligent far not Inking the reel flags fully into account and ordering a swift investigation or he deliberately looked the other way in hopes that a brewing scandal would simply blow away. The Washington Tines La Receive a i FREE I Healthy Climate 16 Air Cleaner comfort tyUrm Expelled boy shorn up at school armed, flees that must examine his own inept performance." I he limes said.

Meeting with reporters Monday- Hasten said his aides and Rep. Rodney Alexander. heeded the wishes ut ihe parents of the t( inner House page, who wanted such tjut-MiiHiable e-mails to stop hm didn't want the matter pursued. Shimkus and the House clerk told l-oley last fall to cut off all communication with the former page, who lived in Louisiana. Hastert says neither Shimkus nor his own aides saw the 2005 e-mail, noting that it was far less sexually explicit than the electronic messages that AHC News revealed last eek.

"There wasn't much there other than a friendly inquiry." 1 lastert said of the 20Ui message from holey. described as "sick" by the boy. I he message asked for a photograph and mentioned a different teen who was in "great shape." Hastert said neither he nor other UOP leaders were aware were waiting for him there Monday morning, having received a tip from a student, said Sgt. Phil (iervasi of the Clark County-school district police. When the youth recognized the officers.

Cervasi wud. he dropped the loaded pistol and tied. After three hours, the search in the neighborhood was called off. he said. I hey 're still looking for an AK-47 he stole from his parents' house." rcrvasi said.

A growing number of guns in schools has heen a pressing issue in Clark County, which, with 300.000 students" enrolled at schools, has the fifth-largest school district in the country, l-ast Thursday. 30 members of the school police protested at a school board meeting, seeking the hiring of more officers. ami Ain't uni Jan il'ltous hen I 'Ml By CATHY SCOTT New York Times News Set vce NORTH IAS VHCiAS. Nev. A 15-year-old boy who had been expelled from his high school returned to the grounds there Monday morning with an auto-mafic pistol and an AK-47 assault rifle, but fled when he was and remained at large, the police said.

Ihe youth, whose name was not released, did not fire the weapons and apparently did not threaten anyone, the police said, but four puhlic schools were locked down throughout the morning as the neighborhood around the high school was searched. The youth was expelled from the school. Mojave High, in the last academic year, though it is not clear why. The authorities Dave Lennox PREMIER DEALER' DUE RENEWAL Make a note and check with us before you renew your present Auto or Homeowners insurance. It will pay you to compare our broad coverages and competitive rates.

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