WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) today offered the following statement regarding the need for an independent investigation of all of the events leading up to and including the resignation of former Congressman Mark Foley:

“I have known Speaker Dennis Hastert for many years and in all that time I have known him to be a good and honorable man.  It is unfortunate that the Foley situation has caused many to lose sight of the children that have been hurt by Foley’s actions.  However, the information in this matter needs to come forth so that pages are protected and we don’t have to travel this path again.

Therefore, I fully support the call for an independent investigation of this incident. I have supported such an independent investigation from early on in this matter.  As the past week has proven, political considerations currently weigh more than legal or ethical ones.  That’s wrong.  We need to remove the politics from the equation and get back to the point where we are simply doing what is right. 

This would be a strong step in that direction and one that can’t happen soon enough.”

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