Foley Report: Kolbe Responds

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Yesterday, Paul was among the first to note how the House ethics investigators took outgoing Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-AZ) to task for his less-than-heroic response to complaints from a recently-departed page that Foley was asking him questions about his penis size.

In a statement late yesterday, Kolbe responded. “The report demonstrates that members of my office and I took prompt action in 2001 to address the complaint that was brought to our attention,” Kolbe declares. Full statement after the jump.

Here is Kolbe’s complete statement:

“The report demonstrates that members of my office and I took prompt action in 2001 to address the complaint that was brought to our attention by a college student from my district who had previously served as a House Page.

“As I testified before the committee, I did not review a copy of the communication Congressman Foley sent the college student and I never knew whether or not it was sexually explicit. The simple fact that Foley had made the student feel uncomfortable was enough for me to take action by, among other things, notifying the Clerk of the House.

“The Chairman of the House Committee today said that ‘doing the right thing is the only acceptable option.’ I agree, and that is precisely what I did in response to the information provided to me and to those on my staff.

“I am continuing to cooperate with other reviews and I am confident that when they are complete they will all conclude that I have acted appropriately.”

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