Hastert Used Military Aircraft To Fly Foley Page Scandal Figure To
Washington
The media continues to pound a false Washington Times report accusing
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) of wasting government resources by
"demanding permanent access to a large military jet for herself, her
staff, other Members and supporters."

In fact, Pelosi's office has stated repeatedly, from the beginning, that
"it is up to the Air Force to decide what type and size of plane will be
required," and that she "will not use the plane for political travel."

Conservatives have tried to bolster their attack by claiming that former
Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) only used his military aircraft for
official business. The Washington Times quoted an unnamed "former
Hastert aide" saying Hastert "did not use military planes for political
trips or regularly transport his family." But Chicago Sun-Times reporter
Lynne Sweet says that isn't true:

On Sunday, Oct. 1, Hastert's team was scrambling to contain the
escalating fallout from the Foley page scandal.

That day, Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.), then the chairman of the page
board, had gotten an urgent phone call from Stokke. The Hastert team
wanted Shimkus to return to Washington immediately from his home in
southern Illinois in order to appear at a press conference on Monday
with the Speaker, and they did not want to deal with commercial flight
schedules.

So at 8 p.m. that day, Shimkus arrived at the military side of the Scott
Air Force Base near Belleville to board the Speaker's jet that had been
dispatched for him. More Outside Link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/