Wamp says Foley scandal only adds to GOP's woes

OAK RIDGE - In the home stretch of the midterm elections, Republicans are "definitely into a pretty strong headwind'' as a result of a lurid scandal that's still unfolding, U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., said Wednesday.

Reports about Rep. Mark Foley of Florida and his sexually suggestive computer messages to teenaged boys who were House pages now include questions about when House leaders knew of those communications.

Foley abruptly resigned in disgrace last week.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, may have to resign if he knew early on about Foley's extended electronic messages to the teens, Wamp said.

"That's going to determine the fate of the speaker - who knew what, when they knew it and what they did with it.''

The Foley scandal "makes you sick at your stomach that one person can so taint an institution,'' Wamp said.

"Any staff member or any member (of Congress) that either withheld information or was negligent in the conveyance of this information needs to be held accountable, and I'm sure that some heads are going to roll,'' he said.

As one offshoot, Republicans seeking to keep control of the House now face a new hurdle, Wamp said. "This is a setback. There's no question,'' he said.

"We (Republicans) had a very good September until Foley,'' Wamp said. "We're going to have to recover again, but I wouldn't count us out. I would just say it is even more difficult this week for Republicans than it was last week.''

Other obstacles also face the GOP, Wamp said. "We're in the sixth year of a two-term presidency, which is always tough for the people in power.

"Frankly, the war makes it difficult,'' he said. "It's hard to build consensus support while the nation is at war on a lot of agenda items.''

Wamp said the nation's Iraq policy has to change.

"We can't stay the course in Iraq. That's not acceptable, but we also can't retreat or leave prematurely,'' Wamp said. "We need more troops on the ground in Baghdad right now.''

Wamp said support is building in Congress for adding 20,000 to 30,000 more troops in Iraq. He said he would support such a move "if there was a plan that said with more troops in the short run we're going to secure these critical areas so that we can leave sooner.''

Wamp, a Chattanooga native seeking his seventh consecutive term, said he is doing "very well'' in his re-election bid against Democrat Brent Benedict. "I've got a good record and I've got a district that believes in me,'' he said.

The 11-county Third Congressional District stretches from Chattanooga in the south to Claiborne County in the north.