During the “All-Star Panel” segment on the October 2 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume, Roll Call executive editor Morton Kondracke and Fortune magazine Washington bureau chief Nina Easton likened the scandal unfolding around former Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) to bribery allegations against Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA). Easton noted that Foley “is the fourth ... Republican member of Congress this year to resign under an ethics issue," adding that “William Jefferson, the Democrat, may have had cash stashed in his freezer." Kondracke then asserted the Foley scandal is “the sexual equivalent of cash in your freezer. I mean, this is so simple.”
BRIT HUME (host): I know, but let's assume these leaders knew what they say they knew and no more. Does this have legs to hurt them or not?
EASTON: I think it does. I think it absolutely -- it hurts them with values voters. I think it hurts in that this is the fourth member of Congress, Republican member of Congress, this year to resign under an ethics issue. And, you know, William Jefferson, the Democrat, may have had cash stashed in his freezer and so on, but that story really got --
MICHAEL BARONE (U.S. News & World Report senior writer): Ninety thousand dollars.
HUME: Your view is -- to you, Morton, you agree this has legs?
KONDRACKE: I agree. This is the sexual equivalent of cash in your freezer. I mean, this is so simple.
HUME: For [House Speaker J. Dennis] Hastert [R-IL]? Will Hastert survive as the speaker?
KONDRACKE: Well, if the Republicans lose their majority, I think Hastert is gone.
HUME: Well, obviously -- as leader.
KONDRACKE: As leader.
