The ghosts of Dennis Hassert and Mark Foley are haunting the race for Maine governor years after their respective scandals rocked Republican politics.

The Portland Press Herald published an op-ed on September 9 by Republican candidate Bobby Charles’ sister, Anita, blasting her brother for his friendship with Hastert and endorsing Charles’ Democratic opponent Hannah Pingree.

“Bobby was a close friend and colleague of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert from 1995 to 1999,” Anita wrote. “He praised Hastert and benefited from their relationship as he built his career in Washington. Hastert later admitted to sexually abusing children and was convicted of illegally paying hush money to conceal that abuse. Bobby has never publicly renounced that association.”

Now, a recently unearthed op-ed reveals that Charles also defended Hastert’s handling of Florida Rep. Mark Foley, who was forced to resign from Congress in 2006 for sending sexually explicit emails to underage, male pages.

Charles’, Hastert’s, and Foley’s careers all overlap and intersect. Charles was a congressional staffer in the 1990s when Hastert served as House Republican Chief Deputy Whip. He later served as Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs from 2003 to 2005 while Hastert was speaker. Foley was elected to Congress in 1994.

Following Foley’s resignation, the House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into how Republican leadership handled the matter. It concluded that Hastert’s chief of staff and chief counsel were both aware of allegations against Foley but the Speaker’s office failed to act. Hastert denied any wrongdoing.

Ohio Rep. John Boehner, who would later serve as House Speaker, told the Washington Post that he personally reported Foley’s alleged misconduct to Hastert in spring 2006. Boehner said Hastert assured him it was being handled, but no action was taken until the scandal was uncovered by the press a few months later.

Hastert faced widespread calls to step down from leadership and resign from Congress. It was in this maelstrom that Charles wrote an op-ed for the Washington Times defending Hastert.

“His wife is a teacher, his brother is a teacher and he has devoted more time to saving kids and families from the scourge of illegal drugs than any member of Congress,” Charles wrote.

Charles went on to cite Hastert’s own career as a high school teacher and wrestling coach in the 1960s and 70s. All of Hastert’s alleged victims were on the wrestling team.

“Mr. Hastert taught school for 16 years, served as a revered high school wrestling coach, and was tapped for Congress precisely because of his uncompromising commitment to education and kids,” Charles said.

He concluded by praising Hastert as the embodiment of “Norman Rockwell's America.”

Following the publication of his sister’s op-ed, Charles held a tearful press conference denying any knowledge of Hastert’s misconduct and expressing contempt for child sex offenders.

“I think it’s monstrous, and I think people against whom these charges are proven need to go to prison and stay there forever,” Charles said.

A Charles campaign spokesperson reiterated this statement when asked for comment. They did not address the Foley situation or the Washington Times op-ed.

“Bobby has previously said publicly that he was never aware of any wrongdoing regarding Hastert and he stands by what he’s said that his conduct was monstrous,” said campaign manager Dale Crafts, Jr.

There is no indication that Charles and Hastert had any relationship after 2014. Hastert’s misconduct became public in 2015.

A YouGov poll from earlier this month showed Pingree leading Charles by 11 percentage points.

Reprinted with permission from American Journal News