http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Ryun
This touches a bit on it (look under “controversies.”). Of course, the DeLay stuff to me is ridiculous. The sitting majority leader giving money to House members is not controversial in the least — except to liberal rodent DeLay haters. I could go on Wiki and write “Controversy — Steny Hoyer gave money to (fill in the blank) !” It’s just stupid.
The Foley thing was something he had no control over, and obviously would want to distance himself from him (of course, saying he didn’t know the guy would be correct in a way — since he didn’t know of Foley’s proclivities or Ryun would never have messed with him).
Now, the most damning problem was the situation with the purchase of the house. That just looked bad, and I think that was the straw that put Nancy Boyda in office. Ryun’s a good man, but after 10 years in DC, even good men can start having lapses in good judgment.
It’s a shame that our people can’t stay 100 percent above suspicion. At the same time, we have to know when people who are perhaps less than perfect are worth standing by and when they’re not. The problem is particularly difficult when we’re picking a challenger rather than weighing the value of an incumbent. I don’t know what the answer is. If Ryun runs, the primary election process (and result) may provide us with the right result. Or it may not.