REPUBLICAN leaders clashed yesterday as the scandal over Mark Foley’s sexually explicit e-mails to a teenage Congressional pageboy left the party fearing that it could lose control of Congress next month.

Mr Foley, 52, has already resigned his seat in the House of Representatives and has checked into a rehabilitation clinic amid an FBI investigation into online messages in which he discussed masturbation with a teenage former Congressional page. Last night it emerged that he had internet sex with one boy before going to vote in the House.

ABC News obtained a transcript from 2003 during which the politician and the high school student both appear to have orgasms while exchanging messages. Mr Foley added another twist to the story when his lawyer confirmed longstanding rumours that his client was gay and said he had been sexually abused by a clergyman at the age of 13 to 15. The lawyer insisted, however, that the congressman had never had any physical sexual contact with an underage male.

Dennis Hastert, the House Speaker and one of the party’s most powerful figures, is now fighting for his political life after the disclosure of evidence showing that he knew about inappropriate communication between the Congressman and pageboys almost a year ago.

The right-wing Washington Times, as well as some conservative radio talk show hosts, yesterday demanded that he resign — even as Mr Hastert’s aides embarked on a frantic ring-round of other Congressman who were asked to sign a letter of support.

Mr Hastert brushed aside any suggestion of resignation. But he has admitted that he “would have, could have, should have” done more to discipline Mr Foley when he first heard about the e-mails.

John Boehner, the House majority leader, appeared to pull the rug from under Mr Hastert when said that the incident had happened on the Speaker’s watch and that he had assured him months ago that the matter had been taken care of it. Mr Boehner also appeared to write off the chances of Republicans holding Mr Foley’s Florida seat in mid-term elections on November 7. The Democrats need 15 net gains to take control of the House and six to take over the Senate.

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