House fixes page program

The Democratic majority continues to lead where others feared to tread.

The House on Friday overhauled the board supervising its teenage pages, responding to a scandal that left youngsters vulnerable to a lawmaker's sexual come-ons and helped Democrats win control of Congress.

The vote was 416-0 to equalize the political membership of the House Page Board, whose Republican chairman never told two board colleagues that he believed — for a year — that Rep. Mark Foley was a "ticking time bomb."

The expanded board also will include a former page and the parent of a current or former page, to add new pairs of eyes to spot any future examples of misconduct.

At least House Republicans had the sense to go along with this one. In the senate, they had to be shamed into supporting ethics reform.