Ryun on Foley: I don't know him, I just party with him

Ryun a neighbor to Florida rep 10/13/06:

U.S. Rep. Jim Ryun said he didn't know until recently he lives across the street from disgraced Florida Rep. Mark Foley, who resigned after he was found to have sent inappropriate e-mails to congressional pages. …

When asked whether he knew Foley well, Ryun said: "Not really. You've got 232 Republicans, and he's one of those members. I've met him, but I don't spend any time with him."

Except for fundraising parties, apparently. From the Washington Post in May:

Amidst the malodorous mists rolling off the Hill these days, some might think a nod to sobriety and decorum might be in order.

But noooo. Not when there's campaign money to be raised and good booze to be drunk. So it's time for the second annual "D Street Block Party" on the 100 block of D Street SE on Capitol Hill. Five Republicans have banded together to charge $1,000 per person to attend the May 18 gathering.

Drop your first grand -- "these are individual events and require separate contributions," our invite says -- at Connecticut Rep. Nancy L. Johnson 's house… slip a check to Rep. E. Clay Shaw Jr. (Fla.), … put up another grand to go to Indiana Rep. Chris Chocola 's house, …

Then it's next door to Florida Rep. Mark Foley 's, where for another $1,000 you can have some high-quality wine.

Now, however, elementary courtesy will oblige you to cross the street for coffee and dessert at Kansas Rep. Jim Ryun 's, which is where you'll put down your last grand for the evening.

Ccontrary to Ryun's claim that "the five congressional events weren't jointly planned," there was a single invitation to the event. It's also been pointed out that, contrary to Foley's claim that he kept his drinking secret, he was out inviting people to share his wine two years in a row.

I've got a call in to Ryun's office hoping for clarification.