Hill says Foley scandal could help Democrats

Democratic challenger for the 9th District congressional seat Baron Hill met with the IU College Democrats Monday afternoon to stress the importance of voting in the closely watched race.\n"This is not just about Baron Hill any more," he said. "This is about getting the majority in the House and getting balances back in Congress. There's no checks and balances in Washington right now. It's all one-party rule."\nMuch like when Hill's opponent, Rep. Mike Sodrel, R-9th, met with supporters last week, the hot topic for those in attendance was the fallout from the resignation of Florida congressman Mark Foley. The six-term Republican resigned more than a week ago amid allegations he sent sexually explicit Internet messages to underage male pages.\nHill said he did not believe the allegations were politically motivated, but said they could help Democrats in next month's election because the Foley situation has the potential to turn away the most ardent conservative Christians of the Republican Party.\n"I think it's maybe going to keep them at home," he said.\nHill served as the 9th District's representative from 1998 until 2004 -- which includes the time period Foley allegedly sent the messages -- but said he did not know Foley and had not heard any rumors about inappropriate conduct on Foley's part.\nSodrel said Thursday he called for an FBI investigation into the matter after it came to light, but Hill has asked Sodrel to go even further and return any campaign contributions he has received from the Republican leadership this campaign cycle, which Sodrel has declined to do.\nHill also commented on the current situation with North Korea, which announced that it conducted a successful nuclear test Monday morning. \n"We've got to be involved, but part of the problem is we can't do it alone anymore," he said. "It's important to build relationships with international allies, and right now those relationships are not very good."\nStill, Hill said that if re-elected, he would want more information before voting for any new military action. Hill voted to authorize the war in Iraq in 2003 but now says the Bush administration lied to him about the urgency of the threat.\n"I (would) want it confirmed and confirmed and confirmed until I believe it, and that's the lesson I've learned from being lied to the last time," he said. "So I won't take anything at face value unless it's confirmed at least a couple times. It would have to be confirmed by someone other than the secretary of defense, (Donald) Rumsfeld. I would have to hear it from generals that I know that, in fact, what I've heard is true."\nHill said he now believes the Iraq vote was the worst decision of his three previous terms in Congress, he said. Rather than pulling out, however, he said he supports negotiation, using the withdrawal of American troops as incentive to force the Iraqi government to stabilize quicker.\n"The biggest mistake I made was the vote on the war resolution giving President Bush the authority to go to war," he said.\nThis is the third time Hill and Sodrel have faced off for the 9th District seat. Sodrel defeated Hill by fewer than 1,500 votes in 2004. \nLibertarian Eric Schansberg is also running.