Cannon's comments also stirred debate at the national level. He appeared on CNN's Situation Room Friday, interviewed by Wolf Blitzer.

Much of the controversy in the wake of Foley's resignation last Friday has focused on House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., who has been accused of knowing Foley had made inappropriate contact with pages prior to this incident becoming public.

Cannon said calls for Hastert's resignation are "premature," and that an investigation into the matter needs to run its course.

Burridge said any investigation into Foley's actions needs to focus on the involvement of the Republican Party leadership.

"We need to find out who knew, and when they knew it," he said.

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Contributing: Suzanne Struglinski

E-mail: jtwitchell@desnews.com