Justin Rood October 23, 2006, 3:50 PM

After a quiet Friday and a relaxing weekend, the House panel investigating the Foley scandal is back in business.

The special four-member subcommittee heard from Hastert confidante, housemate and chief of staff Scott Palmer, as well as Sally Vastola, the executive director of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC). The group, which works to elect Republicans to House seats, is chaired by Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-NY), who’s under fire for knowing about Mark Foley’s inappropriate communications with pages. Vastola is also a senior aide on Reynolds’ congressional staff.

Reynolds himself is expected to testify tomorrow. Later this week, the panel is expected to hear from Hastert’s counsel Ted Van Der Meid, and his deputy chief of staff, Mike Stokke. Top Hastert aides have retained defense lawyers, ABC News reports. Van Der Meid has chosen K. Lee Blalack, who also represents former GOP Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, now in prison for accepting bribes.

Hastert may testify this week, although CQ reports (sub. req.) that members of his staff say he has not been contacted by the panel. Another possible witness may also be interviewed by the panel, CQ says: Tim Kennedy, a staff assistant in Hastert’s office who heard of Foley’s icky emails back in 2005.

Dennis Hastert, Mark Foley