Here’s an oddment reported by the S-R’s Meghann Cuniff up in Post Falls today: Though the Bill Sali congressional campaign said earlier that the fundraising breakfast this morning with U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert was closed to the press to comply with the Speaker’s policy for such events, Hastert said at a “media availability” afterward that he didn’t even know the media wasn’t allowed in. “I wasn’t aware that it was closed to the press,” he said, adding, “We’re happy to have you here and talk to you here.” When told that someone said it was his office’s policy to close such campaign breakfasts to the press, Hastert said, “Maybe it is. We don’t usually worry about it.” The Sali campaign initially said between 120 and 140 supporters turned out for the $35-a-plate affair, then put out a press release saying there were “over 150.” Which one is it? Well, there were no press folks there to count heads.

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