Washington ? Republican lawmakers and aides failed for a decade to protect male pages from sexual come-ons by former Rep. Mark Foley – once described as a “ticking time bomb” – but they broke no rules and should not be punished, the House ethics committee concluded Friday.

The committee harshly criticized Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., saying the evidence showed he was told of the problem months before he acknowledged learning of Foley’s questionable e-mails to a former Louisiana page. It rejected Hastert’s contention that he couldn’t recall separate warnings from two House Republican leaders.

Hastert said he was pleased the committee found “there was no violation of any House rules by any member or staff.”

He added that no evidence was uncovered that salacious instant messages from Foley – which surfaced after the scandal became public – were known to any House member or employee before that time.

But the committee concluded that Hastert’s chief of staff, Scott Palmer, was told about Foley’s inappropriate conduct in 2002 or 2003 – a finding based on testimony from Foley’s former chief of staff, Kirk Fordham.

Palmer said he didn’t recall the warning, although Fordham even described the room where they met.

Overall, the evidence shows that “concerns began to arise about Rep. Foley’s interactions with pages or other young male staff members” shortly after he took office in 1995, according to the committee report.

The report, prepared by a four-member subcommittee, described “a disconcerting unwillingness to take responsibility for resolving issues regarding Foley’s conduct.”

Lawmakers and aides “failed to exercise appropriate diligence and oversight” regarding the interactions between Foley and pages, the report said.

Although the committee recommended no punishments, it said the evidence would have subjected Foley to discipline if the Florida Republican had not resigned – taking himself out of the House’s jurisdiction.

Foley received a subpoena, but his attorney notified the committee the former lawmaker would invoke his Fifth Amendment rights if compelled to testify. The committee dropped the matter to avoid delays.