GOP Rep. Jim Ryun's campaign has admitted that, contrary to past assertions, he did in fact know for some time that disgraced former Rep. Mark Foley lived across the street from him in Washington, D.C. The Capital Journal reports today that Ryun's campaign manager made the admission. Earlier this month, Ryun, a prominent Christian conservative, told a Capital Journal reporter that he'd only learned recently he lived across the street from Foley, as a way of arguing that he knew nothing about Foleygate. But that story fell apart after Capital Journal unearthed evidence that the two men had co-hosted a joint fundraiser in May -- on their block, during which donors visited both houses. Whoops! More after the jump.

From Capital Journal:

After a fundraising event earlier this month featuring Vice President Dick Cheney, Ryun told a Capital-Journal reporter he only learned recently that he was a neighbor to Foley. The two live directly across the street from each other in Washington, D.C.

"I know that only because somebody has mentioned that, too, already," he had said.

Ryun said he barely knew Foley and didn't spend any time with him.

But Ryun and Foley were among five Republican members of Congress, all living on the same street, who staged fundraisers on May 18....

Ryun's campaign originally said that connection didn't mean Ryun knew Foley was a neighbor. The campaign said the event wasn't jointly planned.

That story changed last week, however.

An invitation to the fundraisers was obtained by The Capital-Journal showing side-by-side pictures of the five congress members and the details of their events. Each required an RSVP and a $1,000 campaign donation.

Ryun's picture was next to Foley's.

Black, Ryun's campaign manager, said last week the five events were to occur the same night but one of the five congressional campaigns did the legwork to put together a joint invitation.

Ryun wasn't involved in that, Black said...

But the invitation eventually was e-mailed to campaign supporters...

As for knowing Foley was his neighbor, Black said Ryun always has known.

"It's probably not the best way to say what he did," Black said of Ryun's comments at the vice president's event in Topeka. "They're congressmen. They have a working relationship."