From CNN Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- One of House Speaker Dennis Hastert's, R-Illinois, closest allies, sharply criticized the Illinois Republican's staff for failing to inform him about Rep. Mark Foley's, R-Florida, inappropriate correspondence with a House page.

"The speaker's staff let him down," Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Illinois, told CNN. "They knew about it. They should have made sure the speaker knew about it and had him talk to Foley."

"If this were my staff, heads would roll," LaHood later added.

LaHood said he believes Hastert, who has said he does not remember Rep. Tom Reynolds, R-New York, telling him about Foley's contact with the page.

"The speaker talks to 25 to 30 members a day," LaHood said. "I believe him when he says he doesn't remember."

But LaHood added that ultimately it is Hastert's responsibility to ensure the House pages are safe when they come to work on Capitol Hill. "This is his program," LaHood said. "The only way to get to become a young page is for the speaker to sign off on it. This happened on his watch."