GOP Rep. Foley resigns amid scandal revealing sexual advances to underage male staff

[princessKT]

So, this (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060929/ap_on_go_co/congressman_e_mails;_ylt=AvOC63hv7wum5TVppUTXt3GyFz4D;_ylu=X 3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--) brightened up my day:

So yeah, that's gross anyway, but then I went to his House website and this is what it says under "children":

He has also cosponsored legislation toughening the penalties levied at those who hurt children and, most recently, has joined forces with the Administration and Congress to fight child predators. His Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, which has passed both the House and Senate, will overhaul the way we track and monitor predatory pedophiles. He has also introduced and cosponsored legislation designed to eliminate child pornography and exploitive child modeling web sites.

Over the years, Mark also has worked closely with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and John Walsh (host of Fox TV’s America’s Most Wanted) on a variety of child protection programs. Among the latest of these is a program designed to show children how to protect themselves from online predators.

Nice!

[Richard Tafoya]

Wow. I expected a simple "You're taking this out of context - I talk to all my staffers like that" denial. Things are awfully wacky in Florida politics these days.

Update: Holy crap, I just saw the IM's. I won't event print them here (http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/09/exclusive_the_s.html). Is there any reason he's not in a jail cell yet?


AP:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060929/ap_on_go_co/congressman_e_mails;_ylt=AvOC63hv7wum5TVppUTXt3GyFz4D;_ylu=X 3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., abruptly resigned from Congress on Friday in the wake of questions about e-mails he wrote a former teenage male page.

"I am deeply sorry and I apologize for letting down my family and the people of Florida I have had the privilege to represent," he said in a statement issued by his office.

His departure sent Republicans scrambling for a replacement candidate less than six weeks before midterm elections in which Democrats are making a strong bid to gain control of the House.

Foley's two-sentence statement gave no reason for Foley's decision to abandon a flourishing career in Congress. But several officials said the resignation had been prompted by the e-mails, and he took his action as fresh details emerged about electronic messages he had sent.

Foley, 52, had been a shoo-in for a new term until the e-mail correspondence surfaced in recent days.

His resignation further complicates the political landscape for Republicans, who are fighting to retain control of Congress. Democrats need to win a net of 15 Republican seats to regain the power they lost in 1994.

[LesterX]

Wow. I expected a simple "You're taking this out of context - I talk to all my staffers like that" denial. Things are awfully wacky in Florida politics these days.

Update: Holy crap, I just saw the IM's. I won't event print them here (http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/09/exclusive_the_s.html). Is there any reason he's not in a jail cell yet?

Wow. He's a sicko, and a stupid one at that. You'd think with his supposed efforts to stop online sexual predators he'd have learned that IMs can be saved and traced to the source.

I, too, would like to know why he hasn't been arrested yet.

[Richard Tafoya]

More from DailyKos:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/9/29/21480/3482

Foley Reported Nearly One Year Ago: Republican House Leadership Involved

by Hunter (http://hunter.dailykos.com/)

Fri Sep 29, 2006 at 06:48:00 PM PDT

This congressional sex scandal has just hit blockbuster status: according to the Associated Press (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/09/29/national/w123452D40.DTL&type=politics), the Foley behavior towards pages was known nearly a year ago, and the House Leadership took no action:

Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La., who sponsored the page from his district, told reporters that he learned of the e-mails from a reporter some months ago and passed on the information to Rep. Thomas Reynolds, R-N.Y., chairman of the House Republican campaign organization. Alexander said he did not pursue the matter further because "his parents said they didn't want me to do anything."

Carl Forti, a spokesman for the GOP campaign organization, said Reynolds learned from Alexander that the parents did not want to pursue the matter. Forti said, however, that the matter did go before the House Page Board -- the three lawmakers and two House officials who oversee the pages.

It was unclear what the officials did.
The board currently is headed by Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., who did not respond to requests for an interview. [...]

Efforts to reach the boy were unsuccessful, but he told the St. Petersburg Times last November, "I thought it was very inappropriate. After the one about the picture, I decided to stop e-mailing him back." The Times didn't publish the comments until Friday.

Alexander said the boy notified a staffer in his office about the e-mails. The congressman said he learned of it from a reporter 10 or 11 months ago and promptly called the boy's parents.

"My concern then was the young man's interests and the parents' interests," Alexander said Friday. "We weren't trying to protect anybody except the parents. ... They told me they were comfortable with it and didn't want to pursue anything, didn't want to talk about it anymore."
This is huge. The number of Republican representatives who knew about the Foley advances towards young pages nearly a year ago appears to include House Speaker Dennis Hastert; Tom Reynolds; John Shimkus; Alexander; and as Josh Marshall (http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/010054.php) points out, Tom Delay and/or Roy Blunt.

Jesus. They knew for nearly a year, and covered it up. The "corruption" frame just got a hell of a lot more serious. Today, Dennis Hastert said an investigation would be forthcoming. I'll bet he's right, and I'll bet he's going to be one of the ones investigated -- because he knew of it ten months ago.

All indications in the political press are that a large number of Republican lawmakers are running for cover and avoiding the press this weekend to avoid discussing their role in knowing about this and not speaking out about it.

[Venisenvy]

He is a disagrace and deserves to be in jail

[LesterX]

More from DailyKos:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/9/29/21480/3482


All indications in the political press are that a large number of Republican lawmakers are running for cover and avoiding the press this weekend to avoid discussing their role in knowing about this and not speaking out about it.

Their excuse about protecting the interests of the boy and his parents is utter crap. What about protecting other boys from being victimized by this guy?

[Richard Tafoya]

Just an incredible violation of the public trust. A full investigation does need to happen.

[Regis Philbin]

If he were a Dem he'd be praised for having the "courage" to bring his homosexuality out into the open. :rolleyes:

So what if he likes young boys? What business is that of yours? Stay out of people's bedrooms you prudes...

Their excuse about protecting the interests of the boy and his parents is utter crap. What about protecting other boys from being victimized by this guy?
Well, if he was a female high school teacher he could say he's bi-polar and get a slap on the wrist... :susp2:

[Richard Tafoya]

Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/29/AR2006092901574.html

The resignation rocked the Capitol, and especially Foley's GOP colleagues, as lawmakers were rushing to adjourn for at least six weeks. House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) told The Washington Post last night that he had learned this spring of some "contact" between Foley and a 16-year-old page. Boehner said he told House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), and that Hastert assured him "we're taking care of it."

It was not immediately clear what actions Hastert took. His spokesman had said earlier that the speaker did not know of the sexually charged e-mails between Foley and the boy.

[DoubleEdgeSword]

If he were a Dem he'd be praised for having the "courage" to bring his homosexuality out into the open. :rolleyes:

So what if he likes young boys? What business is that of yours? Stay out of people's bedrooms you prudes...
:susp2:

That's one of the most moronic statements I've seen you post yet. The GOP should revoke your membership. It's that kind of snide condescension that will help vote your party out of office.

[LesterX]

If he were a Dem he'd be praised for having the "courage" to bring his homosexuality out into the open. :rolleyes:

So what if he likes young boys? What business is that of yours? Stay out of people's bedrooms you prudes...

Please show me where any Democrat has supported the right of adults to prey on minors of either the same gender or the opposite gender. You are so predictable. I knew you'd zero in on the homosexual aspect, rather than focusing on what's important, which of course is that he was engaging minors in these conversations. This would be equally appalling if the victims were female.

It makes absolutely no difference whether the man is a Republican, Democrat or member of the Klingon party. This is sick, criminal behavior.


Well, if he was a female high school teacher he could say he's bi-polar and get a slap on the wrist... :susp2:

This, of course, has zero to do with the point. If your Republican friends in Congress had continued to have their way, he would never face the possibility of being charged, so comparing his potential sentence to that of others is irrelevant.

[lions1mew]

I bet the neocon ultra-religious right is scared to say anything at this point. They condemn homosexuality and child predation but this is "one of their own." What would Jesus do, neocons?

And I think the bastid needs to be castrated.

[pinky]

If he were a Dem he'd be praised for having the "courage" to bring his homosexuality out into the open. :rolleyes:

So what if he likes young boys? What business is that of yours? Stay out of people's bedrooms you prudes...Anyone with a grip on reality knows the difference between homosexuality and pedophilia. You don't. Therefore.....

Or do you just fear gays?


Well, if he was a female high school teacher he could say he's bi-polar and get a slap on the wrist... :susp2:I seem to remember Mary Kay LeTourneau doing time.

[Richard Tafoya]

NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/01/washington/01foley.html?hp&ex=1159675200&en=a7760582db028fd5&ei=5094&partner=homepage

G.O.P. Leaders Knew in Late ’05 of E-Mail

Top House Republicans knew for months about e-mail traffic between Representative Mark Foley and a former teenage page, but kept the matter secret and allowed Mr. Foley to remain head of a Congressional caucus on children’s issues, Republican lawmakers said Saturday.

...

Among those who became aware of the communication in the fall of 2005 between Mr. Foley and the 16-year-old page, who worked for Representative Rodney Alexander, Republican of Louisiana, were Representative John A. Boehner, the majority leader, and Representative Thomas M. Reynolds of New York, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Mr. Reynolds said in a statement Saturday that he had also personally raised the issue with Speaker J. Dennis Hastert earlier this year.

...

Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers said Saturday that Congress and the public deserved a full report on Mr. Foley’s dealings with the pages, who are high school students who serve as runners and perform other duties. They said there should also be an inquiry into the leadership’s knowledge of his activities and its response.

“Anyone who was involved in the chain of information should come forward and tell when they were told, what they were told and what they did with the information when they got it,” said Representative Peter T. King, Republican of New York. Mr. King called it a “dark day” for Congress and said, “We need a full investigation.”

Representative Christopher Shays, Republican of Connecticut, said any leader who had been aware of Mr. Foley’s behavior and failed to take action should step down. “If they knew or should have known the extent of this problem, they should not serve in leadership,” Mr. Shays said.

...

According to lawmakers and the speaker’s office, the page who received the e-mail forwarded the one in which Mr. Foley, 52, asked for his picture, to a colleague in Mr. Alexander’s office, repeatedly calling it “sick” and saying it “freaked me out.”

...

Tim Mahoney, the Democrat who had been running an uphill and barely watched race against Mr. Foley, said on Saturday “It’s now clear from all the reports coming in from across the country that the Republican leadership team has been well aware of this problem with the pages for well over a year. It looks to me that it was more important to hold onto a seat and to hold onto power than to take care of our children.”

[Venisenvy]

Two points:

1.I agree with Shays that those who knew about this in detail and did nothing need to step down.

2.I think its sickening at how gleeful some democrats are treating this news.

[pinky]

What Democrats are acting "gleeful" over this? I've missed any coverage of that.

[db44]

Maybe the same ones who told Gary Condit not to resign... Which I believe numbered in the ouhgts. Actually at zero.

Opposed to all those Republicans who bashed the media over Delay or Lott, despite the reports being semeingly acurate in their cases.

Speaking of which Brad, shouldn't such political figures apologize to the media?

[Richard Tafoya]

In complete damage control mode, Hastert has now reversed his original position and heeded Nancy Pelosi's early demand for an investigation into the matter.

Friday: (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/01/washington/01memo.html?hp&ex=1159675200&en=f4ae9ee2fcbdf0ec&ei=5094&partner=homepage)
Late Friday, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democratic leader, called for an investigation into what the leadership knew, and when.

Republicans denounced her from the floor, grumbling when she introduced herself as a mother and a grandmother. But they were careful with her potentially explosive request and quickly referred it to the ethics committee.

Today: (http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/washington/AP-Congressman-E-mails.html?hp&ex=1159761600&en=5d1239b8aa43c93d&ei=5094&partner=homepage)
House Speaker Dennis Hastert requested Sunday that the Justice Department conduct an investigation into former Rep. Mark Foley's electronic messages to teenage boys -- a lurid scandal that has put House Republicans in political peril.

...

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada called the Foley case "repugnant, but equally as bad is the possibility that Republican leaders in the House of Representatives knew there was a problem and ignored it to preserve a congressional seat this election year."

Reid said the case should be handled outside Congress.

"Under laws that Congressman Foley helped write, soliciting sex from a minor online is a federal crime," Reid said. "The alleged crimes here are far outside the scope of any congressional committee, and the attorney general should open a full-scale investigation immediately."

...

Majority Republicans engineered a House vote Friday that refers the Foley matter to the House ethics committee, but lets that panel decide whether there should even be an investigation.

Of course, it doesn't take a lot of courage for Hastert or the White House to call for an investigation now, since the FBI has already started one (http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/10/fbi_opens_preli.html).
The FBI has opened a "preliminary investigation" of disgraced former Congressman Mark Foley over the sexually explicit Internet messages he sent to congressional pages, all male high school students under the age of 18.

Agents in the FBI's Cyber Division have already begun to examine the texts of some of the messages, according to a FBI spokesperson.

Officials say the FBI and Department of Justice lawyers are trying to determine how many such e-mails were sent, how many different computers were used and whether any of the teenage victims will cooperate in the investigation.

[*Katy*]

thats really sad, it makes me mad that sickos like that are in powerful positions. Its very distrubing.

[shining star]

Sick bastard. And Regis, don't you DARE equate trash like him with homosexuals. If you can't see the difference between what two CONSENTING adults do behind closed doors and adult men and women raping children, then maybe you should be evaluated by a shrink for your tendencies...

I am gay and I know a lot of gay people. Not ONE of us has EVER thought of a child that way. I think it's disgusting, as does everyone I know.

Child molestors can be gay or straight, men or women, black or white and everything in between. It's pure ignorance to think otherwise.

[x2_Iceman]

If he were a Dem he'd be praised for having the "courage" to bring his homosexuality out into the open. :rolleyes:

When will you stupid moron understand that HOMOSEXUALITY has nothing to do with liking underage boys you sick ignorant retard?!?!?!?!

[Annoyedlistner]

If he were a Dem he'd be praised for having the "courage" to bring his homosexuality out into the open. :rolleyes:

So what if he likes young boys? What business is that of yours? Stay out of people's bedrooms you prudes...


Well, if he was a female high school teacher he could say he's bi-polar and get a slap on the wrist... :susp2:

Bravo Regis....you have reached an all time low for this board.

What a sick person you are...you just showed your IQ is about a 26.

I hope this guy is sent to jail for a long long time....what a sicko.

[Richard Tafoya]

From DailyKos:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/10/2/163734/561

GOP, Hastert CONTINUING To Block Foley Probes

by Hunter (http://hunter.dailykos.com/)

Mon Oct 02, 2006 at 01:37:34 PM PDT

This latest round of behavior on the part of the House GOP leadership is astonishing. I don't know what they've got left to hide, but they apparently think it's something big, something worth a continuing stonewall even now, because Dennis Hastert, John Boehner, Tom Reynolds and the other GOP House leaders are trying to put multiple bullets in anything that looks like it even might lead to an actual investigation.

Boehner blocked Pelosi's call for an investigation, instead shunting it to the Ethics Committee which hasn't yet "decided" what they're going to be doing about it; Hastert nobly calls for the DOJ (after an investigation was already announced) to investigate everyone except the House leadership; now Hastert is going to "deal with" the problem according to his own rules, without actual investigation of any sort but the exclusively Republican kind.

Here's the latest statement from Dale Kildee (D-MI), the (only) Democrat on the House Page Board, and he is furious:

In my 21 years as a Member of the House Page Board, every decision has been made on not just a bi-partisan basis but on a non-partisan basis, with our main concern always being the safety and wellbeing of the young teenagers who serve the U.S. House as pages. I was outraged to learn that the House Republican leadership kept to itself the knowledge of Mr. Foley's despicable behavior toward the House Pages.

I am now equally outraged to learn that Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert announced today that there will be changes in the policies of the House Page program. Once again, I was not informed of the meeting today, nor was I consulted in any way about any proposed changes.

And once again, the House Republican leadership is following the same pattern of unilateral decision-making that caused this problem in the first place in the Mark Foley issue. Speaker Hastert's announcement this afternoon is yet another example of the House Republican leadership being more concerned with finding political cover for themselves than with the safety and wellbeing of the House pages.
You know, this is a very basic issue. The House leadership knew about -- and covered up for -- a child sex predator inside their very building. There's no goddamn "spin" that's going to make that go away. And in talking with other parents, I have to tell you -- anyone who is a parent is out for blood on this one. We can "disagree" over whether or not America should torture prisoners. We can "dispute" whether or not the President should be allowed to classify American citizens as "terrorists" based only on his own say-so, and lock them away without evidence or trial. We can "argue" over whether or not Tom DeLay's money laundering and the money laundering that has a goodly portion of the rest of the Republican House locked in ongoing scandal and indictment was only accidentally criminal, or astonishingly criminal.

But in the end, at the end of it all, you don't COVER UP FOR A CHILD SEX PREDATOR. No. Matter. What.

[*Katy*]

Someone else from abc.com said it best for me:
"This is sad. Every American must put aside political affiliation and examine the seriousness of this event and carefully examine your vote come November. If our elected leaders don't have our interest, they should not betray our children in this manner. Foley and all those who knew about this event must resign or be removed in November."

[Venisenvy]

Democrats are not wasting time to capitalize on this, I am in one of the battleground districts for the house of reps. The seat is currently held by Rob Simmons and I just got a nice little recording from the democrats in the mail demanding that i call Simmons and have him stop this outrageous event that the republicans are responsible for. So it paints Simmons in this group that might have known about this for 9 months. These people are shameless.

[Richard Tafoya]

Well, if they didn't hide the information from the sole Democrat on the House Page Board, the culpability would be bi-partisan. As it stands, it's a Republican scandal.

[Venisenvy]

Richard is there any evidence out there at the moment that Rob Simmons knew about this? If not dragging him into this is just wrong.

[Annoyedlistner]

Democrats are not wasting time to capitalize on this, I am in one of the battleground districts for the house of reps. The seat is currently held by Rob Simmons and I just got a nice little recording from the democrats in the mail demanding that i call Simmons and have him stop this outrageous event that the republicans are responsible for. So it paints Simmons in this group that might have known about this for 9 months. These people are shameless.

didnt the republicans jump all over clinton when he got a bj?

funny...the republicans result to very dirty politics...and when its turned around on them...they cant believe it.

[*Katy*]

didnt the republicans jump all over clinton when he got a bj?

funny...the republicans result to very dirty politics...and when its turned around on them...they cant believe it.
Not to mention using 9/11 to their advantage

[Venisenvy]

didnt the republicans jump all over clinton when he got a bj?

funny...the republicans result to very dirty politics...and when its turned around on them...they cant believe it.


The Republicans blamed clinton and jumped all over him. I'm talking about blaming someone that has nothing to do with this. Simmons is a Republican, Foley is a Republican so Simmons is somehow responsible because of that. Thats wrong.

[Paulie]

Stay out of people's bedrooms you prudes...

Why do I have the distinct feeling you didn't say this when the Republicans were wasting time and taxpayer money investigating Moncia-gate??

Paulie

[db44]

Suddenly privacy means something to Regis.

It's alright to monitor the whole country's telephone and spending logs in the sake of "security," but if a man has sexual relations with an underage teen, it's time to call it a breech of privacy?

I'd love to see who Richie has pinned up in his dungeon. :o

[Venisenvy]

Dave there is as of now no evidence showing that he had any sexual relations with an underage teen. I do want an investigation and I would like to see him go to jail but It's important to deal with the facts and truths not hypotheticals.

[Annoyedlistner]

i heard on the radio this morning that the age of consent in DC is 16...so he actually might not have done anything illegal if those boys were 16 or older.

It's still very sick.....

he doesnt have to have sexual relations with them to still be charged....you still cant talk to kids the way he did...if they are younger than 16...then he's in trouble.

[db44]

Luis, I don't know about you, but when I'm in even an online chat with someone I know is underage, I watch what I say, if not leave the chat. That's come up with LDers, where I've left 'cause I haven't felt comfortable with the language used by minors.

As Joey says, age matters, even online. Why do you think there's an issue with sexual predators or parental controls on AOL? Why do sites, including LD, require you to affirm your age or get parental concent?

Are you okay with an adult having a sexual verbal exchange, other than "birds-and-bees" style, with a minor? Maybe as a former teacher and school employee I'm over sensitive to this, but I'm not okay with such.

16 in DC? Are you sure Joey? I would be wrong then about the underage thing... As I read the kid in the first IM was 16. That would open a whole new question, anda total tangent: What should the age of concent be and should it change depending on the ages of both parties?

[Venisenvy]

No I'm absolutley not ok with what he did and hope he goes to jail for something. I do believe he has behaved like a predator and is a danger. But the problem is that as of now there is no evidence he had any sexual relations with any underage teens. In a previous post you alluded to Foley having had sexual relations with a teen which is just not the case, as of now.

[db44]

Depends on your point of view. Sexual relations over the internet counts if you ask me. It seems to in the legal system as well. Relations doesn't necessarily mean physical in our society.

The question for me turns to whether the kid(s) was of consenting age or not, if we are talking about a crime being committed.

[db44]

Dang... And I've been seeing double posts around LD for a while now.

[Annoyedlistner]

Luis, I don't know about you, but when I'm in even an online chat with someone I know is underage, I watch what I say, if not leave the chat. That's come up with LDers, where I've left 'cause I haven't felt comfortable with the language used by minors.

As Joey says, age matters, even online. Why do you think there's an issue with sexual predators or parental controls on AOL? Why do sites, including LD, require you to affirm your age or get parental concent?

Are you okay with an adult having a sexual verbal exchange, other than "birds-and-bees" style, with a minor? Maybe as a former teacher and school employee I'm over sensitive to this, but I'm not okay with such.

16 in DC? Are you sure Joey? I would be wrong then about the underage thing... As I read the kid in the first IM was 16. That would open a whole new question, anda total tangent: What should the age of concent be and should it change depending on the ages of both parties?


no im not sure Dave...i heard that on the radio this morning.....you know how much you can trust the info you get from radio people ;)

[db44]

Heh heh. <censored> :p

[~Aquarian86~]

didnt the republicans jump all over clinton when he got a bj?

funny...the republicans result to very dirty politics...and when its turned around on them...they cant believe it.

They're like broken records. This man should be jailed no matter what party he's from. Fox News seems to care, I heard all day Monday or Tuesday they had the letter D next to Foley's name, because republicans don't sin, period.:rolleyes:

[DoubleEdgeSword]

Morally and ethically (and perhaps, legally,) Foley was dead wrong. Those who knew about his predelictions for young pages and did nothing, are complicit. Given all that, corruption, coverup and hypocrisy are widespread among both parties in Washington. This particular scandal strikes a loud, grating chord because the public has no trouble understanding the wrongness of this particular offense and, it may very well end the Republican control. But, it is not the end of dirty politics or dirty politicians. As long as the voting public continues to elect representatives based on little more than campaign ads and gossip, we will continue to have a corrupt Congress.