“Hi, My Name Is Ex-Congressman Mark Foley…Can You Give Me Your E-Mail And Send Me Your Pic?”
This was from the PV ie Bill Simon now famous.
Let me get this straight: The freakin’ CHAIRMAN of the House Caucus On Missing and Exploited Children sent e-mails to underage male pages that talked about how much in (fitness) shape they were and if they would e-mail him a picture of them…even when the page didn’t work for the congressman directly?
Nahhh, there’s nothing bizarre-o about that. Nothing that might cause Caucus Chairman Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) to feel the need to RESIGN immediately from the House…
Well, here is the trail of the e-mails in question…it certainly looks semi-baffling to me as to why Foley would be asking for an e-mail pic in such a casual e-mail about how the underage page was weathering a hurricane.
AND, even juicer is this transcript of Instant Message Chats between Foley and a “young stud”….
http://politicalvine.com/politicalrumors/index.php
BTW, Bill got the tip from Caroline !!!!!!!!!!
This is from the Washington Post.
House Majority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) told The Washington Post last night that he had learned this spring of inappropriate “contact” between Foley and a 16-year-old page. Boehner said he then told House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.).
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/29/AR2006092901574.html
My question, if true should Boehner and Hastert also resign ?
September 30th, 2006 at 6:48 am
BTW, This was in the AJC about the e-mails.
From Rep. Foley to the boy!!!!!!!!!
“You in your boxers…. Well,stripe down and get naked”
“Do I make you a little horny”
The boy e-mailed a colleague in Rep Alexander’s office “This freaked me out ”
On the request for a photo of the boy from Rep Foley,he repeated “sick” 13 times to his colleague in his e-mail !!!
Rep Alexander said he did not persue the matter further because “his parents did not want to persue the matter ”
I would think a Congressman would know this is a police matter !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As a parent I cannot understand how Foley was not thrown in jail !!!!!!!!!!!!
Congress needs to know they are not above the law !!!!!!!
This is the Barney Frank cover up deal all over again !!!!
September 30th, 2006 at 7:05 am
BTW Could any Congressman who knew about this and did not report the crime could they be arrested ?
September 30th, 2006 at 7:59 am
Well, he may do time yet. It looks like the details are unfolding. What I don’t understand is why everyone “just held onto the information” and didn’t do anything else.
September 30th, 2006 at 8:11 am
caroline,
I talk to my dad who is a criminal lawyer. He said, it seems to him Congress should have been obligated at a minimum to inform every parent in the page program and warn them. He thinks if they did not, this should be an ethic violation. As far as the criminal side it depends on the State laws and what exactly happen as to what if any criminal acts were violated. This is based on what is in the papers not any real investigation
September 30th, 2006 at 8:22 am
Apparently, from what I have read that page classes were warned about foley but from who I don’t know. Looks like there was a huge cover up operation going on.
We shall see what happens. I’m sure there is some law against internet predators. Remember that NBC Dateline (I think that’s the program) that covered this subject numerous times?
September 30th, 2006 at 8:30 am
caroline,
My dads also told me Foley may have violated federal pornography laws by using the internet. And this could open up a whole different can of worms for anyone in Congress who did not report this to the police. But all of this is just speculation without all the facts.
September 30th, 2006 at 8:54 am
caroline,
The pages are not adults, I think the parents needed to be informed !!!!
September 30th, 2006 at 11:37 am
This is so disgusting!
When I first saw the story a few days ago- it looked odd, but not “enough” to really prove anything.
The fact he suddenly resigned was a sure-fire indicator that not only was he in deep trouble, but it also indicated that we were about to learn a LOT MORE!
I am sickened not only by the calibre of the people who run, but the manipulation of the media, campaigning, and process that allows these people to run.
Even worse is the dang laziness of Americans to elect such a CREEP!
Just plain dispicable.
YUCK!
September 30th, 2006 at 11:41 am
eeevil,
CAN YOU SAy TERM LIMITS !!!!
If my kid was page for a Congressman and he did not tell me I would not be happy!!!
September 30th, 2006 at 1:18 pm
This is from CNN.
Colleague: We told Foley to stop contacting teen
The lawmaker who oversees the page program, Rep. John Shimkus, R-Illinois, said that he had learned about the Florida Republican’s e-mails in late 2005 and “took immediate action to investigate the matter.”
He was notified by Rep. Rodney Alexander, a Louisiana Republican, in whose office the page had worked. Alexander had forwarded the e-mails to the Clerk of the House.
“We ordered Congressman Foley to cease all contact with this former House page to avoid even the appearance of impropriety,” Shimkus said in a statement issued Friday evening.
“It has become clear to me today, based on information I only now have learned, that Congressman Foley was not honest about his conduct.”
Shimkus said he is working to “fully review this incident and determine what actions need to be taken.”
An aide to Rep. Tom Reynolds, the New York congressman who heads the National Republican Campaign Committee, said he knew about the matter a year ago.
The GOP panel coordinates election efforts for House Republicans, who now must find a candidate to replace Foley in Florida’s 16th District, with six weeks left before the election.
Majority Leader John Boehner, an Ohio Republican, recalls learning about the contacts from Louisiana Rep. Alexander earlier this spring, said Boehner’s spokesman, Kevin Madden.
“It was Congressman Alexander’s opinion that the contact was not of a professional nature,” Madden said.
Boehner blocked a vote Friday on a resolution offered by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi asking the House Ethics Committee to begin a preliminary investigation into Foley’s conduct and the GOP leadership’s response to it.
Why not forget the politics and call the police as well as tell the parents ????
September 30th, 2006 at 2:04 pm
John-
LOL!
Not only term limits- but replace PBS with a channel that uses ALL sides to present a case.
even C-SPIN (C-span) for those of you in Rio Linda- is a joke……
YOU ROCK!
September 30th, 2006 at 3:04 pm
The CNN article makes it look like some kind of coverup. Why not call the police and launch an investigation. Do you really want people who would cover up for a pedophile investigating themselves? They knew about it for a while and yet did nothing. Anyhow, I think there is probably more information that will be forthcoming.
September 30th, 2006 at 10:53 pm
Caroline,
It looks like Pelosi wanted use this for political reasons as well. My point is both parties back off and let the police do the investigation. If from a police investigation we find out anyone was stopping this criminal act from being investigated throw them in jail bottom line. We should not have hearings until the police and court system dose their job.
The problem is many in Congress think they are above the law !
October 1st, 2006 at 6:35 am
The people who knew about this should have reported it to the FBI. The Palm Beach Post is reporting that 5 pages have come forward so far. Apparently the upper tiers of the GOP knew about this and did nothing. Don’t apologize for these jokers. Don’t you think congress should intiate something against people like Reynolds and Hassert?
October 1st, 2006 at 7:42 am
caroline,
I think if they did not report this to the FBI, Police… That they should be arrested. If they are arrested you do not need a hearing.If they did not tell the parents , I would hope they would take any member to civil court who knew and did not say anything.
As you know the same thing happen with Barney Frank. I do not understand how Congress is above the legal system.
The point is not that Barney Frank or Foley is gay. The problem is when they go after kids!!!! By the way if Foley had gone after girls, I would be just as mad!!!
October 1st, 2006 at 12:29 pm
The Barney Frank thing had nothing to do with pedophilia.
October 1st, 2006 at 4:34 pm
caroline,
http://officeoftheindependentblogger.com/2006/09/29/hell-in-a-handbasket/
Democratic Congressman Barney Frank has sex with teenage boys. If he doesn’t today, then he used to, back in the nineteen eighties. That is creepy, of course, and wrong. With that said, let’s go to the Sexual Exploits of Congressman Mark Foley, who sent odd private messages with the subtle intent of a pedophile to a former Page who is sixteen. Foley has resigned, as he very well should (and as Barney Frank should’ve, long ago) but there are some (read their comments here) defending Foley, and calling his comments to the boy via email “innocent” while attacking the media for misrepresenting Foley’s messages.
October 1st, 2006 at 4:57 pm
John,
You are citing a blogger as a source? Here’s a more reliable source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_Frank
A guy named Steve Gobie was running a prostitution ring out of Frank’s apartment. Frank fixed 33 parking tickets for Gobie. There was no pedophilia involved. Apparently Independent blogger feels the need to make apologies for Foley by making up charges of pedophilia for Franks. Anyhow, Foley is the one that wrote the internet stalking law and increased the age limit to 18. Apparently, the house voted for an investigation of the GOP leadership so that will go on.
October 1st, 2006 at 5:18 pm
There’s more information coming out about this now.
wo sets of sexually explicit instant messages obtained by ABC News were sent to pages beginning in 2002.
Republican staff member warned congressional pages five years ago to watch out for Congressman Mark Foley, according to a former page.
Matthew Loraditch, a page in the 2001-2002 class, told ABC News he and other pages were warned about Foley by a supervisor in the House Clerk’s office.
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/BrianRoss/
So apparently this has been covered up for quite a while now, at least 4 years.
October 1st, 2006 at 6:26 pm
caroline,
This is crazy any Congressman who knew this and did not tell parents and law enforcement should resign !!!!
It turns out Foley’s obsession with 16- and 17-year-old male pages has been known to Republicans on Capitol Hill for at least five years.
But other than issue a warning, little else seems to have been done about the congressman.
A former page has come forward to tell ABC News warnings were issued about Foley to the pages in 2001.
Matthew Loraditch says pages were told to watch out for Foley.
“It was a slight cautionary statement, you know, ‘Don’t get too wrapped up in him being too nice to you and all that kind of stuff.’ You know, ‘He’s a nice guy, but he’s a little bid odd,’ and that sort of thing,” Loraditch said
October 2nd, 2006 at 1:05 pm
Ex-Rep. Foley Checks Into Alcohol Rehab
Now Foley is claming the drinks made me do it!
I strongly believe that I am an alcoholic and have accepted the need for immediate treatment for alcoholism and other behavioral problems,” Foley said in a statement, Roth told the AP
Now Hastert says he did not see the problem with some of the e-mails.Who would want Hastert watching your kids ?
This came from the AP article.
But Hastert said those e-mails were not viewed as “sexual in nature” and that he was not aware of “a different set of communications which were sexually explicit … which Mr. Foley reportedly sent another former page or pages.”
The speaker was in Washington meeting with his staff, the House clerk and Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., the congressman who oversees the page program, to review the procedures on protecting the teenage pages while they are working at the Capitol and after they finish their assignments, said Ron Bonjean, Hastert’s spokesman.
I HAVE AN IDEA WHY NOT CALL THE POLICE AND PARENTS WHEN CRIMES ARE COMMITED.
October 3rd, 2006 at 6:33 am
BTW, If you think my asking Congress to call for anyone in the mix to resign
is over the top read the following:
Denny Hastert, who said the Act was critical in “preventing child exploitation, stopping child pornography and creating new criminal offense penalties protecting children from the Internet,” proclaimed:
“At home, we put the security of our children first and Republicans are doing just that in our nation’s House. We’ve all seen the disturbing headlines about sex offenders and crimes against children. These crimes cannot persist. Protecting our children from Internet predators and child exploitation enterprises are just as high a priority as securing our border from terrorists. . . That’s why today we passed the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.”
From George W. Bush, President of the United States, when he signed the Act into law:
And the bill I sign today will strengthen federal laws to protect our children from sexual and other violent crimes, will help prevent child pornography, and will make the Internet safer for our sons and daughters. . . .
Protecting our children is our solemn responsibility. It’s what we must do. When a child’s life or innocence is taken it is a terrible loss — it’s an act of unforgivable cruelty. Our society has a duty to protect our children from exploitation and danger. By enacting this law we’re sending a clear message across the country: those who prey on our children will be caught, prosecuted and punished to the fullest extent of the law.
October 3rd, 2006 at 11:53 am
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061003/ap_on_go_co/congress_pages
Dennis Hastert brushed aside any suggestion of resignation on Tuesday as House Republican leaders struggled to contain the fallout from an election-year scandal involving sexually explicit messages from a disgraced lawmaker to underage male pages.
Hastert is saying he will not resign.
October 3rd, 2006 at 1:25 pm
caroline,
I hope any Congressman that does not demand anyone envolved to resign should not get anyones vote.
October 3rd, 2006 at 1:41 pm
Well, John as far as I know only 2 republicans in congress have said that Hastert should resign:
Chris Shays of CT and
Peter King of NY
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:10 pm
caroline,
I am not just saying Hasert.What Boehner said does not cut it for me!
Majority Leader Boehner said,
: “I believe I talked to the Speaker and he told me it had been taken care of, and, and, and my position is it’s in his corner, it’s his responsibility. The Clerk of the House who runs the page program, the Page Board—all report to the Speaker. And I believe it had been dealt with.”
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:17 pm
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/10/new_foley_insta.html
here’s some more updated infomration.
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:55 pm
Thank you caroline for the story !
BTW, anyone who thinks I am wrong about guys like Foley acting on kids , the story just broke he did. The sad part this story usual ends with police finding more victums.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/10/new_foley_insta.html
October 9th, 2006 at 9:34 pm
You can be certain of one thing in this. National special interest groups are scrambling to get into the spotlight and ensure that their best side is showing by publicly condemning Foley.
—
For Immediate Release:
Monday, Oct. 2, 2006
HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN STATEMENT ON REP. MARK FOLEY
WASHINGTON — Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese issued the following statement about the resignation of Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla.:
“Gay or straight, Democrat or Republican, it is completely inexcusable for an adult to have this kind of communication with a minor. Congressman Foley brought shame on himself and this Congress by his horrible behavior and complete lack of judgment. We strongly condemn his behavior.”
—-
October 10th, 2006 at 5:30 am
Good Point!