E-Mails Force Rep. Mark Foley R-Fla. to Resign

Apparently, e-mails between the popular Congressman from Florida and a 16 year old former Capitol Hill page for Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La., which surfaced recently, are behind the resignation. The resignation is effective immediately. Mr. Foley released a short statement expressing his regret for letting down his family and constituents.



Wow. The sudden departure of yet another esteemed Member of Congress. How many scandals of differing stature and nature does this make for Congress in the last year?

This one may be the slimiest of all, involving innappropriate communications with a young boy. If these are the kind of people we are choosing to represent us in government these days, I'd say its time we took a little closer look at the choices

[edit on 29-9-2006 by DontTreadOnMe]

mark foley btw, was a former chairman of the house caucus on missing and exploited children. thats really sick!

mind you, he's not the first republican pedophile to have been caught out - long list of them here

dont you think the punishment should be more severe for pedophiles who are caught in positions/roles that are supposed to protect children? it should be more severe than just having to resign his position anyway.

[edit on 30-9-2006 by justyc]

That list is frighteningly large, but I have a hard time believing there isn't an equally long list for Democrats out there somewhere. This has to be more widespread than party affiliation.

It will never cease to amaze me how people we have put in place to protect us, somehow think they are above the laws they themselves are the guardians of.

Here's just one Democrat that was part of the 1983 sex scandal.

Link

On July 14, 1983, the House Ethics Committee concluded that U.S. Rep. Dan Crane (R-Ill.) and U.S. Rep. Gerry Studds (D-Mass.) had engaged in sexual relationships with minors.

Now here's the mindboggling part which I guess answers my question above.

Studds, however, refused to apologize (even calling a press conference with the former page, in which both stated that they were consenting adults at the time of the relationship and that it was therefore not the business of others to censure them for their private relationship), and he continued to be reelected until his retirement in 1996.

and.....another one bites the dust. the candidate for attorney general of NY has beenhit with an investigation also...illegal servailiance or something of sort. but it seems to be much tamer. she know her husband was cheating on her and well I guess she discussed some options with a friend....

this guy is something else though, if this is all true and not just one of those, ya know, left wing consnpiracies......

blogs.abcnews.com...

there's some examples of the emails here.

You will find that many Pedophiles insert themselves in areas dealing with the "Protection" of exploited children.
There have been studies done that surmise this is an unconscious action taken in response to a "Guilt Complex."


It is of course far more complicated, but my opinion is simple.

FRY HIM

They really "like" pedophiles in prison, at least Bubba does.

Semper

seems this 'relationship' may have been known about for a while and some people are trying to cover their tracks - story change

so should anyone who knew what was going on and did nothing be held accountable as accomplices?

That would be my opinion yes.

But I have children so I am biased.

Semper

I get the impression the damage control effort is going into effect, trying to limit the exposure of this behavior to the specific incident. They may have been caught off-guard somewhat by the suddeness of the resignation, but the effort is on to isolate Mr. Foley and declare his actions an aberration.

I also get the impression this isn't an isolated incident, and behavior like this may be much more widespread than anyone wants to admit amongst a subculture of powerful individuals elected to represent the interests of the people.

My confidence in our federal government just hit an all-time low.

Well, pretty much everyone has already said what I would say about this PIG, so I'll not say much more.

But I might as well add this:

A Sick Form of Denial...or....The Most Underhanded Form of Hypocrisy?

Congress sees through party-colored glasses

Republicans were aghast at Clinton's behavior, with many saying it showed he had lied and abused his power.

"It's vile," said Rep. Mark Foley, R-West Palm Beach. "It's more sad than anything else, to see someone with such potential throw it all down the drain because of a sexual addiction."

...

That was "just sad," Foley said. "It's unbelievable that he could behave so carelessly in that setting."

More...

See also:

The PIG's Online Chat

The PIG's Emails

And read this from a month ago:

Foley briefs cops on predator law

Let's hope he's at the top of the list!

www.dga.org..." border=0>

Hastert Knew?

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.). Boehner later contacted The Post and said he could not remember whether he talked to Hastert.

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

More...

But look at what these sources quoted from WaPo last night:

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.

Source.
Source.
Source.
Source.

DID THIS STORY CHANGE????

Incidentally, if the original printing is correct, then I think Hastert should be strung up as well.

Aiding and Abetting/Accessory

A criminal charge of aiding and abetting or accessory can usually be brought against anyone who helps in the commission of a crime, though legal distinctions vary by state. A person charged with aiding and abetting or accessory is usually not present when the crime itself is committed, but he or she has knowledge of the crime before or after the fact, and may assist in its commission through advice, actions, or financial support. Depending on the degree of involvement, the offender's participation in the crime may rise to the level of conspiracy.

Unbelievable.

[edit on 30-9-2006 by loam]

Well this guy's a creep, no doubt. Good riddance.

But to clarify, he's not a "pedophile" - pedophiles are people attracted to kids who have not yet hit sexual maturity - IE children, not teenagers.

I think loam's term "pig" is more accurate - he's hitting on a young person who is to some extent under his care & authority - not to mention, from reading the stuff, one who's clearly not interested. I'd love to see what this guy's voting record is like - just like the guy in Spokane, he's probably as anti-gay as they get.

[edit on 9/30/06 by xmotex]

The Real Nuclear Option

Originally posted by Icarus Rising
I also get the impression this isn't an isolated incident, and behavior like this may be much more widespread than anyone wants to admit amongst a subculture of powerful individuals elected to represent the interests of the people.

I'm quite confident that this is far from an isolated incident, and even a casual review of public sex scandals in government over the past few decades confirms this (examples: Condit, Clinton, Hart, Livingston, McGreevey, Mills, (Drew) Nixon, Packwood, Thomas, Thurmond, etc.).

In addition to what actually goes public, there is generally a cloud of sexual scandal surrounding Washington, D.C., but they are often kept quiet with the complicity of the press.

In many ways, the Beltway Culture is based on who has dirt on who, and almost everyone seems to have some sort of dirt on everyone else -- whether sex, graft, influence peddling, nepotism or other ethical issues.

Obviously this guy needed to go, but the fact that this was allowed to fester (apparently with the knowledge of both parties) until election season is intriguing, and the timing of the disclosure is clearly anything but coincidental.

I've heard rumors that this election was going to be particularly ugly, and so far, it seems we're on track. Democrat and Republican dirty tricks brigades are working overtime, and I think both parties are anticipating that dirty tricks may well decide who runs the country after this election.

In other words, dirty tricks are tools of power, and the party with the most effective dirty tricks will run the country.

Lucky us.

It seems Speaker Hastert knew about this issue, and claimed to have "handled" it. That probably amounted to some sort of "truce" that has now been broken.

Will there be a tit for tat? Will the floodgates open in October?

We'll know soon enough.

A Crisis Of Confidence

Originally posted by Icarus Rising
My confidence in our federal government just hit an all-time low.

Mine hit an all-time low about twenty years ago when I realized that both the Democratic and Republican parties are nothing more than criminal mafias who would sell their own children for money and power and would rather eat worms than tell the American people what's really going in our government or (horrors!) actually act in our best interest.

My confidence remains at an all-time low to this day.

I suppose that makes me a political cynic.



[edit on 9/30/2006 by Majic]

Originally posted by Majic
In other words, dirty tricks are tools of power, and the party with the most effective dirty tricks will run the country.

Lucky us.

Can't disagree with that.

Originally posted by Majic
It seems Speaker Hastert knew about this issue, and claimed to have "handled" it. That probably amounted to some sort of "truce" that has now been broken.

I don't know how you convert Hastert's suppression of the issue (if true) into evidence of a truce with the other side. That makes no sense to me.

I think you left the path there.

Originally posted by Majic

A Crisis Of Confidence

The realization you made tweny years ago came much later for me.

There's a legal term that could come down hard on those who knew what was going on.

Contributory Negligence.

While pressure from senior members of the Republican party may have stopped what Foley was doing
internally, that may not have stopped him from predatory conduct outside the halls of congress.

This could end up with charges being filed against anyone who knew what was going on.

A minor in the eyes of the law is still a minor, especially in cases of sexual misconduct.

I can't believe I used to like this guy

Anyway I agree with loam that going after a 16 yr old isn't really pedophilia, since that's the age of consent, but it is a gross lapse of judgment and character. If he wants to be gay and have relationships with guys, fine, just don't do it with an unreceptive guy you have power over. :shk:

Originally posted by FallenFromTheTree
Contributory Negligence.

Contributory negligence is a civil case concept, so if the "victims" sue, depending upon the theory of the case, yes it might apply.

However, I believe such a suppression (again, if true) CRIMINAL.

If I help you cover up a crime, under criminal law, that is in itself a prosecutable offense.

If true, these guys need to see prison!

[edit on 30-9-2006 by loam]

dj, your reaction is understood.

Being mislead really does not limit itself to party lines.

All of us are disgusted with the whole picture.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
I can't believe I used to like this guy

Anyway I agree with loam that going after a 16 yr old isn't really pedophilia

Actually, it was xmotex who made that point.

I'm also not sure I agree.

Unwritten Laws

Originally posted by loam
I don't know how you convert Hastert's suppression of the issue (if true) into evidence of a truce with the other side. That makes no sense to me.

Pure supposition on my part.

However, keeping something like this from reaching Republicans wouldn't be his concern, and keeping it from reaching the Democrats would be impossible, because nothing stays buried on Captiol Hill.

Thus I think it is probable that Hastert and others thought this had been "taken care of" the usual way, by agreement with the Democrats that it wouldn't go public.

This would hardly be the only such case. Each party has mountains of dirt on the other, and only a sort of "Mutual Assured Destruction" policy keeps either side from spilling everything.

Each election season, however, the temptation to launch a few scuds is there, and I think this was one of them.

I could be wrong, of course.

Let's see what else finds its way into the press in the coming days.