Outline · [ Standard ] · Linear+ Republican Foley's Folly

[Sheesh]

I just had to say SOMETHING about this issue

Republican Mark Foley (R-FL) resigned abruptly because of sexually explicit emails sent to congressional paiges who are young people. Mr. Foley is known for....

His work against child sex offenders is certainly the most glaring irony of the emerging Foley scandal. Foley is a founder and co-chair of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus and has played key roles in recent legislation to protect kids, including the Volunteers for Children Act, which gives organizations that work with youths access to FBI fingerprint checks to make sure they don't hire child molesters. Foley's Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, which has passed both the House and Senate, overhauls the national monitoring system for predatory pedophiles by closing legal loopholes, setting minimum registration standards and better coordinating law enforcement; he also co-sponsored measures to eliminate child pornography and exploitive child model sites on the Internet — and he has worked closely with the likes of John Walsh, host of Fox TV's popular America's Most Wanted.

Behind Foley's Swift Fall From Grace

Isn't it ironic that he will likely now be subject to the very statutes he helped shepard? LOL.

Furthermore, he has been a typical republican homophobe, while at the same time defending accusations that he is gay. In fact, he aborted his 2004 Senate campaign exactly because he was defending his bachelorhood.

And, word has it that the Republican leadership admonished Mr. Foley FIVE YEARS AGO when they learned about his inappropriate emails but did little else to stop his behavior.

Lastly, Mr. Foley had the gall to bash Bill Clinton for his sexual immorality back during the impeachment hearings, calling him "perverted".

Anyway, had to make this a post - JUST HAD TO. Is this what Republican values really stand for? No accountability by the leadership, do as I say-not as I do behavior?

This sure is a funny story if you are on the left. Typical immoral behavior of the right - Mr. Foley is just the latest on the list that includes Tom Delay, Duke Cunningham, Bob Ney, those involved with Abramoff and many more to be exposed after the mid-term elections.

[Tromni]

Well, there's certainly no excusing behavior like this. It is shameful. I'm glad he resigned promptly, and I pray that he gets the help he needs to overcome these temptations in the future.

That said, I don't think this is any sort of proof that Democrats are better people. Honestly, just about every politician is a pretty lousy person, with some notable exceptions on both sides of the aisle.

For every Foley on the right, there's a McGreevey on the the left. There's no need to get snooty on either side, because evil men aren't good for the country no matter which party they belong to.

[kc_royals_fan_5]

Just because the pages are boys, doesn't mean Foley is gay. Maybe he is, maybe he's not. He was in a position of power over them which is probably part of how he was able to get away w/ if for 5+ years. Another part being that the people that knew abt it didn't seem to both to do anything abt it.

Former Gov. .James McGreevey is gay but he wasn't out. He had an affair w/ another man..not a boy. His only "crime" was having an affair.

And I don't believe it is a Republican/Democratic issue. Foley did what he did. Whoever knew abt it should have come forward sooner.

[Sheesh]

Totally agree that it isn't a Republican/Democratic issue EXCEPT that Mr. Foley misrepresented himself as a "family values" man that was against all forms of pedophilia.

What makes this a REPUBLICAN issue, however, is the degree with which the Republican party represents itself as the party of morals, accountability and family values and engage in and even allow behavior that is in direct contrast. Mr. Foley and his situation provides the best, albiet most graphic, example.

The Republican party leadership turned a blind eye to Mr. Foley for five years; the Republican party leadership were going to change the House Ethics Rules to accomodate the financial indiscretions of Mr. Delay and others (not to mention to them not passing lobbiest/campaign reform in this now known as "do nothing" congressional session); The Republican party has utterly failed in their constitutional role for meaningful oversight hearings on a variety of domestic (budget; spying) and international issues (Iraq War; torture) is yet another.

It is a pattern of decit and corruption and THAT, IMHO, is a Republican issue that they must combat for the mid-term elections. Mr. Foley's case just happens to ironically be exposed on the last day of the current congressional session as they go home to campaign.

[racedraper]

i think it would be easier o put a bullit in his head, once a kid predator always one.

People like him can not be reabilatated and should be put down. the only good thing is his actions didnt go farther and hurt kids .

[Marino63]

kc-

No, there was more to the McGreevey saga than his 'just having an affair'.

He also appointed his boyfriend to head New Jersey's Dept. of Homeland Security...a job that paid well in excess if $100,000 a year..and his boyfriend had absolutely zero applicable experience in that field.

[Marino63]

Well, let's look at how Democrats and Republicans deal with politicians who have illicit affairs, shall we?

Republicans:

Foley- resigned from Congress
Livingston- resigned from his Majority Leader position and then from Congress entirely
Gingrich- chose not to run again
Packwood- defeated in a primary challenge

Democrats-

Stubbs- actually had a physical homosexual affair with a malew page who was working for him- re-elected after Censure
Frank- ran a male prostitution ring out of his Washington townhouse- still serving in Congress
Mel Renolds- had an affair with a 16 year old female page- resigned and convicted of stat rape but was pardoned by Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton- 'nuff said

What I see is a pattern of Democrats praising, enabling and condoning illicit sexual behavior and a pattern of Republicans punishing those who do so.

Besides...what's the big deal? It's just sex, isn't it? And weren't we told in the late 1990s that lying about sex was perfectly normal and acceptable?

[Sheesh]

How many democrats were disgraced because of preying on children? Tell me, when did the democrats, when they were in power, try to create an election year coverup of a sexual harassment (or worse) scandal?

Lastly, while we on the left indeed DO have a different tolerance for differing interpersonal relations, at least most of us don't profess to be something we're not (i.e. "family" values generally for the Repos or in the case of Foley intolerant of pedophilia and is one )

[kc_royals_fan_5]

Ok, I forgot abt that..that's not a crime that I know of though. Michael Brown, former head of FEMA had no experience either..although, before anyone says it, I'll concede that he probably didn't sleep w/ the President to get the job.

kc-

No, there was more to the McGreevey saga than his 'just having an affair'.

He also appointed his boyfriend to head New Jersey's Dept. of Homeland Security...a job that paid well in excess if $100,000 a year..and his boyfriend had absolutely zero applicable experience in that field.

[kc_royals_fan_5]

I believe Marino just listed 2 Democrats who preyed on children. Who knows how many others there could be..on both sides. Neither side is perfect. They're all human. Now that it's out in the open, let's just hope that people are paying more attention and are willing to speak out.

How many democrats were disgraced because of preying on children?  Tell me, when did the democrats, when they were in power, try to create an election year coverup of a sexual harassment (or worse) scandal?

Lastly, while we on the left indeed DO have a different tolerance for differing interpersonal relations, at least most of us don't profess to be something we're not (i.e. "family" values generally for the Repos or in the case of Foley intolerant of pedophilia and is one )

[racedraper]

I would like to know how long the DEM's new about it and let ABC have the info to run it. seem real close to election time to be a and accident.

I sure there is wrong doings on both sides, from cover up to leaking info

[Sheesh]

I stand corrected re: the dems.

It's still an ironic story if you are on the left, this Foley thing

[oldspice_007]

I was disgusted and appauled that someone who was involved in protecting kids turned out to be a predator.

I find it more disgusting that people knew and let him get away with it.

They should all step down or be forced to leave.

That is absolutely disgusting.

[DiaperDandy]

I am afraid that much more will be revealed before this is all over....

[kooljazz1966]

The dems are at it again, The Clinton war room is working overtime to produce and enlighten us on this kinda of stuff. I'm sure the Dems will provide the drive-by another revelation by this weekend as well. Almost election time. The Dem's strategy never changes. They want the voters to be distracted from the real issues and what their party stand for. I along with many are still waiting for the left to explain to the American people what they stand for. Foley and the like doesn't represent all Republicans and Stubbs and the like doesn't represent all Dems. But one thing is constant in all of this. The Dems tactics, rhetoric and motives never change. They will harp on the Foley stuff to their own end.

[skatalite]

Republican, Democrat... It doesn't matter. Everyone involved with this needs to be dealt with, and I don't mean just a slap on the wrist.

[Marino63]

I'll certainly agree with that.

Foley did the right thing- after doing the wrong thing- and "fell on his sword" so to speak.

However, I still have that nagging memory of a Rose Garden ceremony conveined by then VP Al Gore in which Gore, surrounded by almost every elected Democrat in Congress, praised Bill Clinton, saying among things that he would be 'remembered as one of the greatest Presidents"- all this occurring on the same afternoon on which Clinton had been impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice.

Remind me again where all the Republicans defending Mark Foley are?

Now frankly it doesn't bother me if Hastert steps down- he's been a complete failure as Speaker of the House- but I want him to step down because he's done such a rotten job, NOT because he is somehow painted as being Foley's enabler.

[Sheesh]

Should Speaker Hastert resign?

Sure seems to me that the Republican leadership knew about Foley for quite some time. Even many of the conservatives out there are calling for his speakership, including the Washington Times.

Further, Hastert is trying to say that this scandal was started by the Democrats when all evidence says that not only did he and the leadership turn a blind eye to Foley but it was a REPUBLICAN former page who dropped the story on ABC.

I think Hastert will NOT step down, as it will further illustrate the meltdown of the Republican Majority (soon to be minority) and their culture of corruption.

[Marino63]

If on nothing else in this whole sordid affair, I can certainly agree with you when you say that there is more to come.

It would appear that the Clintonista Attack Squad is hard at work here, propped up by the near-bottomless pockets of one George Soros.

Soros, you might recall, is the man who pledged his entire fortune- estimated at several BILLION dollars- to the defeat of Bush in the 2004 election. It is believed that he pumped upwards of $30 million of his own dollars into the failed effort to defeat Bush.

One of Soros' latest pet projects is a group called "CREW"- Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Sources such as The American Spectator have reported that CREW had these emails and IMs as far back as July- and possibly April- yet did not come forward until the last day of the Congressional session and some 35 days before the midterm elections.

It is also being reported that CREW is refusing to tell the FBI from whom and how they obtained these emails and also refuses to provide the originals of the emails and IMs, giving investigators only ones which are "heavily redacted" (meaning text is blacked out).

Now if the goal of CREW is the safety of the children and you have evidence that a sitting Congressman is engaging in certainly harmful and possibly criminal conduct with a minor, they why wait 4 to 6 months before revealing the information? Or are kids only important a month before a major election?

Also, why not provide the original, unaltered transcripts of the messages? Using copies of documents was what got Dan Rather and CBS News in such hot water prior to the 2004 Presidential election, why Rather depended on forged documents to smear President Bush. Sorry, but when the MSM relies on forged documents to attempt to alter the outcome of a Presidential election, I'm going to be a bit skeptical that they might do so again in the Midterms, such is the rabidness of their hatred of Bush and the Republicans.

If the proposition is that everyone who knew about the existance of the Foley emails and IMs should resign, should that include any Democrats who might have known about them but decided not to reveal their existance until such a time as to wring maximum political impact?

[kooljazz1966]

"Now if the goal of CREW is the safety of the children and you have evidence that a sitting Congressman is engaging in certainly harmful and possibly criminal conduct with a minor, they why wait 4 to 6 months before revealing the information? Or are kids only important a month before a major election?"


"If the proposition is that everyone who knew about the existance of the Foley emails and IMs should resign, should that include any Democrats who might have known about them but decided not to reveal their existance until such a time as to wring maximum political impact?"

Answer is as we all know..Heck no!..The Dems ( aristocrats) are better than and holier than us all. They know what's best for the common folk of this country as the common folk can't possibly think for themselves or know what's best themselves. The common folk should rely on big brother G for a handout, Tax Break, welfare, etc..cause we all know its in the common folks best interest.

Better yet any democrats that knew of this mess months ago should never resign...thats un-democratic. Instead they should be given standing ovations on the house floors as evidenced in the past for similar transgressions.

Can't wait till the new Ice Age thats coming!!