Foley Resigns Over Sexually Explicit Messages to Minors

like we tell our kids, if it feels creepy then it is….you need to get away from that person and report it to an adult.

Remember what happened in Colorado two days ago. Perverts are perverts. Some are killers.

Eww.

Well Brian …guess this wasn’t a BS story after all.

Dayum. There are about 250 people who ranted about “witch hunts” and left wing conspiracoies on this site yesterday who need to order up a big ol’ plate of crow and dig in.

This one goes out to all those naive people who commented yesterday “what’s wrong with a person just being nice nowadays” and “being nice isn’t a crime – give the guy a break”. There is corruptness out there where it should be but none the less it IS. Aren’t we suposed to raise our children to “TELL SOMEONE” and when they do you all rally behind the politian. How sad it that?

How appropriate, foley was the chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children.
How long will it take before people realize that republican and sexually twisted are synonyms.

The republicans are supposed to be the party of values?? Every day I hear about another republican who is either going to prison or under investigation. This is not the republican party that I voted for in 2000, and you guys will not get my vote this November. I can promise you that.

All I can ask is that the now former Congressman be treated EXACTLY like any other US Citizen who would be accused of the same thing. We either PUNISH ALL who go after children (I support), or we don’t, no double standards.

How do I explain this to my children when they ask why I took AOL IM off the home computer?

“…the chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children…”
“…sexually explicit internet messages with current and former congressional pages under the age of 18.”
Why is it I’m no longer suprised by these people?

Ah yes, The Hypocritical Republicans, again! Truth Out!

Where is all the people calling this a left-wing smear campaign?Hope none of them are parents.

Let me be among the first conservatives to condemn this alleged behavior. WTH is wrong with him, McGreevy, etc. I am sickened and so very angry with the selfishness of politicians.

Innocent Foley email everyone said yesterday. Where are you today?

What an idiot–of course all Congressmen are.

Foley, the chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children??
Why aren’t they vetting people placed in positions that deal with children more carefully? Has his chairmanship placed him in a position to exploit the very children he was assigned to protect?

Idiot…

Mark Foley is proof that many Congressional members from both sides of the aisle have lost touch with reality and exhibit different standards that the rest of us have to follow. Congress’s attitude is, there are laws for themselves and laws for the rest of us.

And, I am sure he was an ardent “family values” man to boot. Another watch what they do, not what they say.
This was indeed a fox in the hen house. Hopefully, criminal charges will follow.

Wow, so many Republicans were upset about the previous story. I wonder what they have to say now. Why would a man resign if he was so innocent?

So, here we go again. Only more proof how corrupt Washington is! Difference between parties? What in the hell is that anyway? Yes, I am mad as hell, while America’s ever more horrendous and despicable war machinery, is all over the world telling the world truly the fatest lie ever told that America is almost heaven, and killing thousands of innocent ones. Compare the above with these words: “Overgrown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to Republican liberty”. George Washington as part of his farwell address. Yes, America has totally corrupted itself, just like all previous Empires.

Is there an explanation as to why the press release is dated September 21?

I like how ABCNEWs takes credit for it… or is it Brian Ross? mmmm have a cookie.

To all of you who thought this was a witch hunt…ha!
and this guy was the the chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children!
Republicans are just sick!!!

Another winner from the party of “Family Values”.

Hey its a member of the GOP. What do you expect. Nov cannot get here fast enough both for 2006 and 2008. The GOP will never see my vote again. Between Bush and Cheney and all the crap these so called Godly men do I have had my fill of there lies.

So where are all the folks screaming earlier that this is not news and he is just a friendly guy?

WHERE IS THE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT PART?? IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE OUT THERE??

As much as the Repulican left has come out against gays, I’m not surprised they wantd to dump Foley, a known homosexual here in Florida. His behavior is too hot an issue. He had to go.

What’s really funny is all the repubs who posted earlier about how ABC was trashing Foley out of bias or that there was no story or that Dems are pervs.
Rarely does satisfaction come so quickly.

At least McGreevey liked GROWN UPS!

So much for that “ABC liberal smear campaign” the Republican’s were chatting about.

Danny and Erik, my thoughts exactly. Where are all those people couldn’t find enough bad words to describe the leftist hatchet job against this upstanding GOP rep. Just goes to show you the depth of the denial they live in. Unless they see George W Bush eat a baby on live TV, they will not believe that there is anything remotely wrong with his behavior, and even then, 30% will say it’s the baby’s fault.

The only difference between the perverted democrats and the perverted republicans is that the republicans resign when they get caught.

Well, so much for “innoocent until proven guilty”!

To everyone who complained about ABC running this story:
I guess its “ITS OK IF YOU ARE A REPUBLICAN” time once again. I’m glad to see that someone checked the instant message logs.
He’s a sick guy, and anyone who supports him is even sicker

You want to know whats really sad? Know one gives a rip about the kid. The only thing that matters is doing whatever it takes to embarras a congrassman (R). Let’s make sure we display the “R”. If there was a “D” this would be on page 6.

“Fought with demons?”
Looks like he lost.
Impeach Clinton for less, such understanding when it’s a Republican.

I wonder how long ABC News has had this information and why this is being reported 39 days out of an election. Hope you all are happy that someone else’s life had been completely destroyed because he/she is running for public office and they have an R by their name..

You’re right, the responses to the original post are really funny. And I don’t just mean the inherent absurdity of calling ABC News part of some “left wing media” after the network’s recent hit piece on Clinton, etc.

Hey Jeff,
you might want to read the entirity of the article before making a half-truth comment.
From CNN:
Now, a GOP source tells us now that essentially Foley is worried that there are other potentially politically damaging e-mail or other messages that may be out there and he has concluded that it’s probably best for him not to seek reelection from Florida. That is what we’re told.

I’m an ardent Democrat, and have had occassion to know Cong. Foley on some overseas trips. He is a genuinely nice guy, and a smart, dedicated Member of Congress. I agree…he clearly had some personal demons that are clearly out-of-control, and will require some professional help to deal with. It is appropriate that he step down, but this is a personal tragedy that could happen to a Dem tomorrow. Human frailty is bi-partisan. Now, having said that, I sure hopw we can pick up this seat.

The GOP waged an effective campaign marketing themselves as Christians. The truth, they are no more righteous than anyone else. I don’t glory in Mr. Foley’s fall. To error is human. However, he along with the majority of his party are hypocrites.

“terrible tragedy”??
Hell, no! Just another hypocritical Republican perv caught and FORCED to resign.

There is more stuff coming on Foley’s other emails with other male pages under 18. I think ABC is sitting on them until this evenings news.

Hey all you idiots yesterday who said “I see nothing wrong with what he did, he was just being friendly, this is all a liberal plot”. I expect apologies from each and every one of you today. It was clear as day he wanted to get into this boy’s pants. The boy had never even worked for him but this pedo asked for a pic of him (twice), said his male friend had a hot body, and asked what he would like to be bought for Xmas. Another hypocritical criminal Republican bites the dust. I’m lovin it!

I did what Erik said in his comment and checked out the comments from the first story in the letterbox above. ALL I can say is WOW. What a bunch of loons. I wonder if those same commenters still think it’s just “gossip,” even after Foley has now resigned (in record time, no less!)

Just a word from a conservative: the only thing worse than a crooked, Democrat sexual predator is a Republican sexual predator. We should know better.

Hey Disgusted Dem and Gary,
What does this have to do with the entire GOP, other than it works conveniently as a stereotype for your bitter partisan politics?
I still haven’t seen the offensive messages!

Tit for Tat – Dems are just as trashy as GOP are. People are people. I think we need to oust all our polititians and start over!

He would have never resigned, and his supporters would have defended him right to end, if the transcripts of the instant-messaging had not been saved and now presented to the press. Once Foley saw the kid had those, he raised the white flag. Interesting thing about these instant messaging programs now: you can save the transcripts. By the way, trying to have sex with minors is neither a feature of homosexuality, or heterosexuality. It’s a feature of a different kind of problem. I’ll let the psyhologists come up with the proper term.

Wow. I do see something similar between Dem and Rep. We need to focus on people with integrity. Many of us say intergrity doesn’t matter for our CANDIDATE until a story about that individual while they are in office.

The messages from yesterday were the tip of the iceberg. When someone underage feels sexually threatened, the authorities must look into it.

To Bill: “What a tragedy”? This man is stalking teenage boys and soliciting them with direct sexual references, which heading an agency for Exploited children, and it’s a loss for the state of Florida? Take off the blinders, and look at the corruption in your party. I bet your response would have been much different had he been a democrat. Hypocrite. I call shenanigans!

Yeah, the comments when the first story broke are priceless. Republican automatons calling this a “witch hunt” and saying that Brian Ross is a Democratic shill. Guess what? Turns out Foley is guilty as charged. Yet another gay-bashing GOP politician in the mold of Jim West and Phil English who secretly love gay sex. When are you right-wingers gonna wake up already and stop parroting the party line, even when the truth is smacking you right in the face?

Ironic, he was chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children. It’s like having Bush be President or Rumsfeld Secretary of State.

Republican Left? Hello oxymoron.

How can we protect our children from predatory Republican Congressmen?

Fought with demons bill? Mark Foley is a pedophile who embraced his desires, the e-mails attest to that. He is one of many pedophiles hiding in the political party of pedophiles. The torturepublicans were aware of this fact and hid him as best they could for as long as they could. Just more sleaze in the party of sleaze.

I was trying to find the e-mails. I’ve heard reports that ABC has them so, I assumed they would be released. There is obviously something to them or he wouldn’t have resigned. I’m thinking he must be a member of NAMBLA since the kid was just 16.

I agree with Erik. Check out Foley’s defenders in the comments below the first article. I wonder if they eat crow with salt or pepper?

Someone in these comments asked why the page’s sex as a male is important, and I’ll tell you why.
If this man is voting against gay rights and he’s secretly living a gay life, then he is voting according to his party to keep his job and be chummy with the Republicans. THAT MEANS HE’S A HYPOCRIT. And as a Florida resident, I DO NOT WANT A HYPOCRIT with voting power to represent me. He does NOT represent me. H he is a Republican puppet AND a HYPOCRIT!

Yet another example of what is wrong with our country today – people who preach moral values and live their lives in the gutter.

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

For those lacking reading comprehension skills, the article states that the congressman sent messages to at least two underage male pages with repeated references to sexual organs and acts. That is the sexually explicit part. Given the remorse in his apology, there is probably more to come. Watch tonight.

HAHA- where are all of Foley’s self-righteous defenders now? The ones who just last night were talking about this “witch hunt” from the “liberal” media? You can bet if Foley was a gay Democrat who was stalking Capitol Hill interns they’d be up in arms, filled with “Christian” outrage. But since Foley is a Republican, they’ll look the other way. Or maybe they’ll bring up Clinton for the 4,000th time! The blatant hypocrisy is proof positive of the rotten soul of today’s GOP.

The GOP starting spinning the Abramoff commitee’s findings before the story broke by saying the lobbyist was dissapointed at how few favors he got from the White House. Then it turns out the real story is his office made 485 contacts and got quite a bit accomplished and gave quite a bit of stuff to them. The NIE was spun not as the Iraq war is creating terrorists faster than we can kill them but that we must stay or they will win. Foley’s story was spun with him as a friendly guy rather than a SEX PREDATOR. And on and on and on. Anyone who believe GOP spin is an idiot. Poor Mark Foley, wrestling with demons all these years. Someday you will say poor Bush, Cheney, Condi etc. wrestling with pathological lying and the sickness of committing war crimes.

“Here is the difference Republicans will stand on principal not politics.”
HAHAHAHAHA.
“On June 10, 2004, Bush, responded affirmatively when asked in a news conference if he would “fire anyone found” to have leaked Plame’s name.”
one of 1,000,000,000,000 examples.

C’mon guys. He’s a Republican, which means he’s for family values,which also means he’s for God.
No matter how much the liberal media wants to traffic with lascivious lies about our conservative representatives, and even if our conservative representatives admit to being creeps, we values voters will continue to vote for them.

For all the GOP bashers out there – just remember Congressman Studds from Mass who was censured for having an affair with a congressional page.
He was censured – but then reelected by the Democrats for several terms after the scandal.

“Let’s get back to the issues!
Posted by: Mark | Sep 29, 2006 4:20:57 PM”
Funny how when it’s their boy getting busted for unlawful sexual conduct, then they scream about the issues, but when it’s a Democrat having consentual sex with an adult, that’s worth a $50 million investigation and impeachment.

Wait just a doggone minute here. He sent emails to former pages talking about sexual organs and acts??? I hope to *^%* that he comes under the full restrictions of his beloved and life destroying but ineffective AWA. This needs to be a lesson to all of us. When you see those screaming loudest about sex offenders and fanning the flames of hysteria…LOOK CLOSLEY they are quite likely hiding their own perversions!

Laff I posted here yesterday that he was a perv and boom today the perv resigns lmao.

His resigning is a good start. Now he should be investigated, and prosecuted if he broke any laws.

I didn’t think it was a big deal until he resigned over it. I’m sure there is a lot more to it than just asking his age. This is not even close to being over. It’s a huge loss for Fla because he was a great Congressman and a Fair Tax supporter, pervert or not.

What a terrible tragedy!
Or maybe a tragedy avoided

Well, it sounds like this Congressman did what he did, so, obvioulsy, he needs to go.
Just one difference between between a Repub and a Dem…The Repub will normally fall on their sword by resigning (as they should) where the Dem usually will not (ie my former Rep…Gerry Studds)
Why don’t the Repubs ever learn from the Dems…Admit nothing, Deny everything, and Make counter-charges….

A good guy in many respects, it is appropriate for him to resign….Not because he’s gay or bisexual, but because he violated a sacred trust. I am proud to have shared the podium with him and to have had him as the speaker at my retirement from the Navy, but this was wrong.

Shaking my head…reminding the GOP..it’s Democrats and sex scandals, Republican’s and finanacial scandals…

How about that? A congressman (Republican) stepping down without being asked to. What a concept!
While his alleged actions are dispicable, at least he did the right thing and stepped down fromhis position.
I’m sure the media will have a field day with this, especially in light of Bush’s recent approval jump in the polls.

I love the idea of a Republican having to resign. At the same time, I worry about someone losing his legislative post when he had apparently been a good legislator for his constituents, untill this story came out.

Man, what is it with Politicians and Clergy and young boys ?
Tar and Feathers are too good for these guy .

I think these Republican congressmen just aren’t doing the jobs taxpayers are paying them for – we need to focus on the issues and stop with these extracaricular activities. I don’t want them praying on my kids.

Can someone show me how what the congressman said in his emails is “sexually graphic?” Asking someones age and for a picture seems fine to me if it was for their page program.

Bill Clinton had consensual sex with an adult of the opposite sex; this is a same-sex minor we’re talking about here! Not the same thing.

I don’t see how some people commenting here can make this into a partisan issue…the democrats didn’t have anything to do with it. This guy is going after 16 year olds. Gay or straight that’s illegal.

I thought he was a closet hetero

I can’t believe some of the emails that people put here. Who cares what party he’s from. Child stalkers are in every society, race, age and party. They are your congressmen, doctor, teachers, clergyman, brothers, uncles ect.

One of the authors of the Adam Walsh Child Predator Safety Act. Worked to ban child nudist camps in his district. Tougher sentences for child predators and mandatory nationwide tracking devices.
Maybe he was just just on one of those fact finding mission.
Republican family values ! what’s Santorum take on this one.

Just because someone is gay doesn’t make them a pedophile.
Anyone claiming otherwise is repulsively ignorant.

Can someone please tell me what was said that was sexually explicit? All I can see is that the boy got “freaked out” because Foley asked for a picture of him (not a nude pic or anything, just a picture) and he thought it was “sick sick sick” for Foley to want to know how he was doing and what he wanted for his birthday. Was he hitting on him? Maybe, but the guy is now 18, not a child anymore. I personally am not in favor of the whole gay thing, but what is wrong with the young man that he couldn’t just say “No! You can’t have my picture and I don’t want anything for my birthday!”
There’s got to be more they aren’t telling, because what they are telling is absolutely NOTHING!

Well isn’t this typical of the lefties 40 days out from an election. I bet they don’t sleep at night just so they can go after these ridiculous storeies. Where is tru journalism. I haven’t seen it in years.

ABC, right wing cherry picking media outlets afraid of the truth.

The people crying foul and saying that Foley is being railroaded are unbelievable. These myopic Republicans are amazing. If you want to really discover what the GOP and their base is like read the new John Dean book “Conservatives Without Conscience”, it’s an eye opener. I have nothing against gay people, just hypocrites like Foley and other “still in the closet” Republicans.

Resignation does not equal guilt. And it’s possible the GOP quietly pushed him out. Like many I am hoping the GOP falls flat on their faces in coming elections but I do feel for anyone (and families) that’s put through this in the media.

drip drip drip
When will those of you who vote Republican start to see the pattern?
These guys are laughing at you while they cynically violate the “family values” they’ve used to hookwink you into voting for them. Ralph Reed calls Christians “wackos”. Falwell is raking in millions from your donations while he screws his secretary. It’s not just a few of them – it’s most of them, and it’s all part of their plan. Sooner or later you’re going to have to look in the mirror and admit to yourself that you’re being used?

This man was the Chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited children…that is what makes this so especially terrible.
Not that he was gay…but that he was gay and exploited minors, from a positon of power and great responsiblity.

Hey Jeff… if a 54-year-old man was emailing YOUR 16-year-old son and asking him what he wanted for his birthday, how would YOU feel about it? Nothing wrong with it as long as it is someone else’s kid, right?

Hey “JE,”
I don’t see any conservatives defending Foley on this board.
However, I see plenty of libs/opportunists living the double standard.

GROSS! What a Dork!

Tradjedy?? Please – he’s one of the sick people who, instead of dealing with his true sexuality and living life in a healthy way chooses to wallow in self-hatred, hypocrisy and vicious legislative attacks on gay people. Now we find that he apparently has resorted to attempted (as far as we know)molestation of unwilling 16 year old boys. I feel sorry for people like him who are mentally sick, but while he cannot choose his sexual orientation, he could CHOOSE to be healthy. He deserves whatever he gets.

If the aol messages had been to a person OF AGE this would only have been an embarassing act of impropriety…the very fact that this guy was hitting on minors reveals a very serious problem. And for all those who intimate that gays are responsible for pedophelia, remember, the vast majority of pedophiles are STRAIGHT, MARRIED, RELIGIOUS MEN! Right or left, hitting on a minor, who also is a subordinate, is totally wrong. Bill Clinton was wrong also for hitting on an intern, but at least she was an adult.

Wonder how the O’Reilly Factor will justify this guy?

This is really sad. Not because he’s gay but because someone entrusted with public office can against their better judgment prey on kids.
I’m as independent as it gets and I hate both parties equally but I can’t stand the Republicans’ holier-than-thou attitude. If you make yourself out to be pious, infallible and perfect, people can’t wait to rub it in when you make a mistake.

At least he had the decency to resign unlike Rep Gerry Studds (D-MA) who continued to prowl the halls of Congress for 14 years after his censure for sexual misconduct with a 17 year old House Page.

I’m a Democrat, but still find this tragic. Put the partisanship aside and think of his family.

I thought the drama on night time TV was insane. This is absolutely insane. This guy is a nut case. There is a weird trend and it is not for the better. I can’t wait until the 2008 election. With the truths, lies, and videotapes.
I hope this guy is federally prosecuted. I mean the public figure should be held to a higher accountability than us commoners.

And so these are the moral standards of our elected leaders?! And Washington wonders why the rest of the country is so fed up with their $%*&!
Pave DC and everyone in the beltway!

Foley is NOT gay – he’s a pedophile. Gay men like GAY MEN, not underaged boys. Gay men like relationships were two consenting adults are involved – pedophiles like to persuade and pursue underaged people – whether straight or gay.

After reading all the hysterical comments criticizing ABC on yesterday’s breaking story, it’s really disgusting to see conservatives continuing to defend this guy for doing the “decent thing” by resigning. And some of you still continuing to claim this is a political stunt by the left! Have you no decency, have you no shame? It seems that every bit of news gets filtered through your right wing conservative brain washed minds.

Reading this thread one could come to the conclusion that people are suprised when a politician is revealed to be corrupt, perverted or decietful.
I thought that was the definition of a politician.
I’ve see it before, I’m not surprised.
Hey, we elect ‘em!

The fact that Foley is gay is irrelevant; i.e. there is no basis for equalting sexual orientation w/pedophilia. The fact that he inappropriately approached adn attempted to engage minors is very much the point here. He needs to be further investigated.

Seems Foley is just a hypocrite and a liar. Democrat or Republican – - doesn’t really matter. Just like a chameleon…but in this case we might have a glimse of the true, ugly colors! What a shame!

Wonder what O’Reilly will say about this?

You liberals are wasting your time. These Republicans are so consumed by their own arrogance, self-importance,and contempt for everyone aside from themselves that they are oblivous to evidence and reason. You can’t tell them anything. Black is white to them, if being white serves their purpose. They’re so fervent in their efforts at deception to achieve their aims that they’ve even deceived themselves.

Gannon, O’Reilly, Bill Bennett, Rush and now this guy Foley–seems like the more priggish and preachy they act, the more demented they turn out to be. Lord help us if Sen. Santorum has any dark secrets because they’ll be really dark!

Here the Republican enablers go again with the “straw man” defense, claiming that Dems would support a gay man sexually pursuing a minor, taking a small extreme minority to represent the overwhelmingly sane and decent majority. I suppose all Republicans want to abolish the IRS, blow up federal buildings and live in an armed camp in Montana, too.
As for Clinton, yes it was sleazy and stupid, and he and his party paid for it. America paid for it with an unnecessary and counter-productive war started by W to both avenge and show up his father. The difference is that sleazy and criminal are not synomyns, and while Monica wasn’t the sharpest pencil in the box, she was a consenting adult.

Why is it a liberal double standard to criticize the Chairman of a House Committee on Missing and Exploited Children for sending young men under the age of 18 sexually explicit messages? The hypocracy would seem to be claiming to stand for “Christian family values” while trying to seduce young men who ostensibly work for you. I have known Mark Foley for years; there was never any doubt that he was gay (most of his constituents new and did not care), though the Republican Party and Congressman Foley both denied it. What is hypocritical is to argue it is fine for a Republican to engage in the sort of activities that Congressman Foley apparently was so long as he was a conservative Republican — but to claim that liberal Democrats who support gay rights are somehow unAmerican.

Hello Gail, it is the decent and RIGHT thing to do, in stepping down.
What he did was completely wrong. The way he’s handling it is completely right. The only thing better, besides it not occuring, would have been to step down BEFORE he was caught.
Now, explain that logic to the Louisiana congressman who was CAUGHT with thousands of dollars in his refrigerator, while commandeering a helicoptor to retrieve it during the Katrina evacuation.
Each are wrong. One has stepped down.

Who,s the governor in Florida? This is all dem. propaganda!

Release the instant messages! And don’t continue to obfuscate the issue by implying that the emails are all there is. There was obviously some pretty serious stuff there, and the public deserves to see it. His quitting is no quid pro quo for ABC to sit on the evidence.

The page was a female I think.

“At least he had the decency to resign unlike Rep Gerry Studds (D-MA) who continued to prowl the halls of Congress for 14 years after his censure for sexual misconduct with a 17 year old House Page.”
Truer words were never spoken. I’m not, for one second, excusing the behavior at all…quite the contrary. Foley was correct to resign and seek forgiveness. However, there is an undeniable double standard between Republicans and Democrats in these matters. Democrats simply do not resign…ever…for any reason. Republicans do, however, seem to “do the right thing” and resign.
My 2 cents

This story is truly pathetic. Mark Foley has been lying about his sexuality–as are several other Republican high ranking officials and representatives. But, who cares about that? No one, except the hypocrites in the Republican Party. The reason for Foley’s resignation is that he knows he’s been caught engaging in sexually predatory behavior; otherwise he wouldn’t have resigned. Mark Foley is a sexual predator who had to resign; it’s not a tragic day for Florida, Bill. It’s a good day for Florida.

I’m sorry, but I don’t see the crime. “How you doing after the Hurricane and send a pic of yourself” just doesn’t seem like sexual content. It sounds like a friendly fatherly figure talking to a boy. Like how you would talk to your own kid. Where is the crime here? If there is sexual content in these emails, then they need to present the evidence. I haven’t seen any.

This is definitely an uppercut to my side of the aisle. The talk is State Rep and former Attorney General Candidate, Joe Negron, will be our selection. I’m not sure of the process, but this is shocker. Rumors had been there that he might be gay, not a pedophile.
My hope is that voters in his district don’t think that a Crist, also unmarried (however divorced) is the same as what is dropping on Mark.

Interesting that this comes out before an election. Not really interesting, just politics from the liberals and democrats.
Yeah, what’s with those liberals thinking voters should make informed choices? Kind of like not being told that the car you’re buying has a cracked block.

Notch another pickup for the Democrats!
The sick thing was that he was an important member of the House Caucus set up to counter pedophilia and child porn.
Good God, what is wrong with these people?!

Looks like all the apologists from the previous story have a serious amount of egg on their face.
Idiots.

“Buh…buh…but CLINTON!”
So predictable, so tired.
This guy’s a criminal, he needs to be locked up.

It is comical to see a Republican step down in disgrace over his inappropriate behavior toward young boys. Unlike Bill Clinton and Barney Frank, he pursued minors, meaning he is a pedophile. He is, therefore, a danger to society. I am so happy to see his hipocracy exposed. His party has never been fair to gay people, which are people who have relations with adults of the same gender. He may be gay or straight (he has never revealed this), but he makes overtures to children. That is sick.

Mr. Foley is a human being first. I do not put a politicion or political party on a pedestol. I do not understand politicians and their pundits today who live, eat & sleep politics. If this charges are correct, Mr. Foley will face criminal charges as a child predator. I would imagine the authorities will take his computers, etc., to press charges. I am a republican who takes no pleasure in watching how egos & power destroy lives. Unless you’re Bill Clinton, that is different, Monica was of age, an Intern who gave oral sex to President in the Oval Office. Two things…that is not the same as a child predator like Mark Foley…Bill Clinton is a rock star & idolized around the world.

In 1994 I produced a television news program called Out in New England. (google: “kurt wolfe” + congress). We outed Foley then not because he was gay, but because of his anti-gay voting record. We had three independant reliable sources. We also outed Jim Kolbe and Jim McCReevy (sp?). Kolbe came out of the closet as a result of our story. He thanked me about a year later for the report. McCreery and Foley denied the report. Our sources were obviously right.

Yeaaaaah… democrats finally have an “issue”! Treason didn’t work, maybe Foley’s bad behavior will give them the boost they’re looking for.
Good luck!

Next career move…Mayor of Neverland Ranch??

Its not gay or Repubilcan’t. Its THEY WERE MINORS! That’s the issue

I do not understand why the Republicans are acting as if Foley was noble or decent for resigning after he got caught doing something highly illegal–pedophilia–trolling for underage sex–ie the kind of thing that makes virtually everyone’s skin crawl.
For that matter, there was nothing noble about Duke Cunningham’s resignation, Bob Ney’s resignation, Tom Delay’s post indictment resignation, Davis Safavian’s resignation, or Scooter Libby’s resignation.
Find me someone that cofesses and resigns before they get caught, that would be somewhat noble and decent.

‘why is everyone stoning this “poor” guy?’
well, because he resigned abruptly, which congressmen don’t do unless they’re really in trouble. that would indicate that there’s something to this story.
go back and read the part about “repeated references to sexual organs and acts.” he’s 54 and the kid is 16.
do you “get it” yet?

Please… you are complaining about election time? So you would rather vote in a pedophile, ignorant of his wrong-doings? Now you have some time to get a new nominee, maybe one with his pants on his waist.
Is there something in the FL drinking water, you guys are always in the news for messing stuf up!

I keep hearing people alluding to the fact that Foley is homosexual. So what? Homosexuality does not equate sexual predator. If it turns out the Cognressman Foley is guilty of inappropriate advances toward his underage staffers (technically it would be inappropriate for anyone to illicit sexual favors etc. from a subordinate, but that’s for another time), we should all remember that homoseauality is not what caused the advances. Those were the product of something else entirely.

The neocons that have made this issue about conservatives vs. liberals only know two words in their vocabulary – Ditto and BAAAA
Like their lying deceiving heros Rush L. and Bill O’Wrongly they choose not to think (lazy) and just regurgitate the vomit that comes out of the mouths of their FOX talking heads and other Right Wing bozos with the full intent of overturning the Constitution so they can act all pios and above everyone while secretly preying on children. Exuse me I have to go throw up. November can not come soon enough.

Resignation does not equal guilt. And it’s possible the GOP quietly pushed him out. Like many I am hoping the GOP falls flat on their faces in coming elections but I do feel for anyone (and families) that’s put through this in the media.
Posted by: Jeremy | Sep 29, 2006 4:49:28 PM
This was a safe House seat. The Republican leadership wouldn’t push him out no matter how greivous his crimes if it endangers their hold on the majority and control.

Hello Gail, it is the decent and RIGHT thing to do, in stepping down.
What he did was completely wrong. The way he’s handling it is completely right. The only thing better, besides it not occuring, would have been to step down BEFORE he was caught.
Now, explain that logic to the Louisiana congressman who was CAUGHT with thousands of dollars in his refrigerator, while commandeering a helicoptor to retrieve it during the Katrina evacuation.
Each are wrong. One has stepped down.

Bill Clinton?
With a consenting-adult-FEmale?
oooh, how exotic!
Keep it up, wingnuts. You’re making this all too easy.

The implication that this is some sort of gay thing is ridiculous. There are incaculable numbers of people who identify themselves as heterosexual who sexually assault children. Just ask any girl who’s been sexually assaulted by her father, brother, uncle, grandfather, teacher, coach, etc.etc.etc. 20% of all girls are sexually assaulted, usually by male family members or male family friends, before the age of 18.
This isn’t a heterosexual or homosexual problem, this is a problem as old as time. This is a problem that is defined as pedophilia (look it up) and has nothing to do with race, color, creed, political affiliation, religion, gender or sexual orientation. The only thing that is glaringly different in this case is this mans position and his obvious hypocrisy, Chairman of “the missing and exploited children” committee. Thank god he didn’t run an orphange or a daycare.

Gay/Straight is not important. Propositioning a kid is. We have to look with equal disdain upon a sleazy straight guy or a sleazy homosexual.
Both sexual persuasions would be better off without idiots in leisure suits demeaning women (straight) and idiots dressed as nuns demeaning themselves and demanding to march down the street (gay).

There goes the family values the Republicans are suppose to have.

Such anger in these postings! Look at the facts of the story and make up your own mind. Republicans and Democrats have had these scandals. It does not make one party more moral than the other.

Politicians seldom resign from the pressures of friendly e-mails. Most of the iceberg is still under water.

I find it so vexing (and I’m liberal!)that every time news such as this occurs, the two warring parties worry less about cleaning up Congress and more about trashing the opposing party’s morals. I’m sick of this. Not all liberal politicians are not hedonistic, immoral, potheads and not all Republicans are corrupt, hypocritical, fatcats. Instead of telling Americans to vote on false sterotypes of a party’s “morals”, tell them to try voting on the ISSUES for once. You know, the economy, foreign policy, education, etc. These ring a bell? In my experieince, the majority of people who run on morality, do so to mask the fact that hey have no legitimate positions on actual politics! Start taking voting seriously and you’ll start weeding out creeps like Foley.

My goodness. Those who state that Foley is being persecuted because he is a Republican, and that if he was a Democrat he would get a pass, are just ridiculous. Child endangerment is the issue here, not politics. If it has taken a 16 year old to unmask this man who holds a great deal of power and persuasion, so be it. IF Foley had been a Democrat you same opinion writers would probably be high-fiving each other and having a field day. Disgusting. And the same, it should be noted, for those Democrats who think this is a good thing for their “party.” Get some priorities here.

Hmmm…another right-winger doing something (someone) they’re not supposed to be doing. Actually, I don’t know much about his politics – is he a right-winger?
Workers Unite!!!

Clearly Mr. Foley is a better man than many of the Republicans spewing their nonsense here. At least he accepted the guilt and shame of his actions and resigned, instead of pointing fingers.
But you GOPpies have no shame, that’s obvious.

I am sorry but people have to stop talking like he a homosexual.
Gay men do not chase children…PEDOPHILES DO.
Homosexual men like adult men.
IF Foley like teens, he is a PEDOPHILE and thus I have NO sympathy for his demons.

The real losers are the exploited and missing children and taxpayers.

on drudge. instant message:
Maf54: Do I make you a little horny?
Teen: A little.
Maf54: Cool.
another one bites the dust. progressives, no need to fight on a chat board. we’ll have the last laugh in november. remember iraq, katrina and osama bin laden lives.

“And the same, it should be noted, for those Democrats who think this is a good thing for their “party.” Get some priorities here.”
As a Democrat, seeing the number of Republicans in Congress decrease IS priority #1. I don’t care how. The House is a circus under Republican rule. This guy has done far worse in the past, namely, he voted for Hastert as Speaker. I’ll shed no tears for him.

We are not talking about a homosexual or a heterosexual in this case.
If true, we are talking about a possible pedophile, which is criminal in nature. I think they should check this mans home computer for kiddie porn or correspondence with underage children personally.
I dont care democrat or republican, all americans should be outraged that a representative of Congress may possible be hitting on teenage pages!!! If anyone defends this man for any reason based on party affiliation, they need to rexamine their values about the safety of our children.

The story itself may say “not so much”. But the guys apology and resignation over it speaks volumes for the story’s insight and accuracy.

Dems or Republicans…the hatred spewed from both sides will be our downfall. I give this country 50 years before self-imploding. :(

So I expect Foxey Bill O’Viley and Sean InsHannity will really rip into him for this, right? Yeah – haha – right – with puffballs, tears and violins! Observe the Hypocracy, and Laugh, electorate!

I think one thing that is being missed in the comments here is that Foley didn’t resign only because of the emails that came out. While they are highly questionable, they are not illegal or lewd in and of themselves. The problem is that what is being heard in the corner chats around the Capitol building is the there is other, and much more damaging, information out there that is likely to come out, especially if he remains in Congress. I believe that Foley is only getting out before things become much worse for him.

NWester – you are wasting yoru breath. The defenders of Pedophiles dont like facts. They only see party and defend it no matter what.

This pervert was a Clinton impeachment fan as well. How can anyone suggest there is one ounce of good or humanity in this piece of garbage called Foley?
Come on GOP’ers….call this guy what you would call him if he was a Democrat you damn hippocrits.

Maf54: Do I make you a little horny?
Teen: A little.
Maf54: Cool.
LOL!

“It is not anyone’s business the sexual preference Foley has.” RH Guise
And I suppose it’s no one’s business either that the objects of his desire were minors either.
Where was this cavalier shrug of the shoulder when Clinton was involved in heterosexual liasons with an aid within the age of legal consent??
Will the hypocracy of the GOP ever end?

So Foley sent insppropriate email and now he’s quitting, which is the right thing to do. Too bad Masachusetts Rep. Gerry Studds didn’t quit when he was censured by the House for ACTUALLY HAVING SEX with an underage male page.
In fact he should have quit before he was censured, but he went on to get reelected five tmes by his constituents. Talk about lack of shame.

For those of you that are still (against all sanity) trying to say this isn’t enough info, wait until you see the text messages (look on DRUDGEREPORT)….well see how your defense looks then.
It isn’t surprising….the ones who constantly rail against the lack of moral values are ALWAYS the ones who have skeletons themselves….
This is great timing before the election as well. Thanx REPUBS!!!

“The difference?
When republicans are wrong they resign.
When democrats are wrong they whine.”
If only. If only. Because I’m waiting for the day that Bush, who was wrong, and Cheney, who was wrong lead the long parade of Republicans out of Washington and all of our states’ capitals.

For all you Republicans still defending this slimebag, your media hero Matt Drudge just posted a little excerpt from his instant message exchanges with the boy:
Maf54: Do I make you a little horny?
Teen: A little.
Maf54: Cool.
Anyone comparing Bill Clinton’s exploits with a consenting adult to this kind of sick pedophile behavior is living life with right-wing blinders on. Frankly, people like you shouldn’t be allowed to vote.

Wait a minute here, regardless of his political party he’s child predator plain and simple. He needs to be locked up not linked up with Bush or anybody else. He needs to put into prison and allow the inmates to have there way with him, he is truly a sick person!

To those who compare this to Clinton’s affair with the thong flasher, I have one question: What part of “Monica Lewinski was an adult” don’t you understand?

It never ceases to amaze me how some people come out and try to make this a dem issue..i am reminded of The Party from the book 1984. Very Orwellian. Dems aren’t involved in this at all (and on an aside yes, those with frozen cash in their freezers should be indicted) so quit with your brainwashed rhetoric. This man is a republican; the party who tries to paint its image as god fearing and family value endorsing. There is utter hypocrisy here, when will you realize it?

Ok, so the people defending Mr. Foley keep saying “at least he did the right thing”. Maybe I’m a little off here, but wouldn’t the right thing be to not be a pedophile, to not be creepy with a 16 year old boy. Maybe hes innocent, but quit saying he did the right thing. If he had done the right thing, we wouldnt be reading this story

Reading these comments is a pretty sad commentary on the public. Some think liberal = pedophile, others think this guy is bad + this guy is gay means that all gay is bad? How sad. I am neither gay nor a pedophile, nor a democrat, but you freaking bigots are embarassing.

It’s getting very depressing to read the news. Why are so many sleaze bags running our government? Where are the honorable people? Are there any?
As sad as this story is, it’s just as troubling to read all the Dem vs. GOP posturing. Seems to me both groups have no shortage of dirt balls.

Look at the hatred here. This is why the enemy doesn’t have to do anything but sit back and watch us stupid Americans self-destruct. There is no ‘American Pride’ anymore. You’ve all been duped into self-loathing and are too stupid to realie it. My mother was right; this country has been successfully dumbed down by the government since the 60′s.

did anyone see the Birdcage?? Isn’t this Senator Healy all over again?

Chair of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children.
Nice. GOP scum. Wolf guarding the lambs.

Republican, Democrat, it’s all the same. People who want to control other people are naturally attracted to politics. They are all corrupt. That is why I follow ideology and not political party. I am a conservative who is NOT happy with the Repulican party these days. I could NEVER vote Democrat under any circumstance.

If children cannot trust their leaders, especially of organizations that protect the welfare of children, then who can they trust?
No one.

To people who say that we shouldn’t judge all Republicans by one example: Lead by example, and don’t do the same to homosexuals.

Click the link at the top to read the instant messages. The emails may seem tame – but these other communications are not innocent in any way, shape or form.
It doesn’t matter what party or state he is from, if this is true, then there is a big difference between him and Clinton. Infidelity between two consenting adults is not illegal. Preying on underage teens is. Until people realize it’s not a partisan issue – he has a very big problem and should be in treatment and/or prison, not Congress – this country is never going to be able to overcome it’s troubles.

I keep seeing the rightwingers say that he did the right thing and resigned but it’s obvious that he’s been sending messages like this over a number of years, why didn’t he do the right thing and resign long long ago. When it comes to doing the right thing I’d say it’s way too late for him to be doing the right thing, that time should have been the first time he betrayed the trust of the voters and more importantly his family. Surely waiting until he got caught wasn’t the right thing, surely his denials a few days ago when the story first started wasn’t the right thing.

To all the “Look at what Clinton did” faux “Family Values” Republicans:
The first family value most of us learn from good parents is that saying “Other kids do it” brings the response: “If other kids jumped off the roof would you follow them?” We are taught that what others do does not excuse anyone for doing likewise. Any child will tell you that.
“Plenty of blame to go around” and “Other people do it” (or do worse) have become a Republican mantras to cover every moral lapse from pedophila to the lies that took us to war in Iraq. To utter a single word to defend this creep, in any way, is to inform the world of the writer’s defective moral compass and lack of a sense of right and wrong

“…That is why I follow ideology and not political party. … I could NEVER vote Democrat under any circumstance.” Posted by: Robert Sep 29, 2006 6:20:28 PM
I’m glad you’re so consistent.

Re: “I’m sorry, but I don’t see the crime. “How you doing after the Hurricane and send a pic of yourself” just doesn’t seem like sexual content. It sounds like a friendly fatherly figure talking to a boy. Like how you would talk to your own kid. Where is the crime here? If there is sexual content in these emails, then they need to present the evidence. I haven’t seen any.
Posted by: valeyard | Sep 29, 2006 5:16:51 PM”
Don’t you know that pedophiles groom the children they prey upon, by gaining their trust, being nice to them, etc. etc. This sounds like the start of “grooming.” Like someone here said, how would you like it if a middle-aged man emailed your 16-year-old daughter? Think again.

All you repubs are right, this is the work of the ACLU and the Left Wing Dems again!!! Dang…those guys are clever…my body is tan and fit…wha???

If he felt any remorse, he would donate his warchest to those children he supposedly fought so hard to help. But he is a republican; they can’t think in terms of selflessness. Incidentally, that makes how many republicans indicted or arrested for sexual crimes against minors? Don’t take my word …Google it.

As a good little Republican I:
1) Think any child predator is a dirt bag and needs to go.
2) Assume the Democrats and media will love this story because there have not been n-number of scandals with the Republican party in congress and the White House – we all just miss the entertaining Clinton scandals.
3) Remember that you will find good people and bad people in both parties. For example, Foley is a bad Republican. Jo Ann Davidson is a good Republican. If you give me long enough I’m sure I can think of a good Democrat.

Isn’t the age of consent 16 in DC? I don’t see the problem here.

I can’t believe the Republicans here attacking liberals and democrats for something a Republican did. That’s not the point of the story…it’s about a man being a pervert and harming children.

As A lower case i independent, I can honestly say that looking in from the outside, the Republicans seem to been very two faced. And those seemingly Repbulican doubters and nay-sayers about this story just need to do their do-digilance and if you’re not disgusted then I will finally understand why you keep supporting this president.

No more hate, okay?

As the saying goes in Washington, you can survive any scandal as long as it doesn’t involve a dead woman or a live boy.
Whoops.
The spin from this against the Dems is going to be horrific.

How does the Bush White House continually to manage to put the most incompetant, corrupt or hypocritical people possible in charge of it’s policies and programs? He’s a pedafile? GREAT! Let’s put him in charge of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children … for the record (but not to defend his actions) whatever his sexual orientation may be, not all gays are pedafiles, just like not all hetereosexuals are good parents. Regardless of his sexual orientation, the ironies of this story are mind boggling!

Incredible to read these posts. Politics has become religion. Why are democrats happy? This is a tragedy. Why are republicans defensive? This is ONE republican, not all.
I am glad he resigned. I believe his resignation is just the beginning. This stuff is ILLEGAL, so he will probably get prosecuted too.
Hopefully, he will be replaced by a better person.

The difference between this guy and others (nonGOP) is that at the least he has some shred of decency to resign instead of wasting our time fighting it.

What difference does the “D” label or the “R” label make? This makes neither party stronger. Pray for the guy, he’s in his own personal hell right now.

For those that think this is much ado about nothing, please take a look at the just released IMs Foley sent to minor males. The emails were innocuous, but the IMs leave no doubt that Foley is a child molester, plain and simple, and no amount of perfume will make that pig smell sweet.

Just as Clinton lied, and was impeached by the House for lying about sex (under oath)-something that I have little problem with, as he is little more than Republican lite- That is going to be a small note in history when you look at the lies told to us by George W. in his constitutionally mandated speach to the nation. He lied, he is lying and will lie again. This Republican congressman needed to go for his lies and actions, and the entire administration he supported should follow soon after.

Apparently, the boy reported the emails LAST NOVEMBER!!!! It was refered to a congressional ethics board to investigate. What happened over the past 10 months???? No one in congress heard about this???? Was the investigation “ongoing” or was it squelched to protect a very powerful man? Now, the Speaker of the House has asked for an investigation…. Duh?????? Surely, he would have been informed about any alegations, early on, within his caucus…right? This doesn’t make sense, there was supposed to have already been an investigation. This whole thing is looking to be worse.
This child (victim) is a very brave!

Now it looks like Dennis Hastert knew about this pedophile in Congress a year ago- AND DID NOTHING ABOUT IT.
From thr AP-
“The page worked for Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La., who said Friday that when he learned of the e-mail exchanges 10 to 11 months ago, he called the teen’s parents. Alexander told the Ruston Daily Leader, “We also notified the House leadership that there might be a potential problem,” a reference to the House’s Republican leaders.”

Actually… the most satisfying visual in all of this is how Karl Rove MUST be foaming at the mouth right now.
His empire of corruption doesn’t seem to be as invulnerable as he expected.

can you image another republican degrace so, much for guise of family values. election day is coming lets hope america wakes up FINALLY. replace these two faced clowns.

pe‧do‧phile  [pee-duh-fahyl] Pronunciation Key
an adult who is sexually attracted to young children
he’s not a pedophile, just stupid with bad judgement.

Democrats aren’t whining as was stated earlier. Yes, this guy resigned…before he could be fired!
It is so typical to see Republicans try to compare what this guy did with what Bill Clinton did. Two totally different circumstances. What Clinton did was not illegal, just immoral by our standards. This guy has broken the law and since Bush saw to it that the Congress changed laws to keep himself from being prosecuted for breaking the law, we can only assume that same Congress will give this guy a slap on the wrist and let him go on his merry way. After all, since he resigned, he still gets his pension for life.

States Rule needs to be emphasized – per the consitution -NOT Federal Rule as many think!!

I first heard of this on my way home from work as I scanned the radio and ran onto Savage Nation. A few minutes of their BS and I remembered why I had quite listening to him before. It amazes me how he thinks he has all the true information – sounds like he should be on the next ballots; I bet he never admits he was wrong. Is he also from Texas? It is easy to see why in the past six years we have lost so much world respect!

If a child senses something creepy, they’re usually sensing correctly.
There are far too many sociopaths running the Republican party right now. Sociopaths tend to be religious fanatics, and also tend to accuse others of being what they themselves are.

Intersting to see how most posts are targetted towards the political side of this. Forget the politics. You’ve got a person in a position who is suppose to be helping exploited children and what’s he doing? Exploiting them for cheap thrills.
Personally I don’t care if he’s republican or democrat. He resigned, yes, thats one step. But I agree with an earlier posting, put the FBI on this man to learn how far he has taken his predator behavior. Does it go beyond the e-mails?
I could careless if he is homosexual, thats between him and his wife. The child predator piece is what needs to be focused on. Investigate, charge, and convict him… not as a normal person but as a politician who has abused the trust given to him.

Like any of you people are perfect?I think Not.

I wonder if Foley was a woman and the page was a 16 yr old boy, would she get a free pass???
Kind of like all the hot teachers getting away with having sex with students of late.
Hmmmm…..

Brian Ross is awesome…we innocently believe that the U.S. government is charged with protecting the welfare of children, but they can’t vote and have no money to buy off Senators… so when someone in the press goes after the abuse of children it must be regarded as the highest act of nobility…the press has the potential to be noble and Mr. Ross clearly understand his mission as a journalist.

Okay.
A guy who ran FEMA who knows nothing about emergencies.
A guy who runs Missing and Exploited Children who exploits children.
It is one extreme or the other with the Republicans lately: They either know NOTHING about their job…
Or they know WAY TOO MUCH.
But who cares. Didn’t you know Bill Clinton was responsible for 9/11? (spinny spin spin)

With regard to this whole situation, I sure hope someone has talked to the other 70+ pages currently in the program and at least had an open conversation about all of this with them.

Republican or Democrat they’re all the same. They stink. I still think my cat could do a better job of running this country than either party. America USED to be a place to be proud of. I am an ashamed American grandmother. When is the last time any government entity actually acted on behalf of THE PEOPLE it is supposed to represent? If they really cared, don’t you think our borders would have been closed on 9/11?
I vote to scrap Washington DC altogether, surround the area with barbed wire holding ALL present elected and appointed officials as inmates. I vote to start over at a completely different location with REAL people who actually give a damn and have some moral backbone with at least two ounces of responsibility.
Current trends disgust me completely.

Being a pedophile is inexcusable. This person needs help.
Being a hypocrite is sad. This person needs morals
Being a Republican today is telling. After reading this board, these people need some soul searching.

Wow, former Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL, must indeed be a sick man. To lie to the people he represents as chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children, and the conservative people of South Florida who elected him.
It confirms me two things:
1. Most of the “conservatives” don’t belive the hog wash that they spew to get elected by the far right.
2. That power clouds judgement. I would take an honest openly gay congressman over a lying pedophile 100% of the time

I assume each Page has an email account while serving as a Page. Doesn’t the Page Program Director monitor their email communications? If so, why wasn’t this investigated years ago? Upon returning home after serving in the Page Program, I assume the parents assigned a screenname to their child. Don’t all parents monitor their children’s email communications?

WHAT WAS HE THINKING! OH! HE WASN’T
By the way,most gay men are not pedophile. Come out ! be the man you should be.

Not only was what Foley did a crime (using the Internet to solicit sex from minors), but it is very clear that GOP leadership covered up his activities in order to avoid having to spend millions defending his seat. In other words, GOP leadership chose the pedophile over the people. Very, very sad.

Foley should not get any different treatment than any other sex offender. He needs to reap what he sows, and be forced to live by the rules he helped pass. And should also be required to be on the sex offender registry, cannot live within 1000 feet of where kids congregate, and feel how all other sex offenders must suffer, also his family and children will suffer along with him, like other sex offenders family and kids are suffering. What goes around comes around… I think this is funny as crap, and if he gets treated any differently than “John Doe” then this government is totally BS.

You guys realize that this ‘former’ congressman had only a high school education! He dropped out of community college to make his mark, guess he did! So when does the sick right start blaming all this on former President Clinton? Anybody?

Well this whole thing with Foley may just be the tip of the iceberg. How many other people knew about this perv and did nothing? Foley will be fine, by the end of the week we’ll find out he’s bi-polar, his mother beat him while his father watched and to get through his days on Capital Hill, he drinks!

I’ve only recently became interested in polotics, I’ve always voted though. I understand why people are discusted with the political system and don’t vote. The republicans seem to be going out of control and are completely over stepping their political boundaries. I think the US needs major regimine reform as badly as Iraq. If you can’t trust the law makers who can you trust?

The actions of Foley, if validated, may be disgusting and if the law was broken he should be prosecuted. However, few have commented on an underlying fact in all cases of politicians in similar circumstances. Their stupidity is incomprehensible! We elect these folks because we think they are intelligent and above circumspect. Honesty would be nice but I am a realist.
I believe people should not be ostracized for sexual preference. The one factor in their character not for interpretation is abiding by the law. A person in Foley’s position dabbling in such tawdry affairs is either mentally incompetent, grossly stupid or supports an emperor complex.
No one with any of these limitations should ever attain public office. Perhaps it is time to psychologically “vet” political candidates as a part of the election process.

This whole scenario should be one more red warning flag in a long series of warning flags we have received over the years from our government. Mark Foley was chair of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children. Mark Foley also tried to solicit children online. THIS IS NOT A COINCIDENCE!
We are having this fact rubbed in our faces time after time after time. The people who protest loudest about some “immoral” behavior or other are so often directly involved in it themselves, whether it be drugs, alcohol, personal abuse, religious domination, imperialism, terrorism, and all other form of dysfunctional behavior, large and small.

I don’t support anyone who does wrong, but, I have not yet seen any real proof… just some kids word. your headline promised text from one of “the” messages… sorry I guess I missed that. (it’s not there)
only what the boy said it said… I want to see real proof not just “hear say”
Let the FBI do their job.

And the moral of the story is that the Republicans are Always Right..

I SEE STUPID PEOPLE !
it shouldn’t, but it still amazes me how people can take anything, and turn it into a “party” thing…i’ll bet the 16 year old kid could at least stick to the subject matter at hand. he was astute enough to know when theres a red flag flying in his face… some of you people really scare me..
hmmm…..

Yea, it would be nice if they could get him on Dateline NBC. Like being gay is one thing, but goin after little boys, a fifty year old. nuts. But what I am really looking for on the net is like a copy of the e-mails. From what people have said they are pretty saucy.

Just a musing from abroad.
I do find it very disconcerting to read about USA scandals, such as the Foley affair. Certainly, this kind of thing is not unique to the US, but I wonder if Americans realise just how their national image comes across to the rest of us around the world (or whether even the US is really concerned about what people on the rest of the planet think about them)? The problem is that if a great and mighty country is pursuing a foreign policy that is meant to teach the rest of us about democracy, freedom and moral rectitude, that country has to make sure that its own reality (not just the words) is an example to be followed. The thing perhaps that will save America’s face is the extent to which the American legal system is able to ensure that justice is done. And also to what extent the US press fulfils its mission (certainly, in internal US affairs that are part of the Republican/Democrat battle the press does get things out – unlike foreign matters where all the major daillies seem to have common blindspots).
Otherwise, it all just seems too absurd and ridiculous.

I don’t know what all the fuss is about. We already know what happens to rich and powerful pedifiles the get their lawyers to get them off. Just ask Michael Jackson. Foley won’t get tried like other americians he’ll just be swept under the rug like all the rich and powerful peoples crimes.

Wait a minute
Wasn’t the republicans all over President Clinton about Monica L?? Need I remind you that Monica WAS an adult woman! There is no crime between 2 consenting adults.
This is totally disgusting about Mark Foley!! And to make it even worse, he was on a committee for exploited children. The page is a minor and there is NO excuses for it. Period. Whoever covered this up should resign now for the GOOD of the country?? No one is above the law. DH needs to GO right now! We as American people won’t stand for this kind of evil behavior. It’s so disgusting!!

I see the Democrats are having a field day with this one. One bad apple spoils the whole bunch. I don’t see all what all the fuss is about because I am sure he is not the only one. People judge but the truth has not come out yet. They are only emails and if you see how these young kids talk on “My Space” and what you see on that site I am sure you are not surprised. This is what “Free” speach is all about, isn’t is? I personally believe there is too much freedom to do and say as you please nowadays but when it doesn’t suit someone, they start complaining. Like the Democrats who don’t want to spy on “Terrorist” emails but they want to spy on Congress, isn’t that a double standard. Get over yourselves.

It is amazing to read these comments here, do so many of you think it matter in what party these ppl are? If they are corrupt it does not matter, you only need one apple

I would hope the courts take action and put this guy where he belongs. That said…I find it disturbing when an incident like this happens and the only thing a Democrat can think of is hurting the Republican Party, and not the child.
If the Republicans knew before hand about Foley, you can bet your boots the Democrats did as well. Has anyone, with common sense wondered why this came to light at the same time Congress recessed for the elections..who has the most to gain from the exposure…and who exactly made the relelation in the first place?

Congress is only a cross-section of an immoral society. Both parties are guilty. Those, of either party, that are caught should be ousted. But to say that either party is totally corrupt because one of their members was caught doing a reprehensible act is pure partisan politics. Let’s get back to discussions on how parties are different…not deviant sex which is a common fault.

I love it……Foley gets nabbed lock stock and barrel and Hastert says it’s ABC and the Dems causing the ruckus…HOLY COW. Hello Kettle, this is the pot, you’re black. If the roles were reversed and Foley Jackson was a Dem, the GOP would have made it a capital case and tried to have linked 20 Dems to the pervert. The best part is him checking himself into a rehab clinic…yeah, that’ll work, we’re all stupid.
Damn I hope we get the house back.

-If the Republicans knew before hand about Foley, you can bet your boots the Democrats did as well.-
How stupid can you be!!!!! Not in this current Repubs, “lock them out rulers of the HOUSE.”

So much ado about nothing! These people might redirect their attention to something really important. This nonesense should never been reported by the media. It is certainly not newsworthy.

It’s so amazing that this wonderful REPUBLICIAN who was against the gay community, and against gay marriage. And wanted to preserve the sanctity of marriage and the American Family as only seen through a Republician Religious Christian Coalition Member could, wants to do the wild thing with all the male pages in Washington. Hey George how’s this for one of your good ole boys.
And then if this all isn’t enough he now wants to blame all this on being molested in his younger years. It’s wonderful to always have someone to blame other than yourself. I’m curious Mark, would you be nearly as sorry if you’d not been caught? I as a gay American who has served his country in the armed services am ashamed of you and imbarassed for you. A little tar and feathers seem an appropriate punishment, save some for the rest of your forked tongued GOP BUDDIES.

how do i post on the web, someones name that is molesting his daughter, and trying to molest his grand daughter, and is doing things on the internet that is really wrong!!! He is a retired corrections officer, and this has been brought out in the open, and he lied about it once, and he got by with it, this cant go on, the stuff he is doing, on the web, and at his home, I dont want him drawing anymore people in his circle on the web, thanks, please e-mail me back

Mel Reynolds
Jesse Jackson has added former Chicago Democrat Congressman Mel Reynolds
to Rainbow/PUSH Coalition’s payroll. Reynolds was among the 176 criminals
excused in President Clinton’s last-minute forgiveness spree. Reynolds
received a commutation of his six-and-a-half-year federal sentence for 15
convictions of wire fraud, bank fraud, and lies to the Federal Election
Commission. He is more notorious, however, for concurrently serving five
years for sleeping with an underage campaign volunteer.
This is a first in American politics: An ex-congressman who had sex with a
subordinate…won clemency from a president who had sex with a
subordinate…then was hired by a clergyman who had sex with a subordinate!
His new job?
Ready for this??
***Youth Counselor****

lets pray that mark foley goes to jail
thank you lord
amen

Why isn’t Mark Foley in JAIL???

Mark Foley is the one who revamped the Florida website which includes non-violent misdemeanors which occurred with adults ~ they have to follow all kinds of registration criteria yet Foley who is stalking minor boys does not have to register?? go figure?

wow this guy is just dispicable.