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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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 Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 10:35 am Post subject: The Definitive Mark Foley Resignation Thread... |
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Canuckistan: after seeing your thread, I deleted the one I had started in deferrence, but, in the meantime, you must have locked your thread.
In any case, I had posted an excerpt of the story and commented that I found it very disappointing.
Here is what you posted...
| Canuckistan wrote: |
And quite grossly this guy was chairman of the House caucus for exploited and missing kids.
Click on the link in the article for the transcript of what he was saying on the internet to underage teenage boys. The scumbag, trying to stay in power, tried to spin his emails as merely being "friendly"...and only resigned once he realized the press had the bad stuff.
Go Republican family values!  |
Here is a link to the story...
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/09/exclusive_the_s.html
Here is an update on the story...
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. Mark Foley "was not honest about his conduct," according to the chairman of the House Page Board, referring to e-mail exchanges between the former congressman and a teenage male page.
Foley resigned from Congress on Friday amid the scandal, apologizing "for letting down my family and the people of Florida I have had the privilege to represent."
Foley, who co-chaired the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus, did not mention the messages that brought him down...
Shimkus recalled that when he had initially questioned Foley about the e-mails, the congressman assured him that he was "simply acting as a mentor" to the former page and that "nothing inappropriate had occurred."
Foley said he was e-mailing to find out if the teenager was OK after experiencing Hurricane Katrina and "wanted a photo to see that the former page was all right," Shimkus said in his statement.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/09/30/foley.quits/index.html |
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desultude
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf
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| Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 11:38 am Post subject: |
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I watched all of this unfold on local television here in South Florida, where I am residing for a while.
Last night there was a report on the scandal on local news, then a break for commercials. One of the commercials that ran was for the Foley campaign, scathingly slandering his opponent, leading with a Foley voice over- "I am Mark Foley, and I approved this ad."  I am sure it was scheduled long in advance and no one had time to pull it. During the next commercial break there was an ad paid for by the National Republican Committee, equally negative and harsh. But by the time last night when we were watching the ads, it had turned to gallows humor.
I've been back here about a month, and I have been pretty shocked by the campaign Foley was running. His opponent, Tim Mahoney- a first time candidate- has taken the, if not high, at least much higher, ground. It is sad and thrilling at the same time to see Foley fall this way. The sadness is the lives (himself, family, friends, etc.) that his hypocracy and closeted life, and the ensuing scandal, have harmed. The thrill is seeing another right wing family values nut fall into his own trap.
They say he may be prosecuted for violating the same internet laws for protecting minors that he promoted and helped pass.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/politics/content/nation/epaper/2006/09/30/s1a_foley_0930.html
| Quote: |
Ironically, Foley has been an outspoken opponent of sexual predators. As chairman of the Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus, he introduced legislation in July to protect children from exploitation by adults over the Internet. He also sponsored other legislation designed to protect minors from abuse and neglect.
"We track library books better than we do sexual predators," Foley said. |
http://www.timmahoneyforflorida.com/e3/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=115&Itemid=40
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Negative ads spin into suit in Foley race
Mahoney sues U.S. Rep., citing slander
A campaign advertisement authorized by U.S. Rep. Mark Foley made "false, reckless and defamatory claims" that his Democratic challenger, Tim Mahoney, shipped jobs overseas as a computer company executive, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in Palm Beach County Court by Mahoney.
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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 1:24 pm Post subject: |
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Desultude: Is anyone talking about prosecuting him for anything? If Jeb Bush were astute -- and it goes without saying, honorable as well -- he would slam Foley hard, with the full force of every law available.
I guess it seems to me that this should be much more than a mere "scandal," where someone's political career suffers, and then the old boy system on Capital Hill closes ranks around a colleague, and, by extention, moves to protect the institution and its perqs. I have had enough of stories like these coming out of Congress (and Washington as a whole). |
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desultude
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf
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| Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Gopher wrote: |
Desultude: Is anyone talking about prosecuting him for anything? If Jeb Bush were astute -- and it goes without saying, honorable as well -- he would slam Foley hard, with the full force of every law available.
I guess it seems to me that this should be much more than a mere "scandal," where someone's political career suffers, and then the old boy system on Capital Hill closes ranks around a colleague, and, by extention, moves to protect the institution and its perqs. I have had enough of stories like these coming out of Congress (and Washington as a whole). |
Yeah, they are seriously considering prosecuting him under his own law regarding internet exploitation of kids- I am not sure what the law is. Anyway, I can't imagine that he hasn't done more than a little on-line hanky-panky. I suspect someone will come forward who has some real, physical dirt on the guy.
Apparently the Republican Party has known about this situation for a year, but they say they bought his story that it was all innocent.
Damn hypocrits. I guess the Republicans don't want to condone gay marriage so long as they, themselves, have to stay in the closet in order to get elected. |
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canuckistan
Mod Team
Joined: 17 Jun 2003
Location: Training future GS competitors.....
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| Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 7:55 pm Post subject: |
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Gopher: I did lock my thread after seeing you had already posted about Foley. Ok so we needed another one...merci anyways
Desultude wrote:
| Quote: |
| Damn hypocrits. I guess the Republicans don't want to condone gay marriage so long as they, themselves, have to stay in the closet in order to get elected. |
"Gay" is the least of Foley's worries. This has "pedophile" written all over it and I'm wagering it's certainly not his first foray into the world of underaged boys. There are plenty of 18+ gay guys around for Foley to have hung out with.....but nooooo, he liked the pages |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 3:47 am Post subject: |
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[quote="desultude"]
| Gopher wrote: |
Desultude: Is anyone talking about prosecuting him for anything
(1) Apparently the Republican Party has known about this situation for a year, but they say they bought his story that it was all innocent.
(2) Damn hypocrits. I guess the Republicans don't want to condone gay marriage so long as they, themselves, have to stay in the closet in order to get elected. |
(numbers are mine)
1. Innocent until proven guilty. Ever hear of that? Unless they wanted to expel him (which meant that they would have to prove it) they would have to accept his story.
2. So there's one guy who seems to be something of a pedophile, and suddenly ALL the Republicans are "hypocrits"?
I guess by that logic we can say that all the Democrats are woman-chasers and unfaithful to their wives. 
Let's keep this on Mark Foley and not try and spin this into some kind of Republican conspiracy. I'm sure the usual crowd will be more than happy to do that.
That said there should be a full investigation into this matter and if he is guilty, they should put him away for the maximum the law allows. Unfortunately that is unlikely to happen given politics. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
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| Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 3:55 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
1. Innocent until proven guilty. Ever hear of that? Unless they wanted to expel him (which meant that they would have to prove it) they would have to accept his story.
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You are right that he is 'innocent until proven guilty'. That does not absolve the Republican officials who knew of it and did nothing any more than the Catholic hierarchy who knew about the pedophile priests and did nothing.
There could have been a quiet investigation where former pages were interviewed without calling in the press. Then after the truth was found, legal steps could have been taken to protect these kids.
I for one do not understand why some bishops and cardinals didn't find their asses in jail after covering up crimes for years.
I think the charge of hypocrisy is fair for those individuals in the Party hierarchy who knew and did nothing--because power is more important than principle. |
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Hater Depot
Joined: 29 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 7:19 am Post subject: |
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If you haven't started reading the Talking Points Memo blog, I recommend you start. Too dry for most people's tastes, yes, but if you want to get into the head of a good investigative journalist and kind of learn how to track Washington politics, it's a great place.
And he has been all over this story like white on rice. The mendacity of the Republican leadership here has been public to an astonishing degree.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/ |
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desultude
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf
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| Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 7:32 am Post subject: |
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[quote="TheUrbanMyth"]
| desultude wrote: |
| Gopher wrote: |
Desultude: Is anyone talking about prosecuting him for anything
(1) Apparently the Republican Party has known about this situation for a year, but they say they bought his story that it was all innocent.
(2) Damn hypocrits. I guess the Republicans don't want to condone gay marriage so long as they, themselves, have to stay in the closet in order to get elected. |
(numbers are mine)
1. Innocent until proven guilty. Ever hear of that? Unless they wanted to expel him (which meant that they would have to prove it) they would have to accept his story.
He resigned. The texts of the emails are on the internet for anyone to see. Yes, "innocent" of a crime until convicted- but guilty of bad behavior with a minor on the internet? The evidence is in and conclusive.
2. So there's one guy who seems to be something of a pedophile, and suddenly ALL the Republicans are "hypocrits"?
http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a/gop-leaders-knew-of-foley-e-mail-in/20060929145509990001?cid=2194
| Quote: |
[color=red]GOP Leaders Knew of Foley E-mail in 2005
Democrats Raise Questions of Pre-Election 'Cover Up'
WASHINGTON (Oct. 1) - GOP leaders admit their offices have known for months that a Florida Republican congressman was sending inappropriate e-mails to a boy who had worked as a page in the House of Representatives. |
I guess by that logic we can say that all the Democrats are woman-chasers and unfaithful to their wives.
Let's keep this on Mark Foley and not try and spin this into some kind of Republican conspiracy. I'm sure the usual crowd will be more than happy to do that.
That said there should be a full investigation into this matter and if he is guilty, they should put him away for the maximum the law allows. Unfortunately that is unlikely to happen given politics. |
I'm not saying the Dems are angels- I am not one and I am not a fan of Bill Clinton- but the hypocracy is in being so adamently pro- "family Values" and anti- gay.
You aren't here in the States now, watching the despicably nasty campaign being run by the Republican Party. And Foley's campaign is extremely nasty and is being run in the district I am currently living in.
I reserve the right to gloat, in view of the fact that I have been subjected to this nasty campaign for the last month.
And, yes, I do have sympathy for someone like Foley, who has had to choose to live his life as a lie in order to pursue his chosen career. It is extremely sad. He could have taken a page from Congressman Barney Frank's playbook, if he had been a Democrat. This county is heavily gay, and Jewish, and Democratic- he could have been something else. |
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dulouz
Joined: 04 Feb 2003
Location: Uranus
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| Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 7:47 am Post subject: |
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Is Barney Frank, The Jewish Gay Liberal from a blue state still in power?
| Quote: |
Frank, one of two openly gay members of Congress, confirmed Friday that he paid Gobie for sex, hired him with personal funds as an aide and wrote letters on congressional stationery on his behalf to Virginia probation officials, but Frank said he fired Gobie when he learned that clients were visiting the apartment.
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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 10:00 am Post subject: |
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| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
| Let's keep this on Mark Foley... |
I also do not agree with Desultude's and Canuckistan's generalizing from Foley's case. But I point out that what we have, legalistically, is a tacit admission (his resignation), hard evidence (the emails), and several witnesses who all seem to be recalling the same pattern, including the page, who seems to indicate that he had and has no doubts whatsoever as to the meaning of Foley's messages.
I agree, there has been no conviction in a court of law and Foley cannot be declared "guilty" until then. But if we were a grand jury, deciding whether there was enough evidence to prosecute and whether a conviction seemed likely, I wager that we would nearly unanimously vote "yes..."
By the way, on the generalizing, Democrat James E. McGreevey was (apparently) no pederast, but who remembers that "double life" case...? (These "moral" cases are not exclusive to Republicans.)
| Quote: |
New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey unexpectedly announced his resignation today, disclosing publicly that he is a homosexual and had an extramarital affair with another man.
With his wife standing by his side, McGreevey, a Democrat who has been dogged by several fund-raising scandals, said he has long struggled with his identity. He said he was revealing his sexual orientation and the homosexual affair to counter the vulnerability he faced from "rumors, false allegations and threats of disclosure..." |
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A60487-2004Aug12.html
On the other hand, this is not exactly the first time a conservative "family values" preacher has been exposed on something like this, and here I spread this out and incorporate all of the Jim Baker and Jessica Hahn-style scandals in the mid-1980s. The right's exaggerated and dramatic pretension to moral superiority, which comes out in full force during election years (as Desultude references) is usually unwarranted (and annoying, if you have ever had to live through such a campaign).
If the Republicans could conquer and dominate the faction that demands and presses for this, and this includes the pro-Life, antigay, etc., faction, it would be a better party... |
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Hollywoodaction
Joined: 02 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Just serves to prove what we've all known for a long time: politicians can be hypocrites and many people craving to be in the public eye have far greater dysfunctions than the average person. |
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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Hollywoodaction wrote: |
| ...politicians can be hypocrites and many people craving to be in the public eye have far greater dysfunctions than the average person. |
Couldn't agree with you more.
(Same goes for celebrities, by the way.) |
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canuckistan
Mod Team
Joined: 17 Jun 2003
Location: Training future GS competitors.....
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| Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 7:07 am Post subject: |
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GOP staffers already knew about Foley in 2001--the party of "Family Values" indeed:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/10/gop_staff_warne.html
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GOP Staff Warned Pages About Foley in 2001
October 01, 2006 4:00 PM
Maddy Sauer and Anna Schecter Report:
A Republican staff member warned congressional pages five years ago to watch out for Congressman Mark Foley, according to a former page.
Matthew Loraditch, a page in the 2001-2002 class, told ABC News he and other pages were warned about Foley by a supervisor in the House Clerk's office.
Loraditch, the president of the Page Alumni Association, said the pages were told "don't get too wrapped up in him being too nice to you and all that kind of stuff."
Some of the sexually explicit instant messages that led to Foley's abrupt resignation Friday were sent to pages in Loraditch's class.
Pages report to either Republican or Democratic supervisors, depending on the political party of the member of Congress who nominate them for the page program.
Several Democratic pages tell ABC News they received no such warnings about Foley.
Loraditch says that some of the pages who "interacted" with Foley were hesitant to report his behavior because "members of Congress, they've got the power." Many of the pages were hoping for careers in politics and feared Foley might seek retribution.
Loraditch runs the alumni association for the U.S. House Page Program, and he is deeply concerned about the future effects this scandal could have on a program that he sees as a valuable educational experience for teens.
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....Foley is now blaming it on the booze and his "emotional difficulties"--textbook "mea culpa" spin of the crassest order--to garner sympathy? I guess he has to provide some sort of excuse. I hope he does time and I hope the a-holes who covered for him for years get booted with dishonour:
http://www.drudgereport.com/flash2.htm
| Quote: |
October 1, 2006
Painfully, the events that led to my resignation have crystalized recognition of my longstanding significant alcohol and emotional difficulties.
I strongly believe that I am an alcoholic and have accepted the need for immediate treatment for alcoholism and related behavioral problems.
On Saturday, with the loving support of my family and friends, I made arrangements to enter a renowned in-patient facility to address my disease and related issues.
I deeply regret and accept full responsibility for the harm I have caused.
Over the weekend, I communicated extensively with one of the most respected mental health experts in Palm Beach County, Florida, who has been instrumental in counseling and assisting me.
Attorney David Roth, my good friend of four decades has been requested by me to fully and completely cooperate regarding any inquiries that may arise during my treatment.
Words cannot express my gratitude for the prayers and words of encouragement that have been conveyed to me.
Sincerely,
Mark A. Foley
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You'd think the Republican party would have learned from the 1983 under 18 congressional page scandal.... |
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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2006 8:42 am Post subject: |
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| canuckistan wrote: |
| ....Foley is now blaming it on the booze and his "emotional difficulties"--textbook "mea culpa" spin of the crassest order--to garner sympathy? I guess he has to provide some sort of excuse... |
Seems to have worked for Mel Gibson. |
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