Mark Foley

[Michele 1]

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I thought it was more than one recipient. So it only takes one of them to be underage, at the time, to make him subject to prosecution. If so, he should be. Regardless, he should resign and seek help.

He has resigned; dunno about the help part. There were several recipients, and sorry for the poor phrasing. The question still remains: was the recipient (of any of the emails/IMs that solicit sex) under age? If so, I'd hope there'd be a prosecution. If not, then apparently there is no crime. Furthermore, if the FBI has had the emails for years, why have they not recommended a prosecution/brought a prosecution? And why has there not been charges proffered in this new set of IMs? And where were the democrats when they knew this had happened? What did they do? What did they know, and when did they know it? (
BTW, none of this ameliorates Foley's creepage.

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[kallend 2,106]

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And where were the democrats when they knew this had happened? What did they do? What did they know, and when did they know it? (


Ciels-
Michele

You omitted an important bit: where were the Republicans? Why didn't Shimkus do anything? We KNOW when he knew something. Shimkus (R) admitted in testimony that he did NOT inform the Dems on the committee. We KNOW when Hastert's office knew something, and they kept it quiet. The Page Program was controlled by Republicans, and they kept the scandal quiet.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[NCclimber 0]

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And where were the democrats when they knew this had happened? What did they do? What did they know, and when did they know it? (
Ciels-
Michele

You omitted an important bit: where were the Republicans? Why didn't Shimkus do anything? We KNOW when he knew something. Shimkus (R) admitted in testimony that he did NOT inform the Dems on the committee. We KNOW when Hastert's office knew something, and they kept it quiet. The Page Program was controlled by Republicans, and they kept the scandal quiet.

What seems be getting little attention is what exactly was reported to the other Congressmen about Foley's IMs? Does anyone know if any of them knew more than "Foley was sending overly friendly messages and the recipient would like it to stop"?

WTF does that mean??? It's pretty open ended and definitely doesn't sound like anything deserving more than a private rebuke.

This whole "why wasn't it investigated?" grandstanding is just so much posturing.

Life in the US Congress is quite different from life in a hypothetical vacuum.

[Gravitymaster 0]

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And where were the democrats when they knew this had happened? What did they do? What did they know, and when did they know it? (
Ciels-
Michele

You omitted an important bit: where were the Republicans? Why didn't Shimkus do anything? We KNOW when he knew something. Shimkus (R) admitted in testimony that he did NOT inform the Dems on the committee. We KNOW when Hastert's office knew something, and they kept it quiet. The Page Program was controlled by Republicans, and they kept the scandal quiet.

What seems be getting little attention is what exactly was reported to the other Congressmen about Foley's IMs? Does anyone know if any of them knew more than "Foley was sending overly friendly messages and the recipient would like it to stop"?

WTF does that mean??? It's pretty open ended and definitely doesn't sound like anything deserving more than a private rebuke.

This whole "why wasn't it investigated?" grandstanding is just so much posturing.

Life in the US Congress is quite different from life in a hypothetical vacuum.

Actually, nobody really "knows" anything, but when did that ever stop us?

[billvon 3,074]

>Does anyone know if any of them knew more than "Foley was
> sending overly friendly messages and the recipient would like it to
> stop"?

Didn't you get the talking points?

Republicans were told "Foley sent a very slightly inappropriate email to a page. I think he said something about a pony." They then acted completely appropriately and informed the Page Committee, which took firm and completely appropriate action. Didn't work, but that's no one's fault.

Democrats knew for a fact that Foley was sending hardcore smut to 14 year olds and did nothing, hoping that a) the 14 year old would kill themselves, thus allowing them to blame Foley for the death, and b) hoping that no one else would find out for 6 years so they could spring it right before a midterm election.

But seriously, I think perhaps we should let a DA decide who's guilty of what. They seem better equipped to make such calls than people on DZ.com.

[Andy9o8 2]

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I think perhaps we should let a DA decide who's guilty of what. They seem better equipped to make such calls than people on DZ.com.

Now you're just being ridiculous.

[NCclimber 0]

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But seriously, I think perhaps we should let a DA decide who's guilty of what. They seem better equipped to make such calls than people on DZ.com.

Apparently, the FBI still has not found anything they can arrest him for. http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/10/fbi_yet_to_find.html

Has GLAAD made any public statements on this issue?

[jenfly00 0]

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But seriously, I think perhaps we should let a DA decide who's guilty of what. They seem better equipped to make such calls than people on DZ.com.

Apparently, the FBI still has not found anything they can arrest him for. http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/10/fbi_yet_to_find.html

Has GLAAD made any public statements on this issue?

Sounds to me like the investigation is simply still in progress.

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Former prosecutors and FBI agents who have worked on similar cases say, depending on the prosecutor, the instant messages contain more than enough material to bring a charge of soliciting sex over the Internet.

FBI agents are seeking to interview every male congressional page during the 12 years Foley served in Washington, according to officials and pages who have been interviewed.

"Then we plan to start questioning the female pages," said one senior law enforcement official.

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"O brave new world that has such people in it".

[Andy9o8 2]

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FBI agents are seeking to interview every male congressional page during the 12 years Foley served in Washington, according to officials and pages who have been interviewed.

"Then we plan to start questioning the female pages," said one senior law enforcement official.

Oh, that's just great. I've got 2 teenage kids. Boy, does this motivate me to want to get them jobs as Congressional pages.

[rehmwa 2]

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>Didn't you get the talking points?

Republicans were told "Foley sent a very slightly inappropriate email to a page. I think he said something about a pony." They then acted completely appropriately and informed the Page Committee, which took firm and completely appropriate action. Didn't work, but that's no one's fault.

Democrats knew for a fact that Foley was sending hardcore smut to 14 year olds and did nothing, hoping that a) the 14 year old would kill themselves, thus allowing them to blame Foley for the death, and b) hoping that no one else would find out for 6 years so they could spring it right before a midterm election.

But seriously, I think perhaps we should let a DA decide who's guilty of what. They seem better equipped to make such calls than people on DZ.com.

Best post of the thread. And, yes, I did get those talking points. They are both repeated ad nauseum throughout the thread. So is the Dem talking points

"After Foley repeated stabbed several pages, Hastert went trolling in orphanages to get him replacements (because he didn't want to share his, they were getting really tired). Though this went on for 6 years and NOT PREVIOUSLY (it started the 3rd day after GWB took office and organized his Republican's only child molestation club in which all republicans gleefully joined) - democrats took absolutely no notice (being too busy with their free time bringing meals to the elderly in addition to being completely trusting of their 'brothers' in congress - but not anymore they are very saddened and disappointed)" Leading Democrats took time out of tutoring homework for their pages to comfort the disheveled pages of Republicans and give them warm clothes, hot soup, and a measure of dignity. The peasants rejoiced."

Note to major media orgs - be sure to show a picture of Hastert following every single time a picture of Foley appears on your news briefs.



Closet libertarians noted this is a distraction and think the page program is wasting tax dollars and should be eliminated.

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[billvon 3,074]

>Apparently, the FBI still has not found anything they can arrest him for.

Then perhaps we should wait until they finish their investigation before proclaiming his guilt - or innocence.