Republican Congressman Foley a pedophile

[gerryhatrick]

GOP leaders knew of Foley e-mail in ‘05

By DEVLIN BARRETT, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Rep. Thom, , ), head of the House Republican election effort, said Saturday he told Speaker Dennis Hastert months ago about concerns that a fellow GOP lawmaker had sent inappropriate messages to a teenage boy. Hastert‘s office said aides referred the matter to the proper authorities last fall but they were only told the messages were "over-friendly."

http://www.onelocalnews.com/duntonsprings/...65&source=2

You have a sexual predator of children as chairman of the Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus and another guy who is chairman of the Committee on Environment and Public works who calls Global Warming a hoax.

What the H is wrong with Republicans? Is it a failing of the rightwing brain?

[B. Max]

GOP leaders knew of Foley e-mail in ‘05

By DEVLIN BARRETT, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Rep. Thom, , ), head of the House Republican election effort, said Saturday he told Speaker Dennis Hastert months ago about concerns that a fellow GOP lawmaker had sent inappropriate messages to a teenage boy. Hastert‘s office said aides referred the matter to the proper authorities last fall but they were only told the messages were "over-friendly."

http://www.onelocalnews.com/duntonsprings/...65&source=2

You have a sexual predator of children as chairman of the Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus and another guy who is chairman of the Committee on Environment and Public works who calls Global Warming a hoax.

What the H is wrong with Republicans? Is it a failing of the rightwing brain?

It is a hoax.

What's wrong with liberals.

http://www.familyaction.org/Articles/issue...sing-school.htm

[gerryhatrick]

Looks like Foley actually met with the teen at least once, and was soliciting a meeing another time.

Maf54: I miss you lots since san diego.

Teen: ya I cant wait til dc

Maf54:

Teen: did you pick a night for dinner

Maf54: not yet…but likely Friday

Teen: ok…ill plan for Friday then

Maf54: that will be fun

The messages also show the teen is, at times, uncomfortable with Foley's aggressive approach.

Maf54: I want to see you

Teen: Like I said not til feb…then we will go to dinner

Maf54: and then what happens

Teen: we eat…we drink…who knows…hang out…late into the night

Maf54: and

Teen: I dunno

Maf54: dunno what

Teen: hmmm I have the feeling that you are fishing here…im not sure what I would be comfortable with…well see

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/1...s_show_fol.html

Republicans are all either going to jail for corruption or sexual predation!

[Shakeyhands]

GOP leaders knew of Foley e-mail in ‘05

By DEVLIN BARRETT, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Rep. Thom, , ), head of the House Republican election effort, said Saturday he told Speaker Dennis Hastert months ago about concerns that a fellow GOP lawmaker had sent inappropriate messages to a teenage boy. Hastert‘s office said aides referred the matter to the proper authorities last fall but they were only told the messages were "over-friendly."

http://www.onelocalnews.com/duntonsprings/...65&source=2

You have a sexual predator of children as chairman of the Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus and another guy who is chairman of the Committee on Environment and Public works who calls Global Warming a hoax.

What the H is wrong with Republicans? Is it a failing of the rightwing brain?

It is a hoax.

What's wrong with liberals.

http://www.familyaction.org/Articles/issue...sing-school.htm

WOW.. that Canada Family Action Coalition is f'd right up. I wonder who they contribute their political donations to?

[gerryhatrick]

Some very interesting video of House Speaker Hastert on this scandel:

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/10/02/hastert-foley-campaigns/

In fact, today thinkprogress.org has a pile of interesting video on this issue, if you're interested.

[Shady]

Wow, it definitely must be election time, all the relevant issues are being vigorously discussed.

[gerryhatrick]

Wow, it definitely must be election time, all the relevant issues are being vigorously discussed.

You don't think this issue is relevant? The party of family values has multiple leadership figures involved in the coverup of inappropriate behaviour towards minors?

Are you serious?

[Liam]

Wow, it definitely must be election time, all the relevant issues are being vigorously discussed.

Perhaps the Dems have taken a chapter from the GOP's "All Monica All The Time" playbook from the 1998 mid-terms?

Frankly, a discussion of this issues is exactly what the GOP cannot afford and you should be somewhat relieved that the public has yet to nail the GOP for their mismanagement over the past six years. Or do you think Congressional Republicans have winning, rational arguments about Iraq, Katrina, port security, the government's inability to capture Osama bin Laden, illegal immigration, social security reform, bridges to nowhere, the ballooning deficit, stem cell research, poor body armor for soldiers in the field, budget earmarks, the Geneva Convention, lack of energy policy, lack of oversight of the Bush administration, the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and failure to act as a check on executive power?

[Chrissy1979]

Just like how all the anti-gay folks are secretly gay, the family values people always have the worst skeletons to hide.

[geoffrey]

Just like how all the anti-gay folks are secretly gay, the family values people always have the worst skeletons to hide.

And ignorant people that make broad generalisations??

[betsy]

I am confused here.

Gerry, why are you calling Foley a "pedophile" when according to your link, the boy was already 16 years old at the time? Isn't he just gay?

[jdobbin]

Gerry, why are you calling Foley a "pedophile" when according to your link, the boy was 16 years old at the time?

I believe some Republicans have been callling him that.

You believe he was not?

[BubberMiley]

I find it abhorrent that anyone would defend middle-aged men having sex with teenage boys.

[betsy]

Gerry, why are you calling Foley a "pedophile" when according to your link, the boy was 16 years old at the time?

I believe some Republicans have been callling him that.

You believe he was not?

I would think it is corrupting a minor, compounded by the fact that Foley holds some power...assuming no actual abuse had taken place. I'm not sure...that's why I'm asking.

[jdobbin]

I would think it is corrupting a minor, compounded by the fact that Foley holds some power...assuming no actual abuse had taken place. I'm not sure...that's why I'm asking.

I guess we'd have to look at Foley's law, the one he wrote. It dealt specifically for situations like this. The FBI can now be involved in this. Perhaps they will be pressing charges independent of whether the page does.

Certainly, the Republicans are accusing each other in all of this. They are pointing at past Democratic scandals but surely they know it only makes this situation seem an even worse betrayal. Republicans are supposed to be protecting young people from abuse. If any of them knew about this in 2005 and kept quiet to win a Congressonal seat, it not only puts Foley's seat in trouble but others as well.

They said on TV the other day that parents are pulling their kids out of the page program in Washington because of this. I don't blame them.

[betsy]

I would think it is corrupting a minor, compounded by the fact that Foley holds some power...assuming no actual abuse had taken place. I'm not sure...that's why I'm asking.

I guess we'd have to look at Foley's law, the one he wrote. It dealt specifically for situations like this. The FBI can now be involved in this. Perhaps they will be pressing charges independent of whether the page does.

Certainly, the Republicans are accusing each other in all of this. They are pointing at past Democratic scandals but surely they know it only makes this situation seem an even worse betrayal. Republicans are supposed to be protecting young people from abuse. If any of them knew about this in 2005 and kept quiet to win a Congressonal seat, it not only puts Foley's seat in trouble but others as well.

They said on TV the other day that parents are pulling their kids out of the page program in Washington because of this. I don't blame them.

I looked it up and this dated 2001 says:

Revised Code of Washington

Updated again 01-2001:

RCW 9A.44.093

"(1) A person is guilty of sexual misconduct with a minor in the first degree when the person has, or knowingly causes another person under the age of eighteen to have, sexual intercourse with another person who is at least sixteen years old but less than eighteen years old and not married to the perpetrator, if the perpetrator is at least sixty months older than the victim, is in a significant relationship to the victim, and abuses a supervisory position within that relationship in order to engage in or cause another person under the age of eighteen to engage in sexual intercourse with the victim."

The Age of Consent in Washington is not 18. It is 16. The statute (shown above) that you are making reference to makes it a crime for a person 60-months or older than the younger person to have sexual intercoarse with the younger person if ALL of the following conditions exist:

1-The older person is in a "significent" relationship with the younger person, AND the older person is in a supervisory relationship within that relationship, AND uses that supervisory position in order to have sexual intercourse with the younger person.

This statute refers to relationships between persons who become sexually involved 16 or 17-years-olds, and who are in a position of authority over the younger person and use this authority to gain a sexual advantage. Such a situation might exist between a 16 or 17-year-old student and a teacher or coach who is at least 60 months older.

http://sidesplitters.catastrophe.net/arch/.../washington.htm

----------------------------------

So, the age of consent is 16 (assuming it hadn't been changed). Foley is more than 60 months older and is in a position of authority. I guess we'll just have to wait for more details. So far, I'd assume there was no actual sexual contact. It didn't refer to the crime as pedophilia. It's sexual misconduct with a minor.

PS

Gerry's own article link referred to it as such: "criminal activity involving a minor"

"Congressman Reynolds‘ inaction in the face of such a serious situation is very troubling, and raises important questions about whether there was an attempt to cover up criminal activity involving a minor to keep it from coming to light before Election Day," said Democratic National Committee spokeswoman Karen Finney.

[jdobbin]

So, the age of consent is 16 (assuming it hadn't been changed). Foley is more than 60 months older and is in a position of authority. I guess we'll just have to wait for more details. So far, I'd assume there was no actual sexual contact. It didn't refer to the crime as pedophilia. It's sexual misconduct with a minor.

I guess some Republicans are wrong in calling it a crime of a pedophile. It still doesn't look good. It is unfortunate they didn't investigate further in 2005. They might be accusing the Democrats of using this against them in an election but it didn't need to be this way. They might have been able to intervene earlier, remove the man as Representative and found a worthy replacement and not worried that this man's name would remain on printed ballots.

[betsy]

I guess some Republicans are wrong in calling it a crime of a pedophile. It still doesn't look good. It is unfortunate they didn't investigate further in 2005. They might be accusing the Democrats of using this against them in an election but it didn't need to be this way. They might have been able to intervene earlier, remove the man as Representative and found a worthy replacement and not worried that this man's name would remain on printed ballots.

I agree with you.

[gerryhatrick]

I would think it is corrupting a minor, compounded by the fact that Foley holds some power...assuming no actual abuse had taken place. I'm not sure...that's why I'm asking.

I guess we'd have to look at Foley's law, the one he wrote. It dealt specifically for situations like this. The FBI can now be involved in this.

The FBI are involved now.

As you said earlier, Repubs have been calling him a pedophile. If it's a 16 year old is that pedophilia in some States? I don't know....but the as you also mentioned the law he helped enact is the one that will likely nab him.

Any way this is sliced I think it turned over both houses to the Dems, and that's good news for accountability in the US democracy.

[Shady]

You don't think this issue is relevant? The party of family values has multiple leadership figures involved in the coverup of inappropriate behaviour towards minors?

Are you serious?

As serious as a heart attack.

The man responsible for his deplorable actions has resigned. He's gone.

However, I'm still searching for this so-called "coverup".

Republicans are supposed to be protecting young people from abuse

And Democrats aren't? I'm sure they would take issue with that statement.

I guess some Republicans are wrong in calling it a crime of a pedophile. It still doesn't look good. It is unfortunate they didn't investigate further in 2005. They might be accusing the Democrats of using this against them in an election but it didn't need to be this way. They might have been able to intervene earlier, remove the man as Representative and found a worthy replacement and not worried that this man's name would remain on printed ballots

I agree as well.

Any way this is sliced I think it turned over both houses to the Dems, and that's good news for accountability in the US democracy

Unless of course you're a Democrat that has sex with a page who's a minor. Then you get to serve for 13 more years in Congress, and be named Chairman of a committee instead of having to resign. Talk about accountablility.

[jdobbin]

Republicans are supposed to be protecting young people from abuse

And Democrats aren't? I'm sure they would take issue with that statement.

My meaning here is this is how many Republicans have come to think of themselves over the years as protectors of family values while watching Democratic sex scandals unfold.

[jdobbin]

The latest in the news is that Foley, by resigning, will be able to escape any punishment that Congress could have meted out had he stayed in office.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15170090/

This could just add other problems for Republicans because the investigation may find evidence of other people knowing about Foley. Those people could be punished.

[betsy]

This could just add other problems for Republicans because the investigation may find evidence of other people knowing about Foley. Those people could be punished.

If true, makes you wonder how anyone can be so stupid as to place themselves in such precarious positions. They should know by now that no dirt remains hidden for long in politics.