Posted on 10/02/2006 1:27:37 PM PDT by areafiftyone
WASHINGTON - At least one former congressional page is disputing another former page's claims that pages were warned five years ago to beware of U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fort Pierce.
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."
But another page, who asked not to be named told The Palm Beach Post, "The program in no official capacity warned us about it," and he said that Loraditch had posted an explanation for his comments to ABC on the college social network, Facebook.com.
Loraditch's Facebook.com statement said: "I have received several heated responses from my fellow pages about media involvement in the current situation. I want to respond with a few points and thoughts.
"Firstly, as to the ABC "Warned" story, while I may have inadvertently used the word, "warned," in communication, I can assure you it was not intended. The fact of the matter is in an informal situation a supervisor mentioned that Foley was a bit odd or flaky and did not connote by tone or otherwise that he should be avoided.
"Secondly as to talking out in general, . . . I don't think anyone can argue that protecting kids, pages, or whomever from sexual predators is anything but the most important of this whole saga. Nothing comes in front of the safety of the page program, not the page program, a member of congress, no one.
"Thirdly, I have stressed several key points in my contact with media that all situations with Mr. Foley occurred after we had finished our service as pages. That if anything had happed while we were in Washington, it would have been dealt with. That I have full faith and trust that any of the supervisors and staff we worked with would have properly dealt with any situation like the current one. That the page program is one of the most wonderful and educational experiences a youth can have.
"Fourthly, although not all of you know people who have had these horrible conversation with Foley, I do. And frankly that gives me all the more reason to speak out. . . .
"Finally, if i have hurt or offended anyone, I am sorry. And I love my page friends and I cherish my relationships with the page program staff, however fracture some of this may have made them. I want you all to know that I truly believe that I'm doing the best that I can do."
The other page said most pages are angry at Loraditch's comments and that the page program did its best to ensure the safety of pages, with strict rules and curfews.
Also Monday, the placard that once designated Foley's office was gone early this morning, two days after he resigned amid allegations of inappropriate communications with a minor.
Around 10:30 a.m., a congressional employee put up a new sign reading, "Office of the 16th Congressional District of Florida.
They could swing the vote in Florida.
This whole thing is getting wierder and wierder!
How old are these pages?
"have stressed several key points in my contact with media that all situations with Mr. Foley occurred after we had finished our service as pages."
Then I guess the question remains "how old was this page when he finished his service?"
He started at 16 and went 'til what age?
"The fact of the matter is in an informal situation a supervisor mentioned that Foley was a bit odd or flaky and did not connote by tone or otherwise that he should be avoided."
http://www.archive.org/details/boys_beware
Downloadable educational film from 1961. Check out the comments from the liberals who fight for the wrong team in the culture war...
(a) Appointment conditions
A person shall not be appointed as a page of the Senate or House
of Representatives -
(1) unless he agrees that, in the absence of unforeseen
circumstances preventing his service as a page after his
appointment, he will continue to serve as a page for the period
specified in writing at the time of the appointment; and
(2) until complete information in writing is transmitted to his
parent or parents, his legal guardian, or other appropriate
person or persons acting as his parent or parents, with respect
to the nature of the work of pages, their pay, their working
conditions (including hours and scheduling of work), and the
housing accommodations available to pages.
(b) Qualifications
A person shall not serve as a page -
(1) of the Senate before he has attained the age of fourteen
years; or
(2) of the House of Representatives before he has attained the
age of sixteen years.
What exactly does a page do (officially, that is)?
So they must be 16. Hmm....that's above the age of consent in most states.
GOOD GAD. They're allowing 14 year olds to run around up there?!
It did happen. But what happened? Improper comments were made but there was no request to meet for sex and no sex actually occurred. No nude photos exchanged.
Depending on the community from which the IMs originated (age of consent in DC is 16) there may have been nothing illegal about a relationship between the couple, no matter how distasteful it may be (homosexual, age disparity, mentor/student relationship).
The Democrats are trying to use this story to go after GOP leadership. They are not just attacking Foley. So it is "not over".
Democrats are claiming "Republicans knew and did nothing". Hassart has said he had not seent he IMs. This Democrat claims to have possessed the IMs and "did nothing". Blows the DNC talking points out of the water.
Next to discover is how where these messages obtained? Page who turned them over for evidence or hacker snooping around?
Don't ask, don't tell...
I suspect these pages are trying to curry favor with their respective "constituencies."
The other page said most pages are angry at Loraditch's comments and that the page program did its best to ensure the safety of pages, with strict rules and curfews.
I think the parents of these kids need their ever lovin' heads examined.
...
Soooooo, Foley is only being accused of:
1. Being gay;
2. Being gay at some guys who are significantly younger than him, but nonetheless of legal age, but only communicating with them, NOT actually *doing stuff* with them;
3. Being gay at some people with whom he had a working relationship, which is decidedly unprofessional.
Ping. One down.
I know. I think they should not allow anyone under the age of 18 there.
There are Helen Thomases in them thar hills, I hear. Just waiting for young men to come along so that she can do unspeakable things to them.
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