Posted on 10/01/2006 12:51:29 AM PDT by beyond the sea
(snips) --
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Republican leaders mounted an effort to explain their own conduct after the resignation of Rep. Mark Foley and suggested there should be a criminal investigation of Foley's contacts with congressional pages.
A strongly worded statement assailing Foley from the chamber's top three Republicans came as they tried to answer key questions: What did they know and what did they do about it?
Calling the contacts "an obscene breach of trust," the congressmen said in their statement that "[Foley's] immediate resignation must now be followed by the full weight of the criminal justice system."
"The improper communications between Congressman Mark Foley and former House congressional pages is unacceptable and abhorrent," read the statement issued by Majority Leader John Boehner of Ohio, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert of Illinois and Majority Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri.
ABC News on Friday evening reported details of three exchanges of instant messages sent in 2003 between teenage male pages and someone using the screen name Maf54, which ABC identified as Foley. The congressman's initials are MAF, and he was born in 1954.
In one of those exchanges, Maf54 advises the teen to "strip down." In another, when the teen says he's wearing a T-shirt and shorts, Maf54 replies, "Love to slip them off of you." And in a third, Maf54 asks, "Do I make you a little horny?" (More details) Democrats suggest cover up
The scandal comes just weeks before the November 7 midterm elections, and Republicans were hurriedly trying to find someone to replace Foley. Foley, 53 and single, had been favored to win re-election in the Republican-leaning district running against Democrat Tim Mahoney.
Democrats sought to take advantage of the bad press.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
I would love to see Republicans use this issue as political ju jit su (sp?). If a RAT uses this issue against Republicans, throw it right back at them.
Knowing as he must have known that Foley was gay, he could have been more curious about what else was out there - but I don't think that's a job requirement AND if he had mounted an investigation based on the emails only and over the objections of the boy's family, he would have been crucified for "homophobia".
The intern in question was 22 at the time, an adult in the eyes of the law and someone capable of making their own decisions. Foley was going after 16 year olds, and all the slams in the world at Clinton is not going to change that or make it more acceptable.
Yeah, and at the same time GOP congressman Dan Crane was banging a 17 year old female page. Neither one was booted, both merely censured. And I'm sorry, trying to lessen the seriousness of what Foley did by saying that the other side did it too is the wrong tactic to take. Foley is pond scum, nothing more or less. And trying to muddy the waters by saying he was no different than Studds or anyone else who uses their position to prey on underaged men or women is the wrong tactic to take. Foley admitted his actions and our condemnation should be complete and unqualified.
I wish I had said what I put up earlier. But, I reproduced and credited what was published on "Powerline" blog.
That'll be next.
LOL
This is going to get real ugly for the next weeks. Along with the silly Woodward book, this next week of liberal media abuse may just be enough to put the Democrats over the top in November. They are going to talk about this Foley/Republican scandal until election day. This is real bad ......... yet, there are those here at FR who say the power of the old media is all over. They're delusional.
Also, CNN just had some legal expert/woman on there talking about a very possible long jail term for Foley and other ramifications against other upper level Republican members of Congress.
This is going to be a tidal wave for the liberal media whores.
No doubt they're going for the throat with their fawning media leading the parade.
I truly wish our Republican leaders would tell it like it is.
Conservatives have been bashed about the head for decades now about being homophobic, we have been ridiculed as purists and hate mongers. That push for "hate crime" legislation to stop conservatives from persecution of special people has walled off common sense.
Foley's emails were much more than "over friendly".
That seems to be the position that you're taking in trivializing Rat abuse and misrepresenting the age of Studds' victim. Studds and Foley should both have had the book thrown at them.
...... which is exactly why it will happen.
And again, the emails were more than "creepy".
Please don't think I was defending Foley's conduct.
Very, very true, and that "ploy" is very lame and destructive to the site. (jmo)
Too often many relatively new and excellent FReepers leave the site because of harassment of that sort. It's a shame.
No it does not.
Those emails of Foley's were much more than "over friendly" as is said (twice) in the post.
Get real.
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