Rep. Mark Foley, R-Florida - resigns

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SETIsLady
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Rep. Mark Foley, R-Florida - resigns

Post by SETIsLady » 09-29-2006 02:29 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., submitted a letter of resignation from Congress on Friday in the wake of questions about e-mails he wrote a former male page, according to a congressional official.

Foley, 52, had been considered a shoo-in for re-election until the e-mails surfaced in recent days.

Campaign aides had previously acknowledged that the Republican congressman e-mailed the former Capitol page five times, but had said there was nothing inappropriate about the exchange. The page was 16 at the time of the e-mail correspondence.

Foley's election opponent, Democrat Tim Mahoney, has called for an investigation.

The correspondence took place in August 2005 after the boy gave Foley a handwritten thank you note before returning to Louisiana.

Foley was running for re-election to a seventh term. He has represented his district, which includes West Palm Beach, since 1995. Florida Republicans could replace Foley on the ballot.

In his exchanges with the boy, Foley asked how old he was, what he wanted for his upcoming birthday, how he was doing after Hurricane Katrina and for a photo.

The e-mails were posted Friday on Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington's Web site after ABC News reported their existence. The group asked the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct to investigate the exchange Foley had with the boy, who served as a page for Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La.

"The House of Representatives has an obligation to protect the teenagers who come to Congress to learn about the legislative process," the group wrote, adding that the committee, "must investigate any allegation that a page has been subjected to sexual advances by members of the House."

According to the CREW posting, the boy e-mailed a colleague in Alexander's office about Foley's e-mails, saying, "This freaked me out." On the request for a photo, the boy repeated the word "sick" 13 times.

He said Foley asked for his e-mail when the boy gave him a thank you card. The boy also said Foley wrote that he e-mailed another page.

"he's such a nice guy," Foley wrote about the other boy. "acts much older than his age...and hes in really great shape...i am just finished riding my bike on a 25 mile journey now heading to the gym...whats school like for you this year?"

In other e-mails, Foley wrote, "I am back in Florida now...its nice here...been raining today...it sounds like you will have some fun over the next few weeks...how old are you now?" and "how are you weathering the hurricane...are you safe...send me an email pic of you as well."

What the boy wrote to Foley, who is single, wasn't available. The e-mails were sent from Foley's personal account, which Foley spokesman Jason Kello says he uses to communicate with many people, including Gov. Jeb Bush.

"They have taken these e-mails out of context in order to smear a good man," said Kello, who described the exchange as "nonchalant, casual." He said Foley didn't save his e-mails or the boy's response.

Efforts to reach the boy were unsuccessful, but he told the St. Petersburg Times last November, "I thought it was very inappropriate. After the one about the picture, I decided to stop e-mailing him back." The Times didn't publish the comments until Friday.

The campaign for Mahoney, who trails Foley in the polls, said it didn't release the e-mails and wouldn't make them part of the campaign. In a statement released by Mahoney spokesman Jessica Santillo, the campaign referred to the boy as an "alleged victim."

"The seriousness of these allegations goes far beyond the tit for tat of a political campaign," Santillo said. "This is a matter for the appropriate authorities to investigate. I believe Mr. Foley deserves the benefit of the doubt until these allegations are proven true or false."

Alexander's chief of staff, Royal Alexander, didn't return several calls to his cell phone Thursday and Friday seeking comment. Alexander's press secretary, Adam Terry, didn't return an e-mail or phone messages. Alexander and Foley wouldn't talk to reporters while the House was in session Thursday and Foley didn't return calls to his cell phone.

Kello disputed the claim that the e-mails weren't distributed by the Mahoney campaign.

"They've been shopping this around to reporters for weeks now. They want a headline and that's it. It's a political smear campaign of the worst kind," Kello said.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/ ... 9-15-02-42

Shirleypal
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Post by Shirleypal » 09-29-2006 02:44 PM

Just heard this on Air America with Ed Schultz, what an idiot this Mike Foley is, if this continues we won't have any worries come November 7th.:)

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Post by Barbie » 09-29-2006 02:44 PM

When I worked at USC my supervisor had been a page in Washington, D.C. when he was younger. He said most people wouldn't believe all the Dirty Old Men who shout family values, and then skulk around trying to get the young male pages to do sexual favors for them. He was so appalled, he left and came back to California. It thoroughly disgusted him, and turned him against becoming a politician.

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Post by Rombaldi » 09-29-2006 03:05 PM

Let's remember also that this is the filth that lead the storming of the vote counters in 2000 screaming "This Election is OVER!"
Republican - re·pub·li·can (r-pbl-kn) - political party, which will control part of Congress 2011-2012, undermining the strength of the country - on purpose, in public, without apology or shame - simply for a campaign advantage in 2012.

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It just gets sicker

Post by SETIsLady » 09-29-2006 06:08 PM

ABC Confronts Rep. Foley Over Sexually Explicit Messages To Underage Boys

Yvonne Lee - All Headline News Staff Reporter
Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Congressman Mark Foley, (R-FL), resigned from Congress Friday after ABC News asked him about sexually explicit instant messages he sent to congressional pages under 18-years-old.


Foley said in a statement, "I am deeply sorry and I apologize for letting down my family and the people of Florida I have had the privilege to represent."

Hours before he issued the apology, ABC News read excerpts of Internet messages given to the network by former male pages. They said the congressman, using the AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) screen name Maf54, made references to sexual acts and genitalia.

Foley is the founder and co-chair of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's caucus.

His Web site details his work on combating child sex exploitation, including his role in crafting legislation that gives volunteer organizations access to FBI background checks to ensure they are not hiring child molestors.


The site says, "Mark has been instrumental in the development and passage of legislation designed to protect our children."

Foley cosponsored legislation that called for stricter penalties against those who harm children.

His Web site says Foley "has joined forces with the Administration and Congress to fight child predators. His Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, which has passed both the House and Senate, will overhaul the way we track and monitor predatory pedophiles."

The congressman also introduced and cosponsored legislation aimed at eliminating child pornography and exploitive child modeling Web sites.

Foley's Web site says he has worked with John Walsh, host of "America's Most Wanted" on child protection programs, including a program that shows children how to protect themselves from online predators.

A spokesman for Foley said the congressman submitted his resignation to Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert late Friday afternoon.

The full Foley statement reads:

"Today I have delivered a letter to the Speaker of the House informing him of my decision to resign from the U.S. House of Representatives, effective today. I thank the people of Florida's 16th Congressional District for giving me the opportunity to serve them for the last twelve years; it has been an honor. I am deeply sorry and I apologize for letting down my family and the people of

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7005024793


When is Mr. Foley going to be treated just like any other child predator :mad: If someone has possession of these types of instant messages he needs to be arrested.
Last edited by SETIsLady on 09-29-2006 06:10 PM, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by Shirleypal » 09-29-2006 06:19 PM

When is Mr. Foley going to be treated just like any other child predator If someone has possession of these types of instant messages he needs to be arrested.


Sadly Linda don't hold your breath, these sickco's get away with murder.

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Post by SETIsLady » 09-29-2006 07:35 PM

This is big news here in Florida, I guess they have to leave Foley on the ballot so if you vote for the write in that will be replacing him, it looks like your voting for Foley.

This incident is really going to damage the Republicans, remember Jessica Lunsford & little Carlie that were murdered here, both by child predators, we have no mercy for them.
Last edited by SETIsLady on 09-29-2006 07:48 PM, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by joequinn » 09-29-2006 07:50 PM

As usual, SETIsLady, you don't understand the facts of life. Child molestation is not the issue. Rather, it's who does the child molestation. If a progressive does it, then it is the height of depravity; but if a fascist does it, then it is a misunderstood act of compassionate conservatism.

So Foley is still on the ballot, huh? Knowing Florida the way that I do, I suspect that he might be re-elected in spite of himself. And no right-thinking Floridian will see anything amiss if he ends up shagging some five-year-old boy while taking the oath of office...

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Post by Live365 » 09-29-2006 08:05 PM

joequinn wrote: As usual, SETIsLady, you don't understand the facts of life.


:rolleyes:

I know, Mr. Quinn, that you are merely tasking SL to respond. But God. Could you be any less a gentleman? :eek: 'Specially to our Dear Lady?

At any rate, it is my impression that she WELL UNDERSTANDS the facts of life, Professor.

Apologies for the interruption. Carry on.
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SETIsLady
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Post by SETIsLady » 09-29-2006 08:09 PM

Live365 wrote: :rolleyes:

I know, Mr. Quinn, that you are merely tasking SL to respond. But God. Could you be any less a gentleman? :eek: 'Specially to our Dear Lady?

At any rate, it is my impression that she WELL UNDERSTANDS the facts of life, Professor.

Apologies for the interruption. Carry on.
Its ok Live365, thanks for coming to my defense but none is needed, , I got what he was saying and it wasnt meant to talk down to me. Just a little sarcasm :D

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Post by Live365 » 09-29-2006 08:27 PM

SL, I am WELL AWARE that you and he are just pulling the best out of each other. :)

But for some reason, I got set off. By the times, mayhaps. Apologies. I over-reacted.

Carry on, you two.
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SETIsLady
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Post by SETIsLady » 09-29-2006 08:29 PM

Live365 wrote: SL, I am WELL AWARE that you and he are just pulling the best out of each other. :)

But for some reason, I got set off. By the times, mayhaps.

Carry on, you two.
no worries my friend :)

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joequinn
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Post by joequinn » 09-29-2006 08:32 PM

The joke's on you, Live365. SETIsLady is one hell of a sharp lady! That is why she is marked for death! She is too dangerous to leave alive...

Live365, as I have told you, I am most assuredly a scholar. But I am not a gentleman. In fact, I ask John Ball's harrowing question of 1381 with a frigid smile on my face:

When Adam delved, and Eve span,
Who was then the gentleman?

(And, by the way, anyone who interprets the above couplet in a non-pornographic way is absolutely nuts! The Peasants Revolt of 1381 was deeply into the down-n-dirty...)

[Strains of the Rolling Stones' "Street-Fightin' Man" sound in the background]
Last edited by joequinn on 09-29-2006 08:36 PM, edited 1 time in total.

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Live365
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Post by Live365 » 09-29-2006 08:39 PM

joequinn wrote: The joke's on you, Live365. SETIsLady is one hell of a sharp lady! As I have told you, I am most assuredly a scholar.


Yes, Yes and Yes.

But geez, with respect to the various posts tonight.

Meth, anyone? :D

Please, Professor. Decorum.
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joequinn
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Post by joequinn » 09-29-2006 08:40 PM

No peace, no justice.

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