Republican Congressman Sends Sex Messages to Underage Boys

If you've been reading some of my bazillion posts here about politics (I post too much!), you'd notice that I have criticized many Democrats, in office and running for office, many times since I've been here. I can't remember how many times I've reamed out Kerry, for example, but it's been a lot. I think you're upset about the "Perfect Storm" that's hit the GOP. Democrats didn't create it. We don't have a Karl Rove smart enough to pull off something like this. We're too disorganized. Our leadership stands out only because that of the GOP is so bad. This has been created by the Republican Party. It's something it's done to itself

I can't help it if the Administration and the Republican Leadership in Congress are so totally screwed up. At least on my part, I don't think there has been a surfeit of arrogance. Satisfaction that the GOP is going to lose big in November? Sure. Glee at the propect? Sure. I've been saying that's going to happen on election day for a long time, though. If that is arrogance, I'm guilty.

I just wanted to add that you're one of my favorite conservative posters. You're actually "fair and balanced," most of the time. Certainly more than Fox News. I feel for you. Your party is going to hell in a handbasket.



Keep D&D Civil.

 

I agree with most of what you said here except that the Republican party is "going to hell in a handbasket."

...

They've already gone. Perhaps in another few years when they regain power they'll realize that not all of us who voted for them think that gay marriage is a big issue or that government spending is a good thing.

Thanks for the compliments, as well. The reason I pointed out (rightfully or wrongfully) the tone of your posts in recent times is because you've typically been one to put debate and discourse over "winning." I just felt that it seemed as though your posts were turning more towards the latter than the former. If I was wrong, I apologize.

 

Here's what drudgereport is reporting this morning. If true, and the page was 18 years old.....then what???

http://drudgereport.com/flashmfa.htm

ABC ONLINE GLITCH LEADS TO IDENTITY OF FOLEY ACCUSER

FAMOUS IM EXCHANGE WAS WITH 18 YEAR OLD

Wed Oct 04 2006 20:32:06 ET

A posting on ABCNEWS.COM of an unredacted instant message sessions between Rep. Mark Foley and a former congressional page has exposed the identity of the now 21 year-old accuser.

The website PASSIONATE AMERICA detailed the startling exposure late Wednesday.

ABCNEWS said in a statement: "We go to great lengths to prevent the names of alleged sex crime victims from being revealed. On Friday there was a very brief technical glitch on our site which was overridden immediately. It is possible that during that very brief interval a screen name could have been captured. Reviews of the site since then show no unredacted screen names."

SEX CHAT WAS WITH 18 YEAR OLD

On Tuesday ABC news released a high-impact instant message exchange between Foley and, as ABC explained, a young man "under the age of 18."

ABC headlined the story: "New Foley Instant Messages; Had Internet Sex While Awaiting House Vote"

But upon reviewing the records, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned, the young man was in fact over the age of 18 at the time of the exchange.

A network source explains, messages with the young man and disgraced former Congressman Foley took place before and after the 18th birthday.

Developing...

 

If that is the state of affairs with regard to one of your major TV stations, that they would purposely state the party affiliation of someone who is involved in a scandal incorrectly, then I think you have a problem in your media landscape. That's not journalism, that's Soviet style bending of the truth.

 

Well according to ABC it happened before AND after the page was 18. So it still happened while the page was under 18. Drudge has been going out of his way to defend Foley on the issue, and has a less than stellar track record of getting the story right.

But if it was true the story would lose some of its importance.

 

Do you think Foley would have resigned if all he did was exchange emails with an 18 year old ?

 

do you think he can remember whether the kid was 18 or not?

i think even if he knew the kid was 18...the whole thing is so embarassing, you have to resign. remember the governor of NJ resigned because he was gay. considering the position foley held and the party he served under...yeah, there's no way he sticks around when it's discovered he's sleeping with male pages, no matter how old they are.

 

what state's law governs the age of capacity on this issue?

home state of the page?

the state where the incident occurred?

i think the age of capacity in Texas is 17, right??? i don't exactly practice in this area of the law!

 

Age of consent in TX is 17.

 

NJ Gov. was also married, though.

People are saying he has messages as far back as 2001. Matt Drudge is not someone I look to for accuracy and fairness in reporting.

 

I'm not a lawyer but I think Federal law might govern this since the communications took place interstate or in DC. If any of this happend on Capital Hill then it might be up for Congress to investigate it since Congressional leaders in the William Jefferson case argued that the Judicial and Executive Branch don't have jurisdiction to investigate Congressional offices due to separation of powers.

 

yeah, i have no clue if the report is correct. just asking what if.

he was married. so was this guy, right?

 

i'm not sure there is a federal age of consent.

 

Try 1995

 

I am guessing that since it was over the internet there might be some kind of interstate or federal regulation on what is acceptable for people under the age of 18 over the internet.

I don't know, but that is my guess. I know that under 18 can't go to p*rn sites or whatever.

 

I don't think Foley was married.

 

can you provide an example of a major news network repeatedly mislabeling a congressman like this?

maybe its because "your side" is pretty much wrong on everything. for the record, i am not a democrat, but in a post 9/11 world the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

 

yeah, pretty funny how they slip that in there. the very last line of the article states "before and after he was 18". most people probably wont read the full article.

same as fox news putting a D next to his name.

and i almost fell out of my chair when on jon stewart last nite they showed sean hannitty calling out democrats for knowing about this and holding onto it when it was reported yesterday that FOX NEWS DID JUST THAT!!! these chumps have no shame.

pathetic

 

It's 14 in almost all the other countries. Not sure about US.