Republican Congressman Sends Sex Messages to Underage Boys

Dobson on Pagegate:

"This is not a time to be talking about politics, but about the well-being of those boys who appear to have been victimized by Rep. Foley. If he is indeed guilty of what he is accused of, it is right that he resigned and that authorities are looking into whether criminal charges are warranted.

"This is yet another sad example of our society's oversexualization, especially as it affects the Internet, and the damage it does to all who get caught in its grasp."

Dobson on Clinton and Lewinsky (who was 22 at the time)...

"When assessing the legacy of Bill Clinton, we can’t overlook his shameful sexual behavior in the Oval Office, and then, his lies under oath to the American people to cover it up. Indeed, it is my belief that no man has ever done more to debase the presidency or to undermine our Constitution -- and particularly the moral and biblical principles upon which it is based -- than has William Jefferson Clinton."

http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/...n_foleygate_no_mention_of_house_gopleadership

 

Well, there's this...

and these emails have been released...

 

Foley IM's appear to be 3rd degree felony

A passing statement in an instant message conversation with a teenage page might provide investigators with a damning piece of evidence suggesting criminal behavior in the case of former congressman Mark Foley, RAW STORY has learned.

That instant message conversation from 2003 contains the following exchange:

Teen: whered ya go this afternoon (sic)
Maf54: I am in pensecola-had to catch a plane

Foley told the boy that he was chatting from a Pensecola hotel room on campaign business, although he hadn't officially announced his intent to run for reelection to the House, yet. In 2004, Foley won with 68 percent of the vote.

Over the course of several pages of dialogue, that conversation became extraordinarily graphic, and included several direct references to masturbation techniques and frequency, discussion of the child's penis size, and even the congressman's explicit interest in sexual contact with the boy.

However, by acknowledging his Pensacola, FL location, Foley may have offered evidence of his violation of Florida state law Statute 847.0135, which says:

"Any person who knowingly utilizes a computer on-line service, Internet service, or local bulletin board service to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice, or attempt to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice, a child or another person believed by the person to be a child...commits a felony of the third degree."

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Foley_in_Florida_1002.html

 

Digby's smart and Drudge is an idiot...

Desperate To Stonewall
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/
by digby

Everybody's on to Hastert's transparent ploy to shift attention from his own culpability in refusing to keep the disturbed congressmen away from the high school kids. It's ballsy. But there is a more subtle intention. It's also clear that he's desperate to get a formal investigation going either in DC or Florida that will allow them to claim that law enforcement has asked that they not comment any further. The administration discovered with the Plame case that they can stonewall for months with that.

This could be quite different, however. The players in this case aren't all DC insiders but rather kids from all over the country and their respective parents, friends and relatives who may be willing to talk to the press. And this is so juicy, the press is actually out looking for them. I don't think it's containable even if the entire FBI is investigating.

Still, I suspect we have a very few days, if that, before the entire GOP congress clams up because of the "pending investigation." Hopefully the press will dog them constantly.

But there's no reason their surrogates in the media, and they are legion, shouldn't be asked to constantly speculate about the nature of the acts and the cover-up and be forced to explain to the public just why it is that the entire Republican government is collapsing under the accumulated weight of scandal, incompetence and lies. That's why they get the big bucks. Now they are going to earn it.

Update: Fineman is not getting it on Hardball. He thinks that Hastert, by asking the FBI and the Florida authorities to look into these IMs, is going to provoke the kids who had them to come forward. That is not what Hastert's doing at all. He's trying to get the FBI to track the kids down and tell them NOT to come forward or comment "while the investigation is ongoing." I wouldn't be surprised if Alberto Gonzales himself advised him to do it. As I said, I don't think it's containable, but they are going to try to do what they can.

Update II: Speaking of surrogates in the media, this is simply unbelievable. John Amato pulled some clips from Drudge's radio show this week-end and Jane transcribed them:

Clip #1: And if anything, these kids are less innocent — these 16 and 17 year-old beasts…and I've seen what they're doing on YouTube and I've seen what they're doing all over the internet — oh yeah — you just have to tune into any part of their pop culture. You're not going to tell me these are innocent babies. Have you read the transcripts that ABC posted going into the weekend of these instant messages, back and forth? The kids are egging the Congressman on! The kids are trying to get this out of him. We haven't got the whole story on this.

[...]

Clip #2: You could say "well Drudge, it's abuse of power, a congressman abusing these impressionable, young 17 year-old beasts, talking about their sex lives with a grown man, on the internet." Because you have to remember, those of us who have seen some of the transcripts of these nasty instant messages. This was two ways, ladies and gentlemen. These kids were playing Foley for everything he was worth. Oh yeah. Oh, I haven't…they were talking about how many times they'd masturbated, how many times they'd done it with their girlfriends this weekend…all these things and these "innocent children." And this "poor" congressman sitting there typing, "oh am I going to get any," you know?

Yeah, maybe they were all just "blowing off steam." These sexually deviant Republican radio mouthpieces like Drudge and Rush (who are feted like rock stars by the entire GOP establishment) give me the creepy feeling we have entered the last days of the Roman Empire.

Torture and sexual abuse of prisoners are just frat boy pranks, a congressman sexually stalking 16 year olds in the nations capital is actually a victim of young "beasts" who won't leave the poor man alone. I'm beginning to realize why they were so freaked out by Bill Clinton having an extra-marital affair --- it was so mainstream and predictable compared to their personal habits that they thought it was kinky.

This is your Republican party folks. Had enough?

 

I'm watching Joe Scarborough at the moment, and they're ripping Limbaugh for comparing this to Clinton's scandal.

What the **** is wrong with him?

 

Well birds of a feather you know.

 

Foley and Limbaugh, you mean? I'm thinking that too, how else could you possibly compare the situations unless you believe that sleeping with a woman in her twenties is equal to hitting on a 16 year old kid.

How can anyone listen to this guy on the radio on their way to work on not have any absolutely terrible day.

 

an absolutely terrible day...

 

As head of the committee he was just researching. I can't believe you liberals are now going to attack repubs for working hard.

 

As a Christian, Dobson kills me. The pandering to the political right by the church in this country is just freaky to me. I'm sooooo tired of it.

And this isn't just an internet thing. I agree we live in society that oversexualizes...particularly in the context of children. But judging from the texts I'm reading from these online conversations, there were real relationships with kids he knew who were working as pages...which were merely evidenced by communications through email and instant messaging. This is NOT merely a guy entertaining fantasies in a chat room with strangers. Sadly, I think it's far more than that.

 

2001? The powers that be knew Foley was a bad actor for over five years, yet did nothing. A triump of politics over ethics!!!


GOP Staff Warned Pages About Foley in 2001
October 01, 2006 4:00 PM

Maddy Sauer and Anna Schecter Report:

A Republican staff member warned congressional pages five years ago to watch out for Congressman Mark Foley, according to a former page.

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."

Staff members at the House Clerk's office did not return calls seeking comment.

Some of the sexually explicit instant messages that led to Foley's abrupt resignation Friday were sent to pages in Loraditch's class.

Pages report to either Republican or Democratic supervisors, depending on the political party of the member of Congress who nominate them for the page program.

Several Democratic pages tell ABC News they received no such warnings about Foley.

Loraditch says that some of the pages who "interacted" with Foley were hesitant to report his behavior because "members of Congress, they've got the power." Many of the pages were hoping for careers in politics and feared Foley might seek retribution.

Loraditch runs the alumni association for the U.S. House Page Program, and he is deeply concerned about the future effects this scandal could have on a program that he sees as a valuable educational experience for teens.

 

Tip of the iceberg? Any bets that there are Repubs on their knees as we speak praying for a Dem pedo to emerge?


ABC News: Pages ‘Sending All Sorts of Messages About Possible Other Members’
Tonight on ABC, investigative journalist Brian Ross suggested there may be other members of Congress who engaged in inappropriate behavior towards congressional pages:

 

So, pages are partisan as well? Like they have or Democrat parents and then get assigned accordingly, or what?

 

why is the elephant pink? is he a log cabin republican?

its ok to be gay, just stay away from the kiddos.

 

I just thought it looked in a panic, flailing about.

 

kind of like sen. foley right now?

 

Speaking of homosexuality and pedophilia, I thought it was pretty sad that Republicans were bringing up Barney Frank yesterday. He had a scandal with prostitutes or something??? I believe the prostitutes were of age.

 

foley probably drives in his conv bmw and tells young boys "do you want a ride ride"

 

well limbaugh was trying to compare this to clinton-lewinsky and called democrats hypocrites - he even said "now i know she was 22 or whatever". these people are really sick! clinton's actions were disgraceful, but not criminal. last time i check pedophellia is a crime.

remember limbaugh getting busted with boner pills on his return flight from the phillipines? isnt that one of the top sex tourism destinations? was he having fun with some hot young ladyboys there?

FROM DRUDGE -
ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, MIAMI HERALD And FOX NEWS Sat On Foley Emails.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/03/america/NA_GEN_US_Congressman_Resigns.php

"Rep. Tom Reynolds, the House Republican campaign chairman, said he told Hastert in the spring of this year about the questionable e-mail. Hastert says he does not recall the conversation but does not dispute Reynolds' account."

"Meanwhile, Florida newspapers — who were leaked copies of the e-mail with the Louisiana boy last year — defended their decision not to run stories. Both The St. Petersburg Times and The Miami Herald were given copies of the e-mail, as were other news organizations, including Fox News."

 

Checkout this Tony Perkins video. Take away quasi quote:

"When we hold up tolerance and diversity as guide posts for public life, we get Congresssmen chasing 16 year old boys down the halls of Congress."

Tony Perkins Trying To Turn Foley Into A Gay Issue

Perkins also mentioned that the Repub Congressmen were scared to make this public sooner, since it would be seen as "gay bashing". He said it multiple times, for the hard of hearing. Priceless.

I should start a poll to see who is more bat sh*t crazy Tony Perkins on tolerance or W on the Iraw War.