“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 Florida I have had the privilege to represent.”
–Mark Foley
Florida Rep. Mark Foley’s resignation came just hours after ABC News questioned the congressman about a series of sexually explicit instant messages involving congressional pages, high school students who are under 18 years of age.
In Congress, Rep. Foley (R-FL) was part of the Republican leadership and the chairman of the House caucus on missing and exploited children.
He crusaded for tough laws against those who used the Internet for sexual exploitation of children.
“They’re sick people; they need mental health counseling,” Foley said.
Is this typical of the double standard politics that our politicians enjoy and that we have to endure? Or just the tip of the iceberg?
For those who seek enlightenment go to Project Censored http://www.projectcensored.org/censored_2007/index.htm
(Project Censored – Sonoma State University)
Be prepared to be outraged by the stories that never make it to mainstream media outlets.
Disgusting.
People say they have nothing to hide from their governments.
If you have children you damn well should have.
And now the “excuses” are being spun … he was molested by a clergyman, he’s an alcoholic, he’s gay. Oh poor him, right? The molestation thing sounds like something they pulled out of their hat. I and many of my friends (gay and otherwise) have been shitfaced drunk on many occassions and never once considered having sex with minors. And unless he can prove he’s ever had a normal relationship with a male of the same age group as himself, being GAY has nothing to do with wanting to masterbate to young teen boys, so I’m not buying that as any sort of excuse for his crappy behavior. What next? His mom was scared by a pteradactyl when she was pregnant with him and that’s why he’s mental?! I mean really … let’s hear a few more feeble excuses, shall we.
“One thing is certain: No one in the leadership, including Speaker Hastert, had any knowledge of the warped and sexually explicit instant messages that were revealed by ABC News last Friday,”
No one in the Republican Leadership had a clue?
Republican Leadership can’t monitor their members well enough, but someone outside their realm can?
Sounds like there may be more than one Republican that is damaged goods.
Isn’t just amazing how politico damage control sounds exactly like ten tons of Bullshit.
Why am I having deja-vu? I’m remembering this happening about a year ago or so that the guy heading up the “missing and exploited children” group was being indicted for soliciting minors on the internet, although I didn’t remember the guy’s name. Has it just taken this long for him to resign or is this his replacement doing the same?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060930/ap_on_go_co/congressman_e_mails
In retrospect it seems like I remember the other guy having a house in the DC metro area… at least that’s what I remember them showing on the news (TV). Is it possible to get somebody in charge of the anti-child abuse group who’s not a child molester? Please?
I could have sworn I heard something about someone else too at some point, but I can’t remember anymore. There’s just been too many scandals to keep up for more than a month or so at a time.
It’s not just the Republicans either, Wildman. I have no doubt in my mind there are Dems that are just as evil and corrupt as the Repubs. The whole fat lot of them need to be tossed on their asses. We need younger and fresher blood in government. These fat cats have been sitting on their laurels too long, taking the money, doing whatever they want, and enjoying being in power. Out with all of them.
I am reminded so much of the events that were precusors to the fall of the Roman Empire. The American “Empire” is going to fall too, if we don’t straighten up our act pretty damn fast. Our country is rotten at the core and the rot is spreading.