Via the AP: Foley resigns from Congress over e-mails.
ABC’s The Blotter has more:
Saying he was “deeply sorry,” Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL) resigned from Congress today, hours after ABC News questioned him about sexually explicit internet messages with current and former congressional pages under the age of 18.
As of this morning’s WaPo, the Congressman’s office was claiming that there was nothing to the story:
“The e-mails in question were a response to a handwritten thank-you letter from a former page,” said Jason Kello, Foley’s spokesman. “There have not been any allegations made by anyone except by Tim Mahoney and the Democrats who are attempting to misrepresent a series of innocent communications to prop up a failing political campaign.”
So much for that version of events…
It does make you wonder what people are thinking when they send e-mail like that.
Also: it would seem that as a result of this we should pencil in a new seat for the Dems, yes?
Update: (Irony alert) If one looks at Congressman Foley’s House web page, one finds that two of the most recent headlines extol the Congressman’s work on tracking sexual predators and curtailing child pornography. Somehow, this makes this even more disturbing.
Update II: The AP version of the story notes:
Foley, chairman of the House caucus on missing and exploited children, said he would resign after ABC News reported he sent messages to current and former congressional pages with references to sexual organs and acts.
And in regards to the race for his seat:
Foley’s name will remain on the ballot, which has already been certified, said Susan Smith, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of State. But Republicans have seven days to notify election officials of a replacement nominee who would take Foley’s spot if he wins, she said.
Update III: ABC’s The Blotter has some of the transcripts of the IMs that are the heart of the matter and describes the significance of them as follows:
Federal authorities say such messages could result in Foley’s prosecution, under some of the same laws he helped to enact.“Adds up to soliciting underage children for sex,” said Brad Garrett, a former FBI agent and now an ABC News consultant. “And what it amounts to is serious both state and federal violations that could potentially get you a number of years.”
September 29th, 2024 at 4:14 pm
Congressman Mark Foley
Full Disclosure- Before commenting I must tell that my wife has met the Congressman’s parents but not Mark Foley himself. The Foleys were at one time parrishoners at the same Roman Catholic Church dear wife and I attend and where DW works as church r…
September 29th, 2024 at 10:11 pm
talk about the fox guarding the hen house. . .
September 30th, 2024 at 12:03 am
You forgot to mention that both John Boehner and Denny Hastert have known about Foley’s actions for months.
Why in the world didn’t they aggressively deal with it until it blows open in the press?
Seems like Hastert/Boehner are taking after Cardinal Bernard Law. The cover-up is nearly as sick as Foley’s actions.
September 30th, 2024 at 2:16 pm
At least the laws he passed don’t go away just because he’s a perv . . . I hope the prosecutor works hard to use his own laws against him. Literally hoisted by his own petard.
October 2nd, 2024 at 7:08 am
[...] Steven Taylor has been following this whole Foley fiasco (see here, here, and here (he has posted several other posts on this topic, but these are the most extensive). Much to my dismay, I find that I’m too much of a cynic to be terribly surprised at this sort of thing. [...]
November 14th, 2024 at 8:59 am
Congressman Mark Foley
the Speaker Regarding the Congressman Mark – 10/20/2006 9:35:44 PM was under control of Mark Foley has not yet cosponsored H.R. Message << Older Topic Newer Topic >> Is Mark Foley your Congressm