Ex-Lawmaker Won’t Face Charges in Page Case (No charges for Foley)

NY Times ^ | September 20, 2008 | CHRISTINE JORDAN SEXTON

[bobsunshine]

Nearly two years after a Florida congressman abruptly resigned over sexually explicit messages he sent to a teenage House page, law enforcement authorities here have concluded there is “insufficient evidence” to charge him with breaking Florida laws.

Commissioner Gerald Bailey of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, who was asked in September 2006 to look into the conduct of the congressman, Representative Mark Foley, Republican of West Palm Beach, said Friday that investigators were hampered by Mr. Foley’s refusal and that of Congress to grant them access to Congressional computer files.

The department was investigating whether Mr. Foley violated Florida’s computer child pornography and exploitation law, and a state law banning the transmittal of harmful material to minors via electronic equipment or devices.

“F.D.L.E. conducted as thorough and comprehensive investigation as possible considering Congress and Mr. Foley denied us access to critical data,” Mr. Bailey said in a statement. “Should additional information arise which is pertinent to this case, we will ensure it is appropriately investigated.”

A spokeswoman for the Justice Department, Laura Sweeney, confirmed that Mr. Foley also would not face any federal charges.

[what's up]

The kid he communicated with was not a minor.

It was obvious his actions were not illegal when the events occurred, but everyone was too worked up about the Democrats' "October Surprise" to listen.

[Dilbert San Diego]

This Foley case may have cost Republicans control of Congress. The MSM got into such a frenzy about this that it dominated the news in October ‘06 leading up to the elections.

The Foley case and the George Allen macaca thing were the two big factors in losing control of Congress. Especially Allen, because the Senate line-up after the Nov. 06 election was 49 Republican 49 Democrat, 1 Socialist and 1 Joe Lieberman, the latter 2 caucusing with Democrats. If Allen had won re-election, the resulting 50 Republicans would have kept control of the Senate in Republican hands, as Dick Cheney would have cast the tie breaking vote if needed.

[the Real fifi]

The media did create a frenzy—but it took STUPID conservative voters to buy the kool-aid they were peddling.

[Dilbert San Diego]

You’re right, conservatives didn’t stick together in big enough numbers to prevent the Dems. from taking over.

I’m still frustrated about that macaca thing. It wasn’t even a real word, so the MSM had to define it for people. Then they had to take people by the hand and say that macaca was a racial/ethnic slur, and whip people into a frenzy about that fact.

The other untold story about the George Allen campaign in 2006 is that he had a narrow lead on election night up until 90% of the vote was counted in Virginia. Then suddely, things turned around with the last 10% of the votes to be counted, and Webb eeked out a 7,000+ vote victory statewide. I have yet to this day to see anything in the MSM about the vote count irregularities in Virginia in that election.

This is the same MSM that swears that Bush stole the 2004 election in Ohio where he won by 100,000 votes statewide.

[frogjerk]

Interesting how this is coming up again two years later, just in time for election day. DIMS are trying to dig up old GOP scandals so that their do-nothing congress, Rangel, Dodd, et al, don't look so bad.