"Do you like movies about gladiators?"
Posted on 09/28/2006 3:21:37 PM PDT by slowhand520
Sixteen-Year-Old Who Worked as Capitol Hill Page Concerned About E-mail Exchange with Congressman September 28, 2006 3:06 PM
Rhonda Schwartz and Maddy Sauer Report:
A 16-year-old male former congressional page concerned about the appropriateness of an e-mail exchange with a congressman alerted Capitol Hill staffers to the communication.
Congressman Mark Foley's office says the e-mails were entirely appropriate and that their release is part of a smear campaign by his opponent.
In the series of e-mails, obtained by ABC News, from Rep. Foley (R-FL) to the former page, Foley asks the young man how old he is, what he wants for his birthday and requests a photo of him.
THE BLOTTER RECOMMENDS Congressman Ney Pleads Guilty to Accepting Lavish Gifts NY Moneyman Arrested in Teen Sex Scandal Check out the Brian Ross Webcast on Home Page The concerned young man alerted congressional staffers to the e-mails. In one e-mail, the former page writes to a staffer, "Maybe it is just me being paranoid, but seriously. This freaked me out."
Foley's office acknowledges that Foley wrote the e-mails to the young man but says they were completely innocent and that Foley is at most guilty of being "too friendly and too engaging" with young people.
The e-mails were sent from Foley's personal AOL account, and the exchange began within weeks after the page finished his program on Capitol Hill. In one, Foley writes, "did you have fun at your conference…what do you want for your birthday coming up…what stuff do you like to do."
In another Foley writes, "how are you weathering the hurricane…are you safe…send me an email pic of you as well…"
The young man forwarded that e-mail to a congressional staffer saying it was "sick sick sick sick sick."
Foley's office says it is their policy to keep pictures of former interns and anyone who may ask for a recommendation on file so they can remember them.
The Congressional page program was started in the 1800s. In its current form, juniors from high school work on Capitol Hill after school or over the summer. The young man in question did not work or intern for Foley's office.
Elizabeth Nicolson, Foley's Chief of Staff, said they believe the e-mail exchange began when the page asked Foley for a recommendation and that the subsequent exchange was totally innocent. She said Foley's office believes the e-mails were released by the opposition as part of an "ugly smear campaign."
It doesn't sound like there's any there there.
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be interns.
So when Janet Reno, a Florida lesbian, wants to lower the age of consent to 12 or something, that is ok with Florida Democrats, but now a friendly email from a former Congressional employer is suspect.
Is the Liberal party now planting fresh faces in the congressional pool, hoping to win with sexual innuendo?
If you'd asked me yesterday I'd have said it was impossible...
This is ok, if, say, a gay Congressman from Massachusetts (Studds) does it. Also, Barney Frank's boy-toy ran a homo-hooker ring out of his house. But you know, Republicans asking for photos of boys is sick, sick, sick!
No, but there's a here, here.....:-)
Hat tip to Dan Rather for the above quote!
/s
"Do you like movies about gladiators?"
Who needs bookmarks when you can just bend over the pages?
I don't see anything "sick" in the Congressman's words. Unless the boy has inappropriate actions to report, it seems he's overwrought over nothing.
bttt!
Maybe in this case. Though what the heck parents are thinking sending their kids up there is beyond me...
1. He's gay.
2. He likes the young boys.
Now that we've established the points of the story, we can discuss facts as they stand. Someone start us off.
My friends kids give me their school pictures every year.
I suppose they're thinking that the experience will be valuable to them in college or adult life - a "check in the box" that sets one college applicant or job applicant apart from others.
Perhaps they don't think about their teenage children, especially boys, being sexual prey for adults. Or they think their child has too much sense to be a victim, not understanding the dynamic involved with a powerful adult figure, a young person away from home, etc.
Anyway, my first instinct would be to attribute positive motives to a parent. A few years ago, I might not have thought about all the possibilities, myself!
It is almost worth NOT having anything to do with kids that aren't your children, nieces, or nephews.
~ Blue Jays ~
I'm not just worried about possible sexual abuse. There's the drugs, the booze, the corruption. I wouldn't let a minor anywhere near that cesspool. I still think those parents need their heads examined.
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