Sixteen-Year-Old Who Worked as Capitol Hill Page Concerned About E-mail Exchange with Congressman

ABC News ^

[Howlin]

Foley better be able to produce those emails or this kid can say literally anything.

[Annie5622]

Ok,,we're awake, so explain to us why this intern, who never worked for Foley, and obviously was not known by Foley, would ask for a recommendation from Foley. If he sent an e-mail to Foley's personal e-mail, and got a reply FROM that account, who is to blame for that? What does it matter that the kid was "male, at that"? Wouldn't the e-mail be just as damning if the intern were female? or are you just outraged because there may be a 'gay' factor here?

The only "news" here "folks" is that people are so easily baited by gossip journalism and inuendo.

[go-dubya-04]

As I previously asked - Would you ever, under ANY circumstances, ask for a picture of a non-relative boy/girl who was asking for a recommendation? Pulease! I have been asked for numerous references by my friends' teenage sons and daughters. It would never cross my mind, nor can I imagine would it cross yours, to ask for their picture. Who, besides pedophiles, do that? The answer is NOBODY!!

[Joan Kerrey]

In the series of e-mails, obtained by ABC News, from Rep. Foley (R-FL) to the former page

I want to see A L L of the emails before I convict anyone of anything. Two things worry me about this release.
1. It comes from ABC
2. We see selected text, not all the e-mails and no text that was written by the boy.

[lowbridge]

Look at what I found:

1. REPUBLICAN CONGGRESSMAN CALLS GAY RUMORS "REVOLTING" Last week I reported on how the Florida papers have been busy "outing" Republican Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL). Foley's homosexuality has been a non-secret in Washington political circles. Well, Foley held a press conference to respond to the articles outing him, and calls the rumors "revolting and unforgivable." Foley's response led many to conclude that he was trying to have it both ways by intentionally being vague as to what exactly he was calling revolting - being gay, or people using outing as a tool. Which raises the larger question of what the standard should be for "outing" public figures, and does that standard need to be updated for the year 2003? Foley has reportedly not kept his gayness as a closely-guarded state secret. Like Rosie O'Donnell, Foley wasn't out, but he wasn't exactly "in" either.

http://www.coreymondello.com/thelist.html

And this editorial:

http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/editorial/documents/02919063.htm

[Howlin]

Gee, the things we miss on the internet, huh?

Interesting, to say the least.

[mom4kittys]

7/11/2006
FOLEY INTRODUCES SWEEPING LEGISLATION ATTACKING INTERNET CHILD PORN INDUSTRY
WASHINGTON - {Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL) introduced legislation last night along with Congressman Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA) that goes after the Internet child porn industry and for the first time would hold credit card companies and Internet service providers accountable if they knowingly facilitate child pornography.
details

7/21/2006
FOLEY CHILD SAFETY LEGISLATION PASSES SENATE
WASHINGTON - Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL), Co-chairman of the Missing and Exploited Children Caucus, applauded Senate passage of legislation he authored and introduced overhauling our nation’s sex offender registration and notification laws.
details

[lowbridge]

Would you ever, under ANY circumstances, ask for a picture of a non-relative boy/girl who was asking for a recommendation?

If I was running an acting and/or modeling agency, I would. "Send me your headshot and resume" is pretty standard in a case like that.

[Annie5622]

"But the way it reads here sounds creepy."

BINGO! and that's exactly what ABC wants it to look like. Of course, there will never be a follow-up on what the truth really was, will there.

[go-dubya-04]

Then good for them! This is what cops do to snag these scumbags to get them off the street and in jail where they belong. And if he can be "tempted" by a few semi-suggestive" comments from a 16 year old boy, then why would we want him representing our party in Congress?! They only confirmed that he was just waiting for an opportunity to abuse a child. Castrate him!

[Howlin]

Wouldn't the e-mail be just as damning if the intern were female?

Yes, it would.

Foley is, for all intents and purposes, THEIR EMPLOYER.

Can you say M O N I C A?

(John Travolta voice) "Annie, can you dig it? I knew that you could."

[spectre]

Look, I admit that this article doesn't cast a good light on Foley. It got the desired effect..

That said, it doesn't sound like Foley actually propositioned the boy. Is this is the worst of the conversations/communications they can dig up..?

sw

[freedumb2003]

Good post and good point.

[Annie5622]

"If he was a Democrat, then there'd be no question that he's a pervert. ;-)"

and there never would have been an article printed about it on ABC, would there.

[spatso]

Just for the sake of argument let's assume a US Congressman has been set up and manipulated by a sixteen year old kid. In the set up the kid has created the impression the Congressman was a sexual predator. If a kid can do this imagine what a foreign power might do trying to obtain political influence. Does not matter how it is presented the Congressman must make a clear statement to clarify the matter. It is unacceptable for him to push a spokesperson out front to try wash this away. He is responsible to speak directly to the matter.

[PghBaldy]

It's creepy. I know creepy. This is it.

[little jeremiah]

The fact that Foley is homosexual means there either is a there there, or there could likely be a there there.

[go-dubya-04]

OK, you got me on that one. :-) But seriously, besides the obvious exceptions, have you or would you?

[glorgau]

This rings of the old LBJ story - "I don't care if he did it or not, I just want him to deny it".

[Raycpa]

Ok,,we're awake, so explain to us why this intern, who never worked for Foley, and obviously was not known by Foley, would ask for a recommendation from Foley.

Let me take a stab. Perhaps Foley is the kid's congressman and the kid sends an email from Foley's web site which is forwarded to Foley's AOL account.

The kid's email asks for a recommendation to a coast guard program which he needs for admission and he explains that he becomes eligible after his 17th birthday which is this month. This is something he wants to do ever since he saw the coast guard deal with the hurricane devastation.

Foley responds: Great to hear about your desire. Sure I'll send a recommendation, please send me a photo. BTW, How are you doing with the weather now? I hope your BD is a good one, what do you want ?