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."
Foley better be able to produce those emails or this kid can say literally anything.
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.
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!!
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.
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
Gee, the things we miss on the internet, huh?
Interesting, to say the least.
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
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.
"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.
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!
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."
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
Good post and good point.
"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.
It's creepy. I know creepy. This is it.
The fact that Foley is homosexual means there either is a there there, or there could likely be a there there.
OK, you got me on that one. :-) But seriously, besides the obvious exceptions, have you or would you?
This rings of the old LBJ story - "I don't care if he did it or not, I just want him to deny it".
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 ?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.