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."
So the kid started it off. Smells like a set up to me.
Sorry, I'm with the kid and I think this is totally creepy also.
Of course. I did the same with my parents' friends, and now I often send the same people pictures of MY kids. Most of them have a bulletin board somewhere, with pictures of whoever and you-know-that-kid-one-of-tax-chick's. I exchange pictures with a couple of former bosses, too.
I don't know anything about Foley to be indicative of anything, but the specific quotes, to me, just indicate social politeness. There's this teenager, he's not *exactly* an employee, not *exactly* a relative-of-a-friend ... what, exactly? I can see where it would be hard to determine how precisely to act - professionally, employer-employee, or "a little bit in loco parentis"?
This could be nothing or it could be something, we just don't know at this point. If this guy is a sicko, I expect something more will come to the surface before election day. .Last I heard, he had about a 12-15 point lead in this election.
A shill.
Needless to say, there was major politics involved in publishing on a local, national, and global level regarding the email no matter what the motives of Foley.
I feel the same way. My opinion is that 16 or 17 is too young, in almost every case, for a young person to be away from parents or parent-figures. If it was a strict boarding school, or a chaperoned summer program, that would be one thing, but I get the impression that these aides are effectively living as adults in that environment.
If my high-school-age daughter or son wanted to be an intern in an official's local office, I wouldn't have a problem with that, assuming I knew the person and found him or her a good example. However, I think the potential harm of being out on one's own in a strange city at that age is considerable.
Is everyone here crazy? Let's be honest, if this were a democrat, nobody would be defending his behavior. He sent the emails from his PERSONAL email account. "What do you want for your birthday?" "Send me an email pic?" These questions are totally inappropriate from a professional standpoint.
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Not at all improbable. If it's true, I would expect FReepers to come up with information on his parents and their Democrat connections. FR is good for that!
Me too. Sounds too Ritter-ish.
Me too
"...you even been in a Turkish prison? Do you like movies about gladiators?"
I agree.
Got news for you folks. If this Congressman said such things to a 16 year old (male, at that), there's one HELL of a lot to it. Wake up.
Also many colleges take pictures of students for the class role. It's easier to remember a face.
is this guy a homo...or in the closet like David Dreier?
What the heck is "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" doing in the middle of that piece?
Amen.
I cannot even believe a congressman would do such a thing; and if he did, he needs to go NOW........not in a while.
Dear lord.
OH!! HE IS UP FOR REELECTION!! Well, well. Then I am sorry, there is no there here even if there is some here, there.
Timing my friends is everything. And it sounds to me like the only reason this is an issue is the tight race. I mean we already new there was smear involved, but now it is clear as day--just last minute politicking.
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