Posted on 10/02/2006 1:27:37 PM PDT by areafiftyone
WASHINGTON - At least one former congressional page is disputing another former page's claims that pages were warned five years ago to beware of U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fort Pierce.
Matthew Loraditch, a page in the 2001-2002 class, told ABC News he and other pages were warned about Foley by a supervisor in the House Clerk's office. Loraditch, the president of the Page Alumni Association, said the pages were told "don't get too wrapped up in him being too nice to you and all that kind of stuff."
But another page, who asked not to be named told The Palm Beach Post, "The program in no official capacity warned us about it," and he said that Loraditch had posted an explanation for his comments to ABC on the college social network, Facebook.com.
Loraditch's Facebook.com statement said: "I have received several heated responses from my fellow pages about media involvement in the current situation. I want to respond with a few points and thoughts.
"Firstly, as to the ABC "Warned" story, while I may have inadvertently used the word, "warned," in communication, I can assure you it was not intended. The fact of the matter is in an informal situation a supervisor mentioned that Foley was a bit odd or flaky and did not connote by tone or otherwise that he should be avoided.
"Secondly as to talking out in general, . . . I don't think anyone can argue that protecting kids, pages, or whomever from sexual predators is anything but the most important of this whole saga. Nothing comes in front of the safety of the page program, not the page program, a member of congress, no one.
"Thirdly, I have stressed several key points in my contact with media that all situations with Mr. Foley occurred after we had finished our service as pages. That if anything had happed while we were in Washington, it would have been dealt with. That I have full faith and trust that any of the supervisors and staff we worked with would have properly dealt with any situation like the current one. That the page program is one of the most wonderful and educational experiences a youth can have.
"Fourthly, although not all of you know people who have had these horrible conversation with Foley, I do. And frankly that gives me all the more reason to speak out. . . .
"Finally, if i have hurt or offended anyone, I am sorry. And I love my page friends and I cherish my relationships with the page program staff, however fracture some of this may have made them. I want you all to know that I truly believe that I'm doing the best that I can do."
The other page said most pages are angry at Loraditch's comments and that the page program did its best to ensure the safety of pages, with strict rules and curfews.
Also Monday, the placard that once designated Foley's office was gone early this morning, two days after he resigned amid allegations of inappropriate communications with a minor.
Around 10:30 a.m., a congressional employee put up a new sign reading, "Office of the 16th Congressional District of Florida.
If you look at past election year Octobers, you will see a very, very similar pattern.
Frankly, if there wasn't a severe attack of sleaze I would be concerned, wondering what new tactic the Dems were dreaming up.
This is old hat.
As the pioneers headed into Utha, Mr. Smith was heard to say, "Bring 'em Young". And now you know...the REST of the story.
There is nothing wrong with the page program. It is some of the perverted freaks that get elected or hired on there that is the problem.
This is the peoples House, it is the representative part of our government and we should have the confidence that our children will be protected anytime day or night within in these halls.
Maybe YOU should chose your verbage better than what you wrote, huh?
For instance, why didn't you say that are claiming that he covered up; your sentence is a DEFINITIVE sentence, appearing to state as fact that they did cover up.
Touchy, ain't you?
You mean to tell me that ABC lied? I am shocked!
"Touchy, ain't you?"
Maybe a mite but I have been hammered about 2 or 3 of my posts that anyone who had read the thread could follow.
Yeah, it's always US that's wrong............heh.
ROFL ;-)
ALERT..ALERT...ALERT
The blogger that started it all has finally posted again on the site....
http://stopsexpredators.blogspot.com/
Here is what Mike rog....oh....I mean mystery blogger has posted:
"Let's Focus....
Let's keep our eye on the ball here.
I'm thrilled that so many folks are looking at this simple blog. Please attempt to limit your comments to the purpose of this blog. I understand the media coverage is continuing to dominate Congressman Foley. Law enforcement is now involved and will sort out the truth. In the meantime, if you have further information, you can continue to email me at stopsexpredators@gmail.com .
If you have any ideas that I should post, please let me know. I'm happy to pass along information about the current situation, but would much prefer to keep marching toward the large goal or stopping sex predators. I don't think we'll see it in the Congress anytime soon, so let's focus our energy elsewhere.
Thank you again for your interest in..."
LOL..let's hope the LAW ENFORCEMENT IS LOOKING AT THIS BLOG!!
Conrad Burns may be guilty of taking bribes, but who in Washington doesn't? Tester can proclaim he's not going to be beholden to lobbyist's, but I will guarantee you if he wins, they'll be the first ones to welcome him to town.
They're more or less "go-fer's", and have been around for as long as Congress has been around. In the electronic age, they're not needed. IMHO.
You're a jerk with a filthy mouth.
Read your very own posts, you idiot.
nice clintonesque choice of words...unnamed source no less. This is grasping at straws.
I second your vital question.
I'm thinking that all of the squealing going on by the democrats about NSA spying, meanwhile during the entire Clinton sex-capades they told us "sex is a private matter", and "everyone does it", so how were Foley's IM's extracted?
By whom? How and when? And, how did they end up the property of ABC News?
Is this ABC News mea culpa for producing The Path to 9-11M?
This post needs a 'refresh'!
"Thirdly, I have stressed several key points in my contact with media that all situations with Mr. Foley occurred after we had finished our service as pages."
Just coming onto this thread, that statement sticks out in my mind.
LOL
Schools consider teens adults, "able to make their own (presumably consensual) choices."
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