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.
Lobbyists start young, eh?
They function more or less as messengers, delivering material from one building on the Hill to another.
thanks for the ping. Yes, this young man seemed just a little too eager to insert himself into the limelight, I think that's what put me off.
Just happened to catch another FOX segment on him, during John Gibson, showing him reading the newspaper, sitting on his front porch as Douglas Kennedy provides the narrative.
A.B.Stoddard of The Hill tells Chris Matthews, if she knew about Foley, and she did, then Dennis Hastart should have known too. She says, "foley was a really nice guy who spent a lot of time with the pages. "
This is about cutting off the head of the Republican leadership as preemptive strike for election 2006.
Of Course it is. That's why I am so amazed at how so few people here aren't examining the mechanics of this attack. right now we are being fed tibbits of info and are being lead to a conclusion that those with the tibbits want us to reach, what the Main Stream Media has done to us for years. We should stop and examine the who the why and the how for ourselves first.
Another thread this am said that a page and family had given this info to a FL newspaper last year but asked them not to use it.
If I have these facts wrong, I'm sorry but if true, WHY would they give the info to a newspaper in the first place?
Somehow I think this whole thing will be played as a drama series on the BRAVO network.
In 1981 I was in a band that played the Page's Prom. I was 21 - lots of good-looking females. This has pretty much nothing to do with this thread - it is just my "page story"
Did they have a radio receiver and a tape recorder in their car?
"What exactly does a page do (officially, that is)?"
Congressional staff gofers.
A college friend did that job one summer. He said they partied like hell, smoked dope at lunch and generally had a large time of themselves.
"There is something there there cause Foley did not resign just cause he is a drinker."
If he's got some kids he diddled in his past, you know he's sweating bullets right now hoping it blows over.
This event brings a whole new meaning when a Kennedy say's he is not on the same page as someone else.
bttt
"Soooooo, Foley is only being accused of:"
Acting like a DEMOCRAT while being Republican....
I'm still waiting for all that Gay Outrage at Democrats for being "Homophobic", Intolerant" and Bigotted"...
Should I hold my breath???
Good question but I'm curious as to why even on FOX there has been no mention all day that RATS may be involved in a cover up. In fact, they may be more implicated than Republicans.
Maybe their names are Martin.
"We have too many flawed people holding elected office."
For some reason you remind me of "Captain Courage" (Dom Deluise) in Cannonball Run. He is going to save the world too.
Nothing personal but this is what I thought when I read our post. Sorry. Wierd sense of humor here.
Never saw the movie, and I am female.
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