Posted on 10/03/2006 9:42:51 PM PDT by kms61
When a Monroe teenager first contacted a member of Rodney Alexander's staff about email messages from former Florida Congressman Mark Foley the young man asked the staff member not to say anything. But once a reporter contacted Representative Alexander, the congressman said he had to report the incident.
The young man in question says he wants all the media attention to just go away. "He's in school and trying to understand whats going on," U.S Congress Rep. Rodney Alexander said. "He is upset, needless to say, and his parents are concerned."
Out of Washington and in his Monroe office, Representative Rodney Alexander is one of the few people talking to a Monroe teenager pulled into the latest political scandal. It's a scandal that has some making threats on the young man's life. "There are some people out there that think this young man is responsible for bringing down a member of Congress," said Alexander, "but we know that is not the case."
Once a champion for protecting children from online predators, Foley's email to a Monroe teenager asking for a picture, eventually lead to not only his resignation from Congress but the discovery of alleged sexual messages with other teenage boys. "There are emails and messages out there with severe implications," Alexander said. "Sexual implications that this young man did not receive."
Alexander says his main goal is to protect the young man's well being. One way he is doing that is by asking the media to shift the focus from one teenager. "There are other pages sponsored by other members of Congress," Alexander said. "No one is saying what did they do? What did they know? How did they try to stop this?"
Hopefully questions that will be answered as the pieces of this political puzzle continue to fall into place. Representative Alexander says the young man's parents are very concerned and upset by the attention on their son. Some wondered if Rep. Alexander will face a political backlash during his re-election bid for turning over the email that set these events in motion. He said, simply, he could.
(Written by Joseph Pleasant, © NBC10 News, All rights reserved.)
Party-switching for the 2004 Election
Alexander had been elected in 2002 as a Democrat, with the strong support of the state's two Democratic senators, Mary Landrieu and John Breaux, narrowly defeating Republican challenger Lee Fletcher. However, he'd seriously considered switching parties soon after John Kerry won the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004, but initially decided against it. Breaux reportedly told Alexander that he would find and raise money for a Democrat to run against him if he switched.
However, two days after filing for reelection as a Democrat, Alexander filed for reelection again as a Republican with only minutes to go before the filing deadline. The Republicans promised him a seat on the Appropriations Committee if he switched. The last-minute switch denied the Democrats time to find a credible replacement candidate, though Alexander had been heavily favored for a second term in any case.
That is what Alexander said. I highly doubt that is the case since no one knows the kids name except the media, congress people and other pages. It's just a politician talking as usual now wanting his name out of the news scandal.
bttt
That was an interesting race. And oh so dirty. THe problem was the general was so dirty between Fletcher and the other Republican that about 20,000 in that District that voted for the Republican Senatorial person failed to vote in the general. Rodney won by like a 1000 votes.
ALexander I think was shocked when he got to DC lol. Nancy Pelosi was leaning on him on some votes he just couldnt do and he got threaten by her. He basically said stuff it and switched lol
That defection because of Pelosi's heavy handed tactics never made the National news
FYI ping
I know that AOL had IMing then, but I think it was pretty new (to me, at least!)
The story is very legit and his info can be found on the net
What idiot would threaten a child over this crap?!
Color me sceptical of any death threats. That comes from a dimocrat?
This is the tragedy. If you look at the Dem talking points they say in point number 1 do not make a difference between emails and IMs . FOr obvious reasons. Now a lot people in the area prob think he is gay and engageous in sexual talk with Congressmen all because the "im's" are attributed to him
This is a victim of that little talking point
Yep
The seath threats are real. I have know Rodney since the late 80's. He wouldn't lie. Plus this family to say the least are very conservative
This reminds me when I use to work for this water (spring water) company in New York, we had this one manager who was obsessed with theft within the company. He was organizing this and that, even went so far as to set up cameras until one day a security guard caught him driving a truck out the front gates and followed him. You know what he was doing? He was not only stealing water, but stealing TRUCKLOADS of the stuff, so much so that he if you can believe it he set up his own warehouse a few blocks away! This nut literally was acting as a competitor for the very company he worked for selling THEIR stuff!
"What idiot would threaten a child over this crap?!"
Someone else who stands to be exposed, if he talks about any other inappropriate IMs he received as a page or shortly thereafter? I've seen the number 29 floating around, as far as how many others have behaved in a similar manner, in addition to Foley.
How in the heck do people think they will continue to get away with stuff like that? They have to know it will catch up with them eventually. So many people are weird in the head.
Also, and I bet its this. There are just a bunch of people that are just sick. I very much doubt that the people threatening him are politios are in fact that he is in real danger.
Once word got out, it could have bees kids from another High School or just idiots. I am pretty sure what that is. Of course when one is receiving a death threat one prob takes it seriously regardless
Is this boy's family Republican?
Maybe Dan Rather would know...
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