Well, now we know why Edmund got all lawyered up.
US: Fleeting online posting lets blogger find Foley's message partner
Blogger went on 'computer detective mission' to find the name of congressional page from ABC News website
South China Morning Post
Friday, October 6, 2006
ABC News' fleeting, inadvertent publishing of a computer screen name enabled a blogger to track down and make public the identity of a former congressional page who traded salacious messages with disgraced former Representative Mark Foley.
In breaking the story of the now-burgeoning scandal, the network last Friday posted on its website a series of instant message exchanges between Mr Foley and the teenager, Jordan Edmund, now 21. Mr Edmund's name was not included.
But in one exchange the network inadvertently left his screen name on. It was quickly discovered and removed, replaced by a version with the name redacted. But a blogger was able to retrieve the deleted file, go on a computer detective mission and uncover the former page's identity.
Mr Edmund, who now works on Republican Representative Ernest Istook's campaign for Oklahoma governor, has not responded to requests for an interview.
Attorney Stephen Jones said he is representing Mr Edmund in matters related to his work as a page, a congressional intern, and in reference to Mr Foley.
In a news conference on Thursday, Mr Istook praised his employee, said the former page would co-operate with investigators and asked reporters to leave him alone.
"This is a young man who is bright," Mr Istook said. "He is hard working. He does not deserve the public embarrassment that he's facing right now.
"I believe there is no justification for putting this young man in the national media spotlight when what he needs and deserves is Christian compassion," he added.
The blogger -- known as "Wild Bill" from the Passionate America site -- who discovered the former page's identity describes the computer detective mission in detail on his website. ABC had taken additional steps to make sure no one can access the deleted messages, a spokesman said.
"To be clear, no one visiting our website would have simply stumbled on the old version," ABC News spokesman Jeffrey Schneider said.
Date Posted: 10/6/2006
http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=54638