Posted on 09/29/2006 12:01:58 PM PDT by Lunatic Fringe
Just breaking on CNN
I found that very disconcerting.
From the ABC story:
Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La., who sponsored the page from his district, told reporters that he learned of the e-mails from a reporter some months ago and passed on the information to Rep. Thomas Reynolds, R-N.Y., chairman of the House Republican campaign organization.
Alexander said he did not pursue the matter further because "his parents said they didn't want me to do anything."
Carl Forti, a spokesman for the GOP campaign organization, said Reynolds learned from Alexander that the parents did not want to pursue the matter. Forti said, however, that the matter did go before the House Page Board the three lawmakers and two House officials who oversee the pages.
Shimkus, who avoided reporters for hours, worked out his statement with Speaker Dennis Hastert's office. He said he promptly investigated what he thought were non-explicit message exchanges.
"It has become clear to me today, based on information I only now have learned, that Congressman Foley was not honest about his conduct," Shimkus said.
Shimkus said that in late 2005 he learned through information passed along by Alexander's office about an e-mail exchange that August in which Foley asked about the youngster's well-being after Hurricane Katrina and what he wanted for his birthday and requested a photograph.
"Congressman Foley told the (House) clerk and me that he was simply acting as a mentor … and that nothing inappropriate had occurred," Shimkus said.
Foley was ordered to cease all contact with the former page and assured Shimkus he would do so, the statement said. He also was advised to watch his conduct with current and former House pages, and he gave assurance he would do so, Shimkus said. He added that here were no further complaints.
+++Why would the GOP 'organization' be notified?
Did you find and post -- and did I miss it -- what this "committee" that handles pages is and who is on it?
Why was the GOP House Campaign organization notified?
This wasn't Hastert fooling around it was Foley
Our side cleans out our trash ... the left just promotes their trash
I've been reading some of the Lefty sites and their comments are all over the place
I read them. Creeped me out. It's a parent's nightmare about kids on the Internet.
The Congressional Page Program offered through the U.S. House of Representatives provides high school students with the unique opportunity to serve their country and learn about the legislative process. All pages are sponsored by a Member of Congress and work in teams on the House floor, not in the Member's office.
If you would like more information or would like to be considered as a House Page, contact my office in Washington, D.C.
REQUIREMENTS & ELIGIBILITY
All applicants must complete the application form provided by my office. Some of the things you will be asked to provide include: Social Security number; signed parental consent form; official transcript of all high-school grades to date; a 50-100 word essay on why you want to be a Congressional Page; résumé of extra-curricular activities; and three letters of recommendation. Please do not send this information until you have received an application package from my office with complete instructions.
To be qualified to serve as a Page, all applicants must be at least 16 years of age at the time their appointment begins and have a cumulative grade point average of a "B" or better ("B" is a 3.0 or 80/100) in the five major subjects. These subjects include English, science, mathematics, social studies, and foreign language. Those students not meeting the GPA requirement will not be considered.
The irony was lost on you. My apologies.
If Hastert and others knew of this long ago, they should have forced Foley out back then.
Welcome to Free Republic; as you can see, we're not all "mean-spirited".
Stick around.
But be prepared to back up what you say. :-)
So they could poll his district about it? I don't know but it sure seems odd.
Do you not see the irony (dare I say hypocrisy) of Hastert holding a "Keep Your Kids Safe in Cyberspace" workshop while he's covering for Foley?
Do you know who is "in charge" (she says laughing hysterically) of the page program? Is it the clerk of something? Did I read that somewhere tonight? Or did you say it?
You are welcome to stay. We don't ZOT posters just for being liberal.
I am sincerely puzzled by the response of the lib sites. We don't give our guys a pass. If solid facts are available, we get rid of them.
Yup...sadly he was a popular sure-to-be-reelected Republican. Having said that, it's fitting a proper that a sick guy like this is out of office in such a discraceful way.
Indeed.
Weighing just the e-mails against his record on child advocacy issues I could see where this might not have been as painfully clear as it is today. If, as has been alleged, there was a general knowledge of Foley's inappropriate behavior then that is a different matter. And if there was a general knowledge there are a whole lot of people who seemed to have failed.
An innocent explanation: There are probably no formally-prescribed methods to bring this sort of allegation to the attention of the party's leadership. Therefore, Alexander forwarded the information to someone in the leadership who he had an existing relationship.
A less innocent explanation: Alexander learned about these emails about the time that Foley was making noise about running for the Senate seat and Alexander thought the leadership should know.
He reminds me of a big, cuddley teddy bear. I love him.
Jeb Bush maybe? He's in his last term as Governor of Florida...why not?
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