Posted on 09/30/2006 3:06:00 PM PDT by wjersey
Rep. Thomas Reynolds, head of the House Republican election effort, said he told Speaker Dennis Hastert after learning a fellow GOP lawmaker sent inappropriate messages to a teenage boy.
Reynolds, R-N.Y., was told months ago about e-mails sent by Rep. Mark Foley and is now defending himself from Democratic accusations that he did too little. Foley, R-Fla., resigned Friday after ABC News questioned him about the e-mails to a former congressional page and about sexually suggestive instant messages to other pages. The boy who received the e-mails was 16 in summer 2005 when he worked in Congress as a page. After the boy returned to his Louisiana home, the congressman e-mailed him, and the teenager thought the messages were inappropriate, particularly one in which Foley asked the teen to send a picture of himself.
The teen's family contacted their congressman, Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La., who then discussed it with Reynolds sometime this spring.
"Rodney Alexander brought to my attention the existence of e-mails between Mark Foley and a former page of Mr. Alexander's," Reynolds, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a written statement Saturday.
"Despite the fact that I had not seen the e-mails in question, and Mr. Alexander told me that the parents didn't want the matter pursued, I told the speaker of the conversation Mr. Alexander had with me," Reynolds said.
Reynolds added that Alexander also discussed it with the clerk of the House, and the congressman who oversees the page program, Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill.
Shimkus has said he learned about the e-mail exchange in late 2005 and took immediate action to investigate.
Shimkus said Foley told him it was an innocent exchange. Shimkus said he warned Foley not to have any more contact with the teenager and to respect other pages.
Democrats charged Reynolds did far too little and said more digging should be done.
"Congressman Reynolds' inaction in the face of such a serious situation is very troubling, and raises important questions about whether there was an attempt to cover up criminal activity involving a minor to keep it from coming to light before election day," said Democratic National Committee spokeswoman Karen Finney.
New York Democrats hoping to unseat Reynolds blasted the congressman, saying they call into question the Republican's values.
"Mr. Reynolds knew about these allegedly inappropriate emails from a fellow congressman to a minor for months and didn't lift a finger," said Blake Zeff, a spokesman for the state Democrats.
What do you mean "not worldly".
Monica was legal. A sixteen year old boy is not. There's no getting around this.
For what?
"He is a child molester."
That has not been reported.
Oh really? Hmmm ...
On July 20, 1983 the House voted for censure, the first time that censure had been imposed for sexual misconduct. Crane, who tearfully apologized for his transgression, lost his bid for reelection in 1984.
Crane, Republican from Illinois did not resign, he stood for, and lost, a bid for re-election. The ethics of these Republicans is no more firm that that of the Dems, they participate in the activity and some resign -- after they are caught.
Not if the poster above stated was true... that 16 is the aqe of consent in DC. I'd like to know where this took place.
This is another reason you can't keep a homosexual in a position of power and influence ~ he'll use it to intimidate others into protecting his little friends.
What about the female pages?
Was he as well-known?
"Prosecuted for what"? IF Hastert was covering up for Foley, and IF Foley was committing a crime (ironically, Foley is the one who pushed thru -- or claims credit -- for making internet stalking of a minor a federal crime), then the parents, or the minor, would have a good case against Hastert for negligence. What's the difference between that and Catholic Bishops who knew priests were pedophiles, covered up, and are now being sued for their failure to act?
Yes.
Covering up what? That he talked dirty crap to a 16 year old on the internet in a chat room where the age of consent is 16.
The age of consent in the District of Columbia is 16.
sources:
http://www.actwin.com/eatonohio/gay/consent.htm
http://www.coolnurse.com/consent.htm
http://www.avert.org/aofconsent.htm
[Don't kill the messenger just because you don't like the message.]
In Florida though, the age of consent is 16, with anybody under 24, but 18 with anybody over 24. This kid was in several states, Foley was in several states. We don't know which if any laws were broken.
"Where is the evidence to support this?"
From what I have read, IIRC, his words and the meanings of them constitute molestation under the law. But let a court/jury decide.
" ... Catholic Bishops who knew priests were pedophiles, covered up, and are now being sued for their failure to act?"
And they were children who were victims. 16 isn't a child.
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