The emails have been semipublic knowledge for more than a year. Apparantly the IMs and knowledge of Foley's AIM handle just came to light in the past 48 hours.
What to do with emails like Foley's when they are written by someone you are responsible for is unclear.
It sounds like Hastert a) delegated responsibility, b) didn't ask too many questions, and c) was glad that the whole thing went away.
Most of us would have been no different.
The key thing is that Foley lied, repeatedly - this makes Hastert look worse than the facts actually justify.
There is absolutely no excuse for anyone in the Republican Leadership to have sat on this, if indeed they did. I'll reserve judgement on Dennis Hastert, until I hear some more facts. I'm not willing to take anyone in the Media's word for anything about this.
Lets just hope that this doesn't spread any further, and that there isn't anyone else involved.
Instead of resigning, Foley should have just switched parties and became a Democrat. The media and Democrat party would have rushed to his defense.
What exactly doesn't look good for Hastert? I don't think that "inappropriate emails" are particularly damning. So far, I haven't seen anything worse than inappropriate. What was Hastert supposed to do about it?
My good friend and fellow American Thinker contributor Clarice Feldman left a comment that deserves to be elevated for greater readability. It is, something of an eye popper:
Reportedly the St Pete Times had the same information in August 2005 and wrote nothing about it either, apparently because the emails do not constitute illegal conduct, they are just creepy, and the boy’s parents did not wish to pursue this.
The far more damaging IM messages were released by CREW , the same “public interest” group which is representing the Wilson/Plames in their laughable suit against Cheney, et al.
When did they get the IM’s? Why did they wait until now to release them? Is there any indication the Republicans who looked into THIS MATTER had any knowledge of their(the IM’s) existence.
Pardon an old lady’s suspicions. I’ve seen this dance too many times before.
I read this morning that a Monroe, LA newspaper also had the story and didn’t run with it because there appeared to be no impropriety.
And one more point that our dimwitted lefty friends can’t seem to wrap their miniscule brains around; the incident that was brought to the attention of the Page Board is unconnected to any of the raunchy, sick emails ABC news got from, as Clarice informs us, CREW.
Why the release of the emails and IM’s now is a question that answers itself 40 days before an election. And if it turns out that the GOP leadership is blameless in this – if Foley carried on his perversions in secret with only the terrified children knowing of his activities – then the question rightly arises why a Democrat connected organization allowed someone they knew as a pervert to continue to stalk children in the House of Representatives, failing to release the information until maximum political damage could be done to the opposition.
http://rightwingnuthouse.com/archives/2006/09/30/foley-matter-proves-republicans-support-perverts/
We do not have to join them in attacking our own House leader when he's done nothing wrong.
These people are just run over by their own power and lust for abusing it. Who knows if they are this personality type going in or what. Either way, it needs to be somehow dealt with. I can't even begin to imagine how, except at a local level during elections. It just feels so out of our control though when they are all living in fantasy land out in east coast LALA land.
No wonder Bush couldn't do much toward changing the culture out there. He'd rather spend time with a good chain saw and a tree than these evil conniving buffoons.
Speaking as one of Mr. Hastert's constituents, the antics of some idiot from Florida will have no affect on my support of him this November. And, I think that is the general perspective here in his Illinois district.
To make matters worse that man who took DeLay's position first told the Washington Post that he told Hastert about it this past spring, and then called the WP back to say he couldn't remember if he did tell Hastert after all. THAT made it look like he was covering for Hastert, and was soooo obvious he was lying.
The RATS have obviously known about this for a long time too, but chose to bring it out now to throw the election their way, and it's probably going to work. I wouldn't be surprised to see more victims brought forth by the RAT Party whether it's true or not. The public will believe it.
Hastert should have demanded Foley's resignation and turned the matter over to the police. What Foley did is a crime, and he should go to prison. Hastert and the others who knew a crime had taken place but failed to report it are guilty after the fact, and because it was a child, it's just that much worse. How can we support these guys when their morals are as bad, if not worse than the RATS? We do have a party filled with corruption. They are a disgrace! I'm TOTALLY disgusted!!
I have read the first 50 post here and a few thoughts.
(1) After reading this email(at least I think it is the same as yesterday) the explaination that Foley had was plausible at least in explaination
(2) I cant see what the Hasert could have done just on the basis of that email. It seems that Foley was ordered not to talk or email the boy anymore
It seems to me that these IMS came public just a few days ago. Am I missing something?
Somebody is lying unless Boehner's staff handed off the info to Hastert's and Hastert never got the message?
After reading five or six replies on this thread, it dawned on me that there must be more at play in this than just Foley. How many boy-lovers are there in the Congress?
Proper action was taken. End of story. But with L'Affair de Plame kaput, the Media arm of the DNC will look to replace it by blowing this into a full-blown "scandal". If the GOP has any further dirt about Barney Fag, or any gay RAT congressmen or women, now is the time to release it.
How does someone not a party to an IM communication get a copy of it? Who gave it to CREW and when?
http://www.macsmind.com/wordpress/
Whatever happened to sex doesn't matter? Isn't this private as well? Or, does that only apply to scumbag Democrat Presidents that seduce interns?
Foley deserves whatever he gets and his resignation is proper. If laws were broke, prosecution is in order.
Feigned outrage by Democrats that defended Bill Clinton's tryst with monica Lewinsky, which wasn't by internet, have no business now calling for investigations or expressing outrage.
"Doesn't look good for Hastert."
This man's leadership has been, shall we say, less than stellar?
The hell with Foley and all the Republicans that covered up for this POS.
And, guess what? Foley was also a long time apologist for $cientology.
Good riddance. Another phony antiporn warrior that is a closet pervert.
The Clerk asked to see the text of the email. Congressman Alexander’s office declined citing the fact that the family wished to maintain as much privacy as possible and simply wanted the contact to stop. The Clerk asked if the email exchange was of a sexual nature and was assured it was not. Congressman Alexander’s Chief of Staff characterized the email exchange as over-friendly.