<p>“What makes Foley especially warped is his public stance on protecting children, using that in his campaign, and his fellow republicans knowing about it and going, well, naughty boy… that is the real back story…when did they know it”</p>
<p>You are 100% right about the first part of this statement. The man should be tarred and feathered. Inexcusable, revolting, disgraceful, vile. </p>
<p>As to your second statement, it appears that the republican leadership learned of the existence of the damning information (not the original email, of which was asked here how it was sexually explicit) from the press and from the blogger I am personally curious about. The timeline you are wondering about doesn’t seem to implicate the republican leadership. HOWEVER, there may be evidence (probably is) that they knew (separate and apart from the specific documentation here) that Foley was a pig.</p>
<p>CGM, you are right that a pig working with minors is a different thing. Totally unacceptable, in fact the worst nightmare.</p>
<p>My point about the timeline was very specific. It appears that the explicit emails and messages came to them from the press. It would also be very hard to do anything about a “pig” without some real proof, wouldn’t it? Seriously, put aside your partisan hat for a minute if you can. Wouldn’t it be gay-bashing to just rely on speculation and gossip?</p>
<p>CGM do you ever read before you post? I specifically asked how the leadership could go after Foley BEFORE having any evidence whatsoever. And they didn’t bring up the issue of gay bashing, I DID. I asked a polite and respectful question.</p>
<p>If the allegations about Foley are true, and it appears they are given his resignation, he should be prosecuted if legally possible. However, in evaluating the GOP leadership, it is helpful to recall that there are 2 types of communications being discussed: Some arguably inappropriate but relatively inocuous emails and other graphic and disgusting IMs. It appears that the GOP leaders were aware of the emails in late 2005 but only recently learned about the IMs. </p>
<p>An article in the 9/30/06 [Washington</a> Post](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/29/AR2006092901574_pf.html]Washington”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/29/AR2006092901574_pf.html) reports that some GOP leaders were told in 2005 that, after Hurricane Katrina, Foley emailed a former page living in Louisiana to ask how he was and to request a photograph. The page’s parents complained to Congressman Rodney Alexander, the Congressman who sponsored the page and in whose district they resided, but they also asked that he not formally pursue the matter. Congressman Alexander told Congressman Thomas Reynolds who apparently discussed it with Congressman John Shimkus, the head of the Page Board. In late 2005, Shimkus “ordered Congressman Foley to cease all contact with the boy and to respect all pages.”</p>
<p>Based on the facts as we know them now, I don’t see how the GOP leadership could have done more than they did. Without knowing about the salacious IMs, how could they do anything more in response to Foley’s email to a former page?</p>
<p>Just as sick as the behavior of Foley is the insistence to make this a partisan issue. Considering the record of the “darker side” on sexual misconduct and its not-so-veiled acceptance of lewdness and alternative lifestyles, making this a republicans versus democrats is not only stomach churning but simply laughable.</p>
<p>What do they say about “who is without sin cast the first stone” and people living in glass houses?</p>
<p>I have a child who was a republican page this past school year. I think we forget this is a story of TRUST. Broken trust. These aren’t adults working in this situation (like the situation being pointed out by Tony Snow and cc parents) but 16 year old children. Many off in a big city by themselves for the first time. They are experiencing something that none of us will. They watch our government moving forward in front of them. They get to talk and work for the very people they hear about on the news and see that they are shaping our country. The power they see…the power they perceive them to hold is immeasurable. I’m sure it can be not only intimidating but they are also astonished that these powerful people may care what they have to say. It would be very easy for a Senator or Congressman to take advantage of that. We sent our kids there trusting they would be cared for. I think the trust was broken not just by Rep. Foley but by whoever knew 10 months ago and felt it didn’t need to be discussed. That is where I feel betrayed. I think anyone who knew but chose to handle it quietly is also guilty and should be removed from their position. You can’t handle a situation buy trying to make it go away quietly. As a parent of a page we were never made aware of this situation but the children weren’t either which would have given them something to be aware of and to be better equiped to handle a situation should it pop up.</p>
<p>I will say that this program on the whole is great. It is a life changing experience. The people who devote their time are wonderful. The elected officals (most of them) understand the power of this experience for the kids. That is why it is a shame they choose to hide the incident and place dark cloud over the program.</p>
<p>I agree it is a trust issue and it is reprehensible that this happened to children. But what did you want the GOP leaders to do based on what they knew (essentially, that Foley sent personal emails)? </p>
<p>Virtually every commenter at CC has offered personal greetings to students we don’t even know and some have personally met kids who post here. Should we report them to the authorities, too?</p>
<p>Xiggi, this isn’t an issue of “sexual misconduct”, “lewdness” or “alternative lifestyles”, and it’s a gross mischaracterization to try to categorize it as such. This is a case of a powerful adult targeting 16 year olds. If the recipients of the e-mails were 20 I’d be nonplussed but I would accept it as mere “lewdness”. And it’s good not to rush to judgment but I think anyone with any knowledge of how predators work would be able to identify the e-mails in this case as not being simple “overly friendly.” What makes it a “partisan issue” is that Republican party higher-ups apparently were aware of facts which should have alerted a reasonable person to follow up - and they didn’t. And their excuses for not doing so don’t wash, frankly. Add Razorsharp’s comment:
and you get your perspective on how this issue can be “politicized.”</p>
<p>Apparently in DC 16 is as good as 20 legally and while it is probably good for a sexual harassment suit it may not have been illegal. The right thing has now been done and this rest is posturing.</p>
<p>Why did Alexander report this first to the head of the Republican Campaign Caomitte? Why were the ‘naughty’ emails not reported to the entire page oversight board instead of just the Republican members? It is quite possible that Foley committed a felony. Do the parents have the right to ask Alexander not to pursue this?
DRJ:
have any CC posters that you know asked for 16 year olds to send them a picture? If so I definitely think they should be reported!
In 2005 the republican leadership knew enough to warn pages away from contact with Foley. Why was this the end of the investigation?
Xiggi:
I assume you are using hyperbole when you state
</p>
<p>Really. Just as sick?
When the head of the Minor Internet Abuse Subcomittee [sic??] is caught sending ‘inapproprate’ emails I think anyone in a position of authority should be looking into this.</p>
<p>How has this become a partisan issue? There are shady characters on both sides and it’s stupid to smear the whole party with the same brush as this Foley guy, or that murderer Ted Kennedy on the Democrat side, or that adulterer Clinton, or that dummy Bush, or whatever other things we can come up with.</p>
<p>They felt the emails were inappropriate. Case closed. The parents did… the leadership did. </p>
<p>If the emails or personal meetings here are inappropriate I assume it would be reported and dealt with. That the posters would be made aware of the situation.</p>
<p>This really wasn’t just a case of emails. There is contact with members on a daily basis. A relationship was formed before the emails (a professional relationship between members and pages). They work with these kids everyday. It was a betrayl of that trust… that the relationship they form is that of a mentor and a leader. There needs to be at least the trust from those in charge that if issues arise from these situations that they are handled properly not just what is good for appearances and that we sould all be made aware of dangers so we can keep our kids safe.</p>
<p>":But what did you want the GOP leaders to do based on what they knew (essentially, that Foley sent harmless emails)? "</p>
<p>First they weren’t that harmless. Second, very simply put, a congressman or senator has absolutely no business IMing or emailing any 16 year old page without CCing the parents. Anybody with half a brain can see this is playing with fire. </p>
<p>I ran a large youth sports program with over 150 coaches. WE made very sure we covered appropriate and inappropriate contact. We placed alot of emphasis on not putting oneself into situations where an assumption could be made of inappropriate behavior, in other words, don’t do stupid things, no matter how innocent they seem at the time. Foley did a stupid thing. Not telling him to stop or change the means was a stupid thing for GOP leadership to do. I would be angry at the party leadership for being willing to let the situation get to this point. Didn’t anyone have a clue? Doesn’t anyone read? </p>
<p>They screwed up here in a big way. As one poster put it, it is about trust. I can’t believe nobody said “Hey Foley, this looks bad. In the future don’t do this unless your ccing the parents too.” </p>
<p>I had found a repetitive pattern with some people who are so adamently outraged over certain behaviors. I do believe they become what they hate because deep down inside they hate themselves for their secret lives. </p>
<p>We had Mayor Jim West in Spokane, WA lead with anti-gay legislation for years, turn out to be outed a year or so ago, offering government jobs to young (16-18)men in return for “dates”. Jim was in his 50’s when he was doing this. Which the age difference is creepy enough when it’s hetero… Jim was a pedophile too, just seeking gay boys. </p>
<p>It gets to be when you listen to a politican froth at the mouth with their outrage on an issue, you wonder what their real connection is to it.</p>