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Fla. Rep. Mark Foley Resigns

By TChris, Section Elections 2006
Posted on Fri Sep 29, 2006 at 12:30:37 PM EST
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by TChris

Republicans are having a devilish time staying out of trouble this year. The latest to bite the dust: Rep. Mark Foley.

Rep. Mark Foley, R-Florida, submitted a letter of resignation from Congress on Friday in the wake of questions about e-mails he wrote a former male page, according to a congressional official. Foley, 52, had been considered a shoo-in for re-election until the e-mails surfaced in recent days.

Here are some of the creepy emails (pdf) Foley wrote to a 16 year old boy. (Emails or IM's not yet released are said to be even more questionable.)

Update: Foley, of course, was all about protecting kids from sexual exploitation. A real "family values" kind of guy.

Update (TL): from Brian Ross at ABC News:

Maf54: What ya wearing?
Teen: tshirt and shorts
Maf54: Love to slip them off of you.

And this one:

Maf54: Do I make you a little horny?
Teen: A little.
Maf54: Cool.

The language gets much more graphic, too graphic to be broadcast, and at one point the congressman appears to be describing Internet sex.

Federal authorities say such messages could result in Foley's prosecution, under some of the same laws he helped to enact.

"Adds up to soliciting underage children for sex," said Brad Garrett, a former FBI agent and now an ABC News consultant. "And what it amounts to is serious both state and federal violations that could potentially get you a number of years."

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    Fla. Rep. Mark Foley Resigns | 11 comments (11 topical)
    Re: Fla. Rep. Mark Foley Resigns (none / 0) (#1)
    by Che's Lounge on Fri Sep 29, 2006 at 01:21:49 PM EST
    No problem. Just get a blonde wig, a breast augmentation and a few pinup photos and no one will bother you if you boff a minor. Bubye.

    Re: Fla. Rep. Mark Foley Resigns (none / 0) (#4)
    by Sailor on Fri Sep 29, 2006 at 03:17:47 PM EST
    About time congress was exFoleyated

    Re: Fla. Rep. Mark Foley Resigns (none / 0) (#2)
    by kdog on Fri Sep 29, 2006 at 04:19:41 PM EST
    That's icky. Note to Foley...better to wait till your interns turn 18 before you make a pass at them. Will he end up on a sex offender list?

    Re: Fla. Rep. Mark Foley Resigns (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Sep 29, 2006 at 04:19:41 PM EST
    maybe he wanted to protect kids from those like him because he knew what guys like him were capable of... reminds me of the line: if you want to meet sinners go to church

    Re: Fla. Rep. Mark Foley Resigns (none / 0) (#5)
    by Sumner on Fri Sep 29, 2006 at 04:42:00 PM EST
    MARK FOLEY seemed long his favorite on fellow crusader BILL O'REILLY's spin show, on Fox News. They thrilled in showing video of children in European nudist camps, (where social nudism is yet free from American Puritanical stigma), that FOLEY would apparently provide. As I have long observed about these men and such motivations: "This posture allows them to both indulge in it while ostensibly fighting it. In this manner they can have it both ways. Save face and yet indulge", ie., all the while ostensibly opposing, condemning and berating it. As I had observed about FOLEY when I wrote to the US Sentencing Commission:
    America has lots of demagogues. Nudists are aware that MARK FOLEY has made his career on persecuting Social Nudism. FOLEY's predecessor, former Florida Rep. BILL MCCOLLUM, was also a demagogue and had declared on the floor of the House that no professionals would be allowed to find that marijuana had any medical use or was safe. He lost his House seat. FOLEY's political opponent states on his web site that "Former U.S. Rep. BILL MCCOLLUM looks like Howdy Doody, and current U.S. Rep. MARK FOLEY has earned most of his name recognition by holding news conferences to announce: A) he won't comment on whether he's gay or B) he's steadfastly against nudist camps. ... FOLEY led a recent crusade to outlaw minor models wearing bathing suits on web sites, as child pornography. He is currently strong-arming Florida's Governor JEB BUSH to outlaw 6th Grade nudist camps. Foley first objects to minors in nudist camps because there are also adults there and then he objects because there are not enough adults there. ... FOLEY objected to these bathing suit web sites ostensibly because the models appeared to strike sensuous poses.
    Re: Fla. Rep. Mark Foley Resigns (none / 0) (#8)
    by John Mann on Fri Sep 29, 2006 at 08:09:26 PM EST
    "For too long our nation has tracked library books better than it has sex offenders. That day is coming to an end," said Foley. "Senator Hatch and Leader Frist have been resolute in keeping this legislation on track. We are closing loopholes that sex offenders and pedophiles have used to prey on children." --Mark Foley Instant Karma.

    Re: Fla. Rep. Mark Foley Resigns (none / 0) (#6)
    by cpinva on Fri Sep 29, 2006 at 08:48:12 PM EST
    A real "family values" kind of guy.
    that would be the jeffrey dahmer family.

    Re: Fla. Rep. Mark Foley Resigns (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Sep 29, 2006 at 08:48:12 PM EST
    Foley was co-chairman of the Missing and Exploited Children Caucus. He has an 84% rating from the "Christian" Coalition. The sponsor of the page in question (Rodney Alexander of Louisiana, a Republican) knew about Foley's emails ten months ago and alerted the House leadership. They did nothing. What's wrong with this picture?

    Re: Fla. Rep. Mark Foley Resigns (none / 0) (#9)
    by roxtar on Sat Sep 30, 2006 at 05:54:10 AM EST
    Is it wrong of me to observe the fact that this clown is Rush Limbaugh's congressman? Because if it is, baby, I don't wanna be right......

    Re: Fla. Rep. Mark Foley Resigns (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Sep 30, 2006 at 09:47:44 AM EST
    It's way past time that the media started exposing the politicians cheating on their spouses and breaking their promises. Go to any party with lawmakers and you will see them picking up people and taking them wherever for thier fun. It's sick.

    Re: Fla. Rep. Mark Foley Resigns (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Sep 30, 2006 at 05:43:30 PM EST
    Another hypocritical Republican revealed. What a surprise.

    Fla. Rep. Mark Foley Resigns | 11 comments (11 topical)