by TChris

Mark Foley is walking a tightrope. The emails and IM's are out there; he can't pretend they don't exist. Through his counsel, Foley apologized for "inappropriate" communications. A more specific apology - the kind that could be introduced as evidence against him during a sexual assault trial - isn't likely to be forthcoming, as Foley's lawyer denied that Foley had sexual contact with a minor.

As TalkLeft noted here, Foley followed the standard Washington practice of entering an alcohol treatment program. "I did it because I was drinking" hasn't impressed a judge since the days of Wyatt Earp. Today, while carefully offering no excuses, Foley's lawyer alluded to Foley's history of abuse by a clergy member when he was a child. "I did it because I was abused as a child" sounds strained coming from a stalwart of the Party of Personal Responsibility. And these sound suspiciously like excuses from a man who, according to his lawyer, wants to offer no excuses.

Because conservatives have populated courts with judges who don't much care why you did what you did, Foley can't expect sympathy from the judiciary because of his childhood victimization. If Foley wants to soften a potential punishment, he would be wiser to enter a reputable and very private sex offender treatment program.