Former page: We knew about Foley 'for years'

[MADem]

http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/florida_news/article/0,2820,TCP_24432_5034317,00.html


WASHINGTON — Sexually explicit messages from former Rep. Mark Foley to one former congressional page might be just the tip of the iceberg, the leader of an alumni association for former congressional pages told Scripps Howard News Service on Saturday.

While Foley resigned this week after published reports of "friendly" e-mails to one 16-year-old male page and the pending broadcast of more sexually explicit instant messages, similar graphic messages from him were received by at least three other teenage boys who once worked in the page program, said Matthew Loraditch, a Maryland college senior who runs the U.S. House Page Alumni Association's Internet message board. ...Loraditch said his friends all thought the messages were disturbing, but they did not report them, either because they did not think the messages posed a serious threat or because they might have worried about career consequences.

He added all his friends received the questionable messages only after they had graduated and left the program, when, theoretically, that would not raise the same in-house sexual harassment issues as if they had been sent when the former pages still worked for Congress.

"This all happened after we were outside the protective umbrella of all our supervisors, not when we were there," Loraditch said. "To me, that indicates some sort of thought process going on in Foley's mind."

The case has prompted many congressional leaders to talk about stepped-up vigilance to protect the young men and women who serve as congressional pages, who get an up-close look at Congress while doing messenger-like duties for lawmakers. ...

[Binka]

1. Den Of Vipers

IMHO Foley is one of MANY members of Congress who preys on kids. It is a sick bunch of abusers.

[Catherine Vincent]

3. This situation may end the "congressional page" business for teens.

n/t

[barb162]

34. I hope not. It's a good program for the kids and it's been

around forever. Just keep the pedophiles away from them!

[TomInTib]

6. Den of Vipers - Can of Worms - Pandora's Box... you name it...n/t

[allisonthegreat]

36. not a religious person..but amen. n/t

[Botany]

12. all the time wrapping themselves in the flag, God, our troops, & values.

:hi: Binka .... it was Mama's (Steph :loveya: Miller) B -Day Friday.

Big ups to Ben .... hope he is doing O.K.. ... thank him again for his service for me.

I just woke from a nightmare .... and the moral of it was my country was taken over by
evil and that let all sorts of crimes happen so they could have power and money.

Think of it; 9-11, Foley, election theft /crimes, Dick Cheney's Energy task force, media
manipulation, the Patriot Act, NSA aka spying aka total information awareness, the response
to Katrina, Torture Law, packing the court, bush's background and yet he still is President (
DUIs, coke, AWOL, insider trading, abortion on a former lover ? , his lack of I.Q.), gas price
manipulation come election time, the impeachment of Clinton, Fox News, sending those
poor rescue people into ground zero so they would get "dosed w/ toxic air, gay bashing,
keeping the blacks from voting, using God, stealing our nation's wealth, and selling fear 24/7.

And just like the Nazis who let sexual predators, thieves, and drug addicts stay in power as long
as "they" served party; as is the case of Foley was preying on young boys, so what? As long as he
toed the company line he was protected by the "mob" aka the power structure behind the "Boy King."

[saigon68]

14. Kind of like the God squad

AKA the catholic church and its band of pedophiles

[leftchick]

19. yep! the flags are always there....

pervert pedophile patriots..... :puke:

[IndianaGreen]

30. The same people that vote in favor of torture

are the ones that coddle sexual abusers like Foley. So what's the difference between Bush's America and Caligula's Rome?

[Catherine Vincent]

2. oh my!

They'll all come out and tattle on Foley now.

[MADem]

4. Here's hoping. But who knows?

...they did not report them, either because they did not think the messages posed a serious threat or because they might have worried about career consequences.

[zonkers]

5. Foley was a creepy pervy letch.

[UpInArms]

16. was???

methinks that word should be "is"

:hi:

[zonkers]

18. Yeah, just sleepy.

[kath]

7. It looks like even the most recent episode occurred AFTER the boy

was a page - this is about the 2005 episode, the kid from Louisiana who was Rep. Alexander's page:

"Kello said that around the time the boy was leaving his job as a page, or House floor assistant, in the summer of 2005, the boy handed Foley a card "thanking him for being a friendly face." The boy then returned to his home in Louisiana.

Foley kept in touch with him, especially around the time of Hurricane Katrina. "He was concerned about the kid because he knew he was from Louisiana," Kello said.

The e-mail, which ended "send me a pic of you as well," began, "How are you weathering the hurricane . . . are you safe." Kello said Foley asked what the boy wanted for his birthday because in a previous e-mail, a copy of which has not been published, the boy had informed the congressman that he was celebrating a birthday.

Kello also said that it is not unusual for someone from Foley's office to seek photographs to keep on file in case people seek recommendations.

Foley was familiar and friendly in his e-mails. In one, he wrote, "did you have fun at your conference" and "what stuff do you like to do." In another, he wrote, "Glad your home safe and sound" and "its nice here . . . been raining today." In a third, Foley referred to someone named Will and said, "hes such a nice guy . . . acts much older than his age . . . and hes in really great shape."

Foley was familiar and friendly in his e-mails. In one, he wrote, "did you have fun at your conference" and "what stuff do you like to do." In another, he wrote, "Glad your home safe and sound" and "its nice here . . . been raining today." In a third, Foley referred to someone named Will and said, "hes such a nice guy . . . acts much older than his age . . . and hes in really great shape."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/28/AR2006092801764.html
(do note, though, that "Kello" is a Foley spokesperson)


**** the long, steamy IM exchange posted on ABC's website does NOT involve this kid from Louisiana. THAT exchange is from ***2003***. It's not clear if the 2003 kid was a page at the time, or not. I think it may be that he was back home AFTER serving as a page, for the following reason:
The website about pages and the school classes they take explicitly states that no AP classes are offered. The kid states in the exchange that he has to do some work for an AP English class. (also said he'd had a college interview, so he was probably a senior at the time. Does anyone know what grade pages are typically in?)

[redphish]

8. I'm pretty sure they're hired at age 16.

[MADem]

10. They used to be as young as 14, now they have to be juniors in HS

Most are 16 or 17.

[MADem]

24. I think he was warming up the LA kid, to turn him out later

"This all happened after we were outside the protective umbrella of all our supervisors, not when we were there," Loraditch said. "To me, that indicates some sort of thought process going on in Foley's mind."

[The Sushi Bandit]

9. then WHY DIDN'T THEY SAY ANYTHING!!!??

Knowing and not telling is paramount to guilt

[MADem]

11. Well, according to the article, he didn't get odd until they'd left their

page posts, apparently. And he may have compensated some of them with favors of what ever sort.

[Dem2theMax]

13. They may not have said anything,

but I'm crossing my fingers that they SAVED EVERYTHING! Evidence = bye bye repukes.

[SpiralHawk]

15. They knew -- and the republicons covered up the pedophilia

Because they are all sick, and have LOTS TO HIDE.

Republicons = lacking in honor.

[boobooday]

17. What a lovely program to teach our young people about Congress

and how politics works.:puke:

When I was a kid, I went through something similar -- a sexually explicit phone call from someone who claimed to be an authority figure, and used my confusion over that to keep me on the phone. I was never more confused. I wanted to hang up but was afraid. I was younger than these pages at the time, but I bet you the confusion is the same. What does a young person do when an authority figure turns out to be utterly debased like that? Their inexperience will mean that it takes longer for them to process what is going on.

And then they figure out a way to try to protect each other from the predator, which only proves that this was a known pattern.

This whole thing is so disgusting.

[tanyev]

20. Unfortunately, this is how Congress and politics often work.

The pages are seeing a much more accurate picture than Joe Sixpack Voter watching Fox News.

[boobooday]

21. So true, and no business is pretty when seen up close

in high definition.

But really, the hypocrisy is what sets this particular situation apart, I think.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

22. I went through something similar at a part time job I held during H.S.

It was at a retail store and the store manager gave me a shoulder massage while saying some really inappropriate things. I was confused about the whole situation. I didn't tell anyone because it was so weird and creepy and I somehow felt I was to blame.

Even "we know everything" teenagers can be thrown for a loop by something like this involving an authority figure.

MKJ

[MADem]

25. Now you know how the German Chancellor felt!!!!!!!!

http://www.addictinggames.com/bushbackrub.html

A game for you to bring back those creepy, awful memories, at the link!!

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

28. LOL, that is hysterical! I've always hated shoulder rubs, and I actually

hadn't realized the genesis of my discomfort until now.

That link is great, thanks for the laugh. :rofl: MKJ

[MADem]

29. It IS funny, in a horrible way....it's one of those things you don't find

amusing at the time, but it's quite the hoot after the fact, when you're well away from the source of the misery!

I get a kick out of that little game. The expressions on the faces of the three at the table are right on the mark...and the Monkey's ferretlike determination! Sometimes the simplest animations are the best!

[Joanne98]

23. Kids don't think anyone will believe them.

[Mike Daniels]

31. Sounds more like they were concerned about losing possible jobs

Screw them. They were out of the pages program when they received the letters.

They are actually just as responsible for Foley staying in Congress as any of the leadership. Notice they didn't seem to be too alarmed by the notices either.

[rodeodance]

26. congresscritters obviously need Background checks

[happydreams]

27. This needs to be blasted everywhere. K&R!!!

[arbusto_baboso]

32. GOP = Government Organized Pedophiles

Or: Grand Old Perverts

Just goes to show you that whoever protests loudest about "family values" ALWAYS has the most to hide.

[MADem]

33. I find Gang of Perverts works, too! NT

[Tesha]

35. Start the meme: "Feeley Foley"! (NT)