Holy fuck, Foley is back!

[originalpckelly]

Foley breaks silence on sex scandal

Foley insists he did nothing illegal and never had sexual contact with teens, just inappropriate Internet conversations. Investigations by the FBI and Florida authorities ended without criminal charges.

And while he concedes his behavior was "extraordinarily stupid," he remains somewhat unwilling to accept full public scorn.

These were 17-year-olds, just months from being men, he insists.

"There was never anywhere in those conversations where someone said, 'Stop,' or 'I'm not enjoying this,' or 'This is inappropriate' ... but again, I'm the adult here, I'm the congressman," Foley said. "The fact is I allowed it to happen. That's where my responsibility lies."

Foley had built a national reputation as an advocate for tougher penalties against child sexual predators. As co-chairman of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus, he helped craft a law to protect children on the Internet."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27677750/

Foley was so smart, he managed to fool John Walsh. Let's make this very clear, Foley broke the law. He was a middle-aged man having explicit internet conversations with young men who were not experienced enough to look out for themselves. They were minors.

Here's Foley and Walsh on AMW talking about a sexual predator law.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6BKR4cTmAg

Will someone please nail that little worm to the wall? Why hasn't he been prosecuted?

[spanone]

1. 'just months from being men' one sick fuck

[originalpckelly]

4. He's not gay, he's a fucking pervert.

I'm gay, and 22 and I'd feel uncomfortable going after a 17 year old now.

[JI7]

11. Foley is in his 50s , it would be weird even if he dated a 25 year old

[RaleighNCDUer]

22. There's a really sweet girl, probably about 22 or 23, that I work with

who I will never have more than a casual conversation with because I know that if I was 20 years younger than I am I would STILL be too old for her.

If I can recognize that, why can't Foley?

[DemoTex]

9. Seventeen year olds 'just months from being men.' WTF? The Onion?

I had to look again to see that this was not from The Onion.

:wtf:

[GreenPartyVoter]

23. Isn't the "just months from being legal" argument a fave of statutory rapists as well?

[FSogol]

2. Let John Walsh strangle him. It can be a very special episode of

America's Most Wanted.

[helderheid]

3. Why hasn't he been prosecuted? He's a Republican.

[originalpckelly]

5. Wait until Dateline NBC runs into him...

which I'm sure they will at some point. He's a sick man, and it's not going to clear up over night.

[madfloridian]

6. That's FL 16...we just lost there because the Dem had affairs.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/2892

What a district.

[originalpckelly]

8. I think that's probably why Foley came out to talk now.

[JI7]

13. he had been a Dem for less than 5 years

and he ran on what a great moral christian he was.

[madfloridian]

21. Was recruited by Rahm in 2005 as a Republican, didn't switch until at least July 2005

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/2892

"Wealthy businessman Tim Mahoney, a self-described "fundamental Christian," was recruited by the DCCC to run against then-Congressman Mark Foley in Florida's 16th District. According to The Palm Beach Post, Mahoney switched his registration from Republican to Democrat in July of 2005. Mahoney did not support a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.

David Lutrin, a school teacher, union activist and staunch supporter of immediate withdrawal from Iraq, decided to run against Foley before Mahoney entered the race. After Mahoney declared his candidacy, Lutrin was contacted by field organizers for the DCCC who asked him to drop out and let Mahoney run unopposed.

Lutrin said that he also met personally with Mahoney. During a three- hour breakfast meeting, Mahoney offered Lutrin a higher-paying job if he agreed to drop out of the primary. "Mahoney tried to get me to run in a different district. He offered me a job at one of his non-profit organizations where he said that I would make more than I was making as a teacher. He said I could campaign full time while working at his non-profit as long as I agreed to drop out of the race," Lutrin said. Lutrin declined the job offer.

According to Lutrin, when he refused to step aside, the DCCC shored up local political support for Mahoney. The local AFL-CIO chapter, of which Lutrin was a member, came out with an early endorsement of Mahoney's campaign. According to Lutrin, the union told him that "they would like to back a fellow union brother, but Mahoney has more money and more political support from the party." Lutrin eventually dropped out of the race when the local teachers' union decided to support Mahoney."

And I think one source, Rothenberg, had him switching in August to run.

[RaleighNCDUer]

24. And this is why I hope Obama keeps Emanuel effectively neutered

as Chief of Staff - because we don't need any more of that DLC crap in the WH.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

7. Classic, textbook, predator behavior.

They always have a justification, an excuse, a reason, a mitigating factor. Always.

[Deep13]

19. Bingo.

It is part of their predator thinking.

[Mira]

10. Just locked up my teenage grandson and took his laptop away

[Mist]

12. Foley tries to blame the pages: "No one said stop!" Rethug slime to the end. nt

[Ganja Ninja]

14. Maybe I should rethink the Palin/Keys ticket in 2012.

:think:

[Sabriel]

15. Does he even comprehend his power position?

"There was never anywhere in those conversations where someone said, 'Stop,' or 'I'm not enjoying this,' or 'This is inappropriate' ... but again, I'm the adult here, I'm the congressman," Foley said. "The fact is I allowed it to happen. That's where my responsibility lies."

They're PAGES! They're MINORS! They work for/with you! What makes you think they're going to stand up for themselves? Even older, more experienced people can't always do that.

What he needs is a little restorative justice: sit down with people who have been wronged and listen to how they feel.

[JohnnyLib2]

16. You could change the heading to UNHOLY......

:evilgrin:

[Myrina]

17. Not only were they minors, but he was in a position of power & authority ...

... textbook definition of Sexual Harassment, if nothing else.

[cliffordu]

18. Getting ready to turn another page, no doubt....

[sharp_stick]

20. Isn't 17 legal?

I was under the impression that 17 is legal in most jurisdictions for consensual sexual activity. Not to condone what the guy did but I was somewhat sexually active when I was 17 and I still think I knew what I was doing.

If he was using his position to coerce them that changes the entire situation and I admit to not being totally in the loop on all things repuke and predatory. The list is far too long to maintain full knowledge at all times.