Foley finale: GOP negligent, Dems knew of e-mail when Hastert did
posted at 8:28 pm on December 8, 2006 by Allahpundit
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The Ethics Committee report is out. Verdict: no rules were broken but all parties involved could have and should have known what was going on. The Blotter, appropriately, has the most complete account:
The report states that as “a general matter,” the committee “observed a disconcerting unwillingness to take responsibility for resolving issues regarding Rep. Foley’s conduct…Almost no one followed up adequately on the limited actions they did take.” Other than one congressman and his staff, the committee says, no one in the House responsible for Foley’s conduct actually saw any of the e-mails…
It states that the committee “was distrubed by the conduct of those who dealt with allegations regarding the conduct of former Representative Foley. When confronted with such allegations, the response of some individuals was limited to that necessary to shift notice and responsibility to those they believed more responsible for dealing with such matters.”
Jeff Trandahl, the former House clerk, allegedly knew as far as back as ten years ago. Why the cover up?
“Some may have been concerned that raising the issue too aggressivelty might have risked exposing Rep. Foley’s homosexuality, which could have adversely affected him both personally and politically,” the report states, adding that “political considerations played a role in decisions” by both Democrats and Republicans.
Democrats and Republicans? Yeah — according to a separate article at the Blotter, page 76 of the report states that the communications directors for the House Democratic Caucus and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee each had copies in the fall of 2005 of the famous e-mail in which Foley asked a former page to send him a picture of himself. Hastert’s office learned of that e-mail around the same time but did basically nothing, despite the fact that they had heard rumors about him before. The article continues, “there is no follow-up to the brief one sentence mention on page 76 that powerful Democratic committees also knew about the e-mails except to note that Matt Miller, the House Democratic Caucus staff member, sent the e-mails at some pont to various news organizations.”
Meanwhile, Jim Kolbe might or might not have suppressed evidence about when he first learned of Foley’s “tendencies” and, according to Trandahl, might or might not have a little page problem himself.
As for Foley himself, it looks like he’ll skate. He knew the law well enough to stay, barely, on the right side of it.
CREW calls the report a whitewash.
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Foley is a creep, he’s gone. Is he gone because he’s a creep? No, he’s gone because he’s a Republican with dirt on him. You can be a creep and stay, you can have dirt on you and stay, as long as your a Democrat. Don’t make me start a list.
I would agree that the report is a whitewash, only on the grounds that suspect behavior towards subordinates should ALWAYS be dealt with quickly and firmly. If it turns out there’s no “there” there, fine. But until you know, young people are potentially in a hostile situation with little recourse. That anyone knew, whether Republican or Democrat, and passed the buck or failed to at least investigate, is shameful.
The report’s indication that Democrats knew as early as anyone else should kill any partisan angle to the issue, and since the perp is long gone, it’s time to move on.
Freelancer on December 8, 2006 at 8:46 PM
Where is the outcry of righeous indignation now?
Deafenening silence ensues.
hillbillyjim on December 8, 2006 at 8:51 PM
Interesting that Dems knew…. I have heard/seen the headlines a half dozen times already… but hadn’t heard that Dems knew. Big surprise, the rest of the media isn’t interested in that. All other headlines simply say “GOP” or “Republicans” failed to protect kids from Foley.
RightWinged on December 8, 2006 at 9:01 PM
Oh God. I thought story was over.
vcferlita on December 8, 2006 at 9:22 PM
That should read:
Oh God. I thought this story was over.
vcferlita on December 8, 2006 at 9:23 PM
Homo sex uals can be both chatty and catty. Who knew. /stewie
Stephen M on December 8, 2006 at 9:44 PM
So Foley resigns in disgrace for gay sex emails to pages, but Pelosi has illegals in her vineyard and gets to be speaker? We’re gonna lose the war on terror.
Iblis on December 8, 2006 at 10:03 PM
Oh, to be young and idealistic again! :)
Merovign on December 8, 2006 at 10:16 PM
CREW can go suck it.
Soros is waiting.
Good Lt on December 8, 2006 at 10:36 PM
And BTW, if it was good enough in real time for Studds (D), it was permissable for Foley (R) in cybertime…
Good Lt on December 8, 2006 at 10:37 PM
Nice pun, Allah.
PaisleyCow on December 8, 2006 at 11:04 PM
“Turning the page” ;)
Allah came up with the quip then had to find a story to wrap it around. Clever…
CliffHanger on December 8, 2006 at 11:12 PM
If a Dem would have done an intern he’d have been a hero. This is rediculous. These are going to be interesting months ahead with the inmates running the jail for a change.
Mojave Mark on December 8, 2006 at 11:46 PM
Whatever happened to leadership in this country?
Expose his homosexuality? Was it really a secret? And God forbid we should harm him personally just because he was chasing same-sex pages. This should be framed and spot-lighted as one of the greatest reasons we lost in the last round of elections. Our fearless leaders have lost sight of their party. Too many Republicans were in power and not nearly enough conservatives. These types of Republicans just need to go on and join the Democratic party. They’re really just a signature away anyhow, aren’t they?
thedecider on December 9, 2006 at 12:06 AM
And Hastert refused to realize that the Dems would save it for future ammo against the GOP?!?! Arrogant complacency knows no party bounds.
infidel4life on December 9, 2006 at 2:21 AM
I said should, not will. I know the difference. And while yes, I am idealistic, even an ideologue, I can separate the world as I face it from the dreamworld I might wish for. That’s the difference between most of us here and liberals.
Freelancer on December 9, 2006 at 5:00 AM
I have no recollection of any democrat stepping up to the plate and demanding Barney Fag resign during the male escort scandal?
Grouper on December 9, 2006 at 8:08 AM
OK….now… enquiring minds want to know… who had these? did they have them legally?… and who leaked them to the press??? right before the election?
Doesn’t that go to ethics as well?
Romeo13 on December 9, 2006 at 9:42 AM
…Foley…who cares.
He was smarmy and creepy, but he committed no crime. He was merely a stick with which the Dems could beat the Reps…and get *THEIR* perverts, sickos and traitors into positions of power.
Foley is — and was — a non-issue.
Puritan1648 on December 9, 2006 at 10:48 AM
I’m overwhelmed by all the headlines in the media about these findings; and the commentary on all the leftie stations…you’re not? Never mind, I was having illusions of fairness. Back to Earth now…I’m fine.
Entelechy on December 9, 2006 at 3:55 PM
You equate the actions of 2 consenting adults with an adult, charged with overseeing teenagers, sending sexually explicit and suggestive communications to these same teenagers? Interesting.
honora on December 10, 2006 at 12:35 PM
Well honora, you see protitution, gay or otherwise, is a crime, dirty emails is just sleazy.
Iblis on December 10, 2006 at 1:22 PM
I’ll tell you what: you have your kid start getting this kind of e-mail from an adult Congressman. Then come talk to me about it being “just sleazy”
Let me put it another way. Based on what we know, who would you trust around your teenage sons: Barney Frank or Foley?
honora on December 10, 2006 at 2:00 PM
The liars of the Democratic Party are now facing the truth. We now know that they were playing dirty tricks. Even Glenn Greenwald admits what us readers of HotAir knew all the time:
As AJ Strata points out, the MEDIA IS COMPLICIT in lying to America on behalf of the Democrats:
In case you didn’t know, Rahm Emanuel was one of Liar Bill Clinton’s “hit men” when he worked for the White House. He was noted for the viciousness he used to keep potential Clinton critics in line. Which is why I believed that this flap about Foley was his doing in the first place. It stunk all along of him being complicit with the media to use the information for political purposes, and to hell with any children that might be abused in the process!
Emanuel now assumes responsibility for any sexual harrassment of any current or former page by Foley since he became aware of it in 2005. By “saving it up” for the election, Emanuel is an accessory to any criminal charges that may develope against Foley. Emanuel should be kicked out of Congress and ridden out of town on a rail. Send this crook packing! This vicious, lying, bastard is unworthy of public office.
georgej on December 10, 2006 at 2:55 PM
Romeo13 asks: “OK….now… enquiring minds want to know… who had these? did they have them legally?… and who leaked them to the press??? right before the election?”
RAHM EMANUEL and the lying bastards at the DCCC.
and again: “Doesn’t that go to ethics as well?”
You bet. Not only that, should their be any criminal charges that arise out of this, Emanuel is an accessory and should be prosecuted.
georgej on December 10, 2006 at 2:57 PM
Well until its a crime, that’s all it is. And there ain’t a damn thing you can do except howl “Its disgusting!”.
Obviously Foley, at least he knows exactly how to follow the rules. Frank will let them do whatever the hell they want.
Oh wait, was that a trick question? You mean no homosexual can be trusted with our children? How homophobic of you! I’m so outraged! Its disgusting! You gotta let go of the hate.
Iblis on December 10, 2006 at 3:45 PM
Not a trick question at all, but one designed to see where you really stand.
As I could have predicted, the ultimate sin is being a Democrat. Family values indeed.
honora on December 11, 2006 at 10:13 AM
Well since running a brothel out of your home is fine with you, I really think your sense of family values is dangerously warped. What it really shows is that you care nothing for family values and think the ultimate sin is being a gay Republican.
Iblis on December 11, 2006 at 1:50 PM