Sixteen-Year-Old Capitol Hill Page Concerned About E-mail Exchange

[sabra]

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/09/sixteenyearold_.html

Sixteen-Year-Old Capitol Hill Page Concerned About E-mail Exchange with Congressman

A 16-year-old male congressional page concerned about the appropriateness of an e-mail exchange with a congressman alerted Capitol Hill staffers to the communication.

Congressman Mark Foley's office says the e-mails were entirely appropriate and that their release is part of a smear campaign by his opponent.

In the series of e-mails, obtained by ABC News, between the page and Rep. Foley (R-FL), Foley asks the page how old he is, what he wants for his birthday and requests a photo of him.

...

The e-mails were sent from Foley's personal AOL account. In one, Foley writes, "did you have fun at your conference…what do you want for your birthday coming up…what stuff do you like to do."

...

The page forwarded that e-mail to a congressional staffer saying it was "sick sick sick sick sick."

[Ron Green]

1. Move along, folks. Nothing to see here.

[Atman]

3. I'm sorry, that just sounds weird to me!

Especially since it came from his PERSONAL aol account. In this day and age of internet predators, any adult should know better than to ask this kind of stuff to a kid online. It sounds just one question away from "got any naked pictures" or "can we meet?" There may not be MUCH to see -- yet -- but I don't think it's exactly nothing. It bears looking into.

[NVMojo]

48. what's it like being the expert of nothing to see?

[0007]

49. I ask myself the same question!

Move right along folks, there's nothing to see here....

[StrictlyRockers]

63. Thank you Officer Barbrady. Whew! I was afraid it was something..

more than just another Republican pedophile abusing his power to accost and ensnare a child.

[Ron Green]

53. It's slightly less annoying than being the expert of what is sick, sick,

sick.

:P

[Ron Green]

66. Wow - was I ever wrong. This guy really was out of line.

It's satisfying to see them crash and burn, but unsettling to think how many in high places are out of control.

[DemPopulist]

2. Does this really surprise anyone?

n/t

[JPZenger]

5. So Jimmy, do you like gladiator movies?

[maxrandb]

11. Funniest. Movie. Ever!

"So Timmy, ever been in a Turkish prison"?

"Listen kid, you try dragging Russell and Lambere's ass up the down the court all night"

Your post just made me LOL.

[KansDem]

16. !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFPYMjUH6oY

[YankeyMCC]

22. LoL!

[d_b]

33. hahahahahah

ya ever been to a turkish prison?

[Placebo]

47. God, you know it's true.

:scared:

[fishwax]

50. .

:rofl:

[soothsayer]

4. I wondered what happened to all the 'gay pages' that were all

the rage years ago!

[bigworld]

8. I'm no Foley fan,

but this could very well be innocent chat. Weird, maybe, but we shouldn't drag him thru the mud for this.

[katsy]

14. He wanted the kid's picture?

As a mom, I sure would be a little angry if a guy asked my kid to send him a pix.

Besides, I've just declared war, foley's a puke, 'ya know family values type nazis.

:nuke:

[bigworld]

23. point taken.

[aquart]

26. He asked for a picture.

Sorry. The mud is exactly where he is.

[pinerow]

36. Innocent...no...stupid...hell yes...!!!

nt

[pinerow]

37. dupe

nt

[Lochloosa]

59. Bull****

I assume you do not have any kids. If mine had gotten that email you would have seen a different headline.

[StrictlyRockers]

65. Why don't Republican congressmen use bookmarks?

Because they like to bend over the pages.



OHH! I am SO sorry!!!!

[villager]

6. is there a more redundant phrase than "closeted Republican?"

n/t

[MarkTwain]

7. Foley. Gay?

.... not a surprise, at all, to anyone following South Florida politics for the last ten years.

He's yet another GOP hypocrite who's closet door was blown off a long time ago. However, he still cowers in a dark corner of that closet refusing to be honest and acknowledge his orientation.

Another Republican self-hating gay who consistently votes the Bush line and against all human interests.

Not too bright, as well, btw.

[N90ATC]

27. Isn't he a doctor?

I thought he was a doctor. But emailing this 16-yr-old is certainly inappropriate. Who is his opponent this year?

[N90ATC]

29. Here's the opponent

http://www.timmahoneyforflorida.com/e3/index.php

[kskiska]

40. I remember Foley going berserk on nudist camps

for the teenage children of nudist families. They'd already grown up in that culture and wanted a camp of their own. Foley was so over the top that it made you wonder…

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[shadowknows69]

19. Fags?

alrighty then.

[shadowknows69]

20. Fags?

alrighty then.

[INDIA]

21. Nice post dude

What makes you think it's appropriate to refer to gay people in that manner, regardless of their political affiliation?

Unless you're gay, in which case you "own" that word. :eyes:

[Benhurst]

10. When the Republicans took over after the 1994 elections,

I heard Congress had turned over a new page.

I guess this one proved a bit reluctant.

[bullimiami]

12. another sick fuck repug bastard. floridian. of course.

[SoyCat]

70. Makes it embarrassing to live here--doesn't it?

[truthisfreedom]

13. i'm confused about something.

from the article:

Foley's office says it is their policy to keep pictures of former interns and anyone who may ask for a recommendation on file so they can remember them.

The Congressional page program was started in the 1800s. In its current form, juniors from high school work on Capitol Hill after school or over the summer. The page in question did not work or intern for Foley's office.

...

Elizabeth Nicolson, Foley's Chief of Staff, said they believe the e-mail exchange began when the page asked Foley for a recommendation and that the subsequent exchange was totally innocent. She said Foley's office believes the e-mails were released by the opposition as part of an "ugly smear campaign."



i don't get it. why did the page ask for a recommendation from Foley if the page "did not work or intern in Foley's office"?

if Foley wanted a picture for his file so he could remember who the kid was later (if asked about him) why didn't he say "email us a picture of you for our files, so we don't forget who you are"?

Foley should know better, if he is truly innocent, than to ask such personal questions. it really looks suspicious to an objective reader. this is NOT the day and age where it's "innocent" to ask a 16 year-old what he wants for his birthday if he isn't a relative or the child of a very close friend.

[zonkers]

17. Like Sen. Allen, you just get so out of touch & blind to what constitutes

"appropriate" behavior.

[Atman]

30. You're not confused.

If a picture is part of their standard policy, it would have been up front, and NOT solicited via a PERSONAL e-mail. The fact that the intern in question apparently didn't even work for Foley...well, it just sounds off to me.

[lumpy]

54. The kid didn't even work for Foley.

Looks like Foley was quite interested in this kid who apparently caught his eye. Asking for his picture and what he'd like for his birthday? Foley communicating using his personal e-mail address? Wonder what other e-mail the kid recieved.
Oh sure, Foley must be interested in this kid for purely altruistic reasons, that sp far have not been explained.

[Ian David]

15. He should have told Foley that what he wants for his birthday...

is a blue dress and a cigar.

Or a bondage session with Jeff Gannon.

[KingFlorez]

18. Not normal

A person should never ask for a minor's picture or ask those sort of questions. It's the sign of an internet predator.

[shadowknows69]

24. Big red flag

Be interesting if any former pages come forward. Now would be the time.

[BanzaiBonnie]

25. He was listening to his uh-oh voice

The young man did the right thing. What the Congressman was doing sounds like grooming behavior rather than simple interest.

And it doesn't matter if this is a Republican or Democrat. A search into his background is needed. There will probably be other incidents.

[Stephanie]

41. yes the page was absolutely right to report it

there is no reason for a Congressman to be spending his time emailing with a page, it's completely innappropriate and weird. the kid was clearly raised well by smart parents who told him to speak up if an adult was innappropriate.

[LiberalHeart]

28. How very odd.

I feel like portions of the story are missing. How did the exchange begin, how did they get on the topic of the conference (and what conference was it), how many emails were exchanged, did it begin on a government email account and switch over to the private AOL account -- and if so, why, did Foley send a photo then ask for one in exchange (note he says "as well"), did the birthday mention come out of the blue or does it connect up to something mentioned in the email(s), etc. etc. etc.

Did the link embedded in the story work for you folks? What does it say?

[HerbieHeadhunter]

31. Americablog has more (and another email)...

--snip--

What the ABC News story doesn't tell you is about the second email below, where Congressman Foley, in his fifties, remarks on how hot a friend of this sixteen year old is.

--snip--

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2006/09/gop-congressman-admits-to-says-nothing.html

[faithnotgreed]

39. when any adult wants to be sexually involved with anyone under age

thats among the worst

being gay shouldnt be such a part of the story but then again when these are the same people voting against gay rights they do create their own problems

thanks for posting that herbie

[CornField]

46. Well... I don't know his intentions, but he's a grammatical idiot

I'd be pissed off if I got emails like that. Words are spelled wrong and there are run-on sentences everywhere. In his defense, however, he'd communicate well with my six-year-old since that's how she writes.

[HereSince1628]

32. Oh God Thank-you! I'm so cynical now I thought it could be one of ours.

I apologize to all Dems for having had that thought.

[armodem08]

34. Another (R-Obviously) No surprise. eom.

[rocktivity]

35. The e-mails began three weeks after the page left

and he never worked for Foley to begin with? Sick sick sick...

x(
rocknation

[Thor_MN]

38. So Repugs still don't use bookmarkers...

They LIKE their pages bent over...

[VegasWolf]

42. Ewww!!! 16 years old? sick, sick, sick. nt

[JoFerret]

57. Closeted GOP homophobes are the true sick part.

Sixteen is old enough to marry in many places.

[Anakin Skywalker]

43. I'd Be Concerned Too, If Some Old Man

emailed me stuffs like that!

[yellowcanine]

44. Sounds like an oafish come on to me.

[gully]

45. I hate to say this, the emails do sound "friendly" but not "sick?"

*shrug*

I'll await more info.

[Divine Discontent]

51. the "sick" comment is the boy's own opinion of it being creepy to him

and rawstory.com has the full emails he wrote -

look, it's improper because the guy is a congressional rep, the boy is 16, not 18, even if the legal age is 16 in Washington, the parents don't send their kids to congress to have them boinked by the old men there, and don't expect it to even come up because they are in a position of POWER over the kids (just like the LeFave case) and therefore, it's extremely inappropriate to ask him for a photo when the boy didn't even work directly for him and tell him he'll be buying him a birthday present when they, based on the emails, weren't that close. He also throws up red flags by commenting about the other page's body being in "great shape".

If they met at a store, and the boy lived there, fine, because it's the LAW no matter what anyone says, you can't judge that because it's legal, if the young man is legal for relationships in D.C. at that age, so be it, but this is beyond inappropriate and he needs questioned in detail why he would think it's okay to ask some 16 yr old who came to intern for a summer for a pic in an email AND asking him if he's thought about what he wants for his birthday... odd behavior from someone that --- "doesn't want kids" according to his myspace account.

ALSO------

Did anyone notice Mark Foley NUMBERING his emails to the boy? What, at 10 emails is when he asks if he wants to come join him on a safari as a present because he thinks he's such a great kid?

Again, inappropriate because of the responsibility placed on Foley as an official over the young boy in his position. Very uncool.

Check out the http://www.rawstory.com story!

[gully]

61. I agree that if he was "hitting" on this young kid it's deplorable!

I just didn't see it in the letters he sent. That said, apparently there is MORE to the story.

[Divine Discontent]

67. sure you've heard now

http://abcnews.go.com/images/WNT/foley_excerpts4.pdf here's the pdf "just dreaming" of pulling of the boy's jock strap and other stuff.





www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable <<-- antibush prodem stickers/shirts

[girl gone mad]

52. You should read the stuff posted at Americablog..

in the link above. It looks pretty damning to me. If I were on the receiving end of those e-mails, I would be either creeped out or flattered. No three ways about it.

[gully]

60. Gotcha.

Thanks.

[JoFerret]

56. Classic "grooming" behavior

.

[Judi Lynn]

55. LA Times:Congressman's e-mails to teen raise possible issues for GOP

Sept. 28, 2006, 11:36PM
Congressman's e-mails to teen raise possible issues for GOP


Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON — A Republican House member from Florida who was expected to cruise to re-election faced questions Thursday about the propriety of e-mails he sent to a teenage page on Capitol Hill, potentially adding to the GOP's struggles as it attempts to maintain its congressional majority.

Six-term Rep. Mark Foley, 52, is being forced to explain a series of e-mails he sent in 2005 in which he asked the page his age and requested a photo.

The e-mails, copies of which were obtained by the Los Angeles Times, indicate that the teenager then complained to another congressional staff member, noting: "Maybe it is just me being paranoid, but seriously. This freaked me out."

In another e-mail sent to the page, Foley said of a second teenager working on Capitol Hill, "He's in such great shape."
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/4223137.html

Also:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-foley29sep29,1,428003.story?coll=la-headlines-nation

[and-justice-for-all]

58. I know Repukes are hypocrits and all...

...But I dont read anything odd about the email exchange, it just sounds to me he was trying to get to know the page who works for him...Even I like to know a little bit about my coworkers..

[lumpy]

62. The page didn't work for Foley.

Foley appears to have taken some sort of interest in the young man. The question is why? Foley could hardly be described as a 'co-worker' of a page.

[and-justice-for-all]

68. I guess I dont understand...sorry

..So, what is a "page" and how did Foley come to know of him? Was these just a by chance issue that Foley was in some Chat room and just happened to talk to the page?

[lumpy]

64. Foley has resigned from the campaign.

Guess that's it....

[and-justice-for-all]

69. Well that was quick and painless...

...Now if we could just get Chancellor Shrub Co. out of office that easy and with haste.

[girl gone mad]

71. I just had to kick this thread...

I was a little shocked and disturbed that so many saw his e-mails as harmless. I can understand not wanting to rush to judgement, but not the rush to defend a behavior that is so clearly inappropriate. It is not normal for a grown man to take such a personal interest in an unrelated minor. I have always looked very young for my age, and as a result I attracted these predator types well into my 20s. Parents and children need to be vigilant.

[LeftHander]

72. How does congressmen Foley recall where he left off...?

He bends over a page....