# Rep. Mark Foley resigns over e-mails to teenage boys -- repercussions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 30, 2006, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735 "2006-09-30T14:28:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/221 "2006-10-04T20:51:53Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Everyone there with any reason to even know the name Mark Foley probably at some point heard reliable gossip about his proclivities. He’s been chasing sixteen-year-old male tail for at least ten years! Any politician saying they had no idea is a damn dirty liar. Unless there’s evidence that more politicians (of either party) knew that Foley was _soliciting minors_ and didn’t say anything, I think the calls of “everyone’s guilty” are premature. I’m sure most/all Congresscritters knew he was gay, but that’s not a crime (at least, not yet). ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/222 "2006-10-04T20:52:54Z")
Might as well be. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/223 "2006-10-04T21:05:29Z")
[QUOTE=rjung] Unless there’s evidence that more politicians (of either party) knew that Foley was _soliciting minors_ and didn’t say anything, I think the calls of “everyone’s guilty” are premature. I’m sure most/all Congresscritters knew he was gay, but that’s not a crime (at least, not yet). [/QUOTE] Was Foley dating a hot younger 30-year-old? If so, I can see the Congresscritters gossiping. “That old cradle-robbing horndog!” Show me this _of age_ Gay boyfriend? No, what the congresscritters knew was he was chasing sixteen-year-old male tail and they let it go as a “Gay thing.” Better not say anything. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/224 "2006-10-04T21:07:45Z")
So is the idea that Democrats for years knew about a potentially explosive Republican sex scandal–that they knew about it, say, in the months leading up to the 2004 election–and they decided, out of respect for Republicans, not to say anything about it? Does not compute. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/225 "2006-10-04T21:09:12Z")
[QUOTE=you with the face] I fail to see how Foley’s latest confession about being molested–whether it’s true or not–is supposed to make us feel better about this whole situation. As if his actions haven’t been stupid enough already, he had to go and add more flammable material to the bonfire. I’m starting to think the guy really _is_ a Democrat, because I can’t believe a Republican would engage in this much self-sabotage. Up until now, the Republican spin factory was doing an okay job at protraying this as a “horny politician only making inappropriate remarks to sexually mature young adults; Clinton did it too!” kind of scandal, but Foley’s confession seriously undermines that message. [/QUOTE] Worse (for the GOP), the “molested by a clergyman” angle is certain to remind people that the real scandal in the pedophile-priest cases was the way the higher-ups systematically covered it up… which puts the spotlight on Hastert specifically and the Republican leadership generally. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/226 "2006-10-04T21:20:21Z")
[QUOTE=levdrakon] Everybody knew, no one did anything. [/QUOTE] I have yet to see a single shred of evidence that a single Democrat knew what was going on. Don’t let the Republicans off the hook with this “everybody knew it” crap. The lone Democratic member of the page board has been very vocal about being kept in the dark. As **Left Hand of Dorkness** points out, what possible motive would the Democrats have for keeping this secret? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/227 "2006-10-04T21:24:25Z")
[QUOTE=Pochacco] As **Left Hand of Dorkness** points out, what possible motive would the Democrats have for keeping this secret? [/QUOTE] I could conceivably imagine someone keeping it secret if they learned about it, say, two months ago, holding it back for an October Surprise. If I squint really hard, I could imagine them keep it secret for a year (although I strongly suspect that they would have let it rip when Tom DeLay was being indicted, in an effort to throw down all the Republican leaders at once). But there’s just no way that they knew about it prior to November 2004. They may have had suspicions, but they didn’t have the names of three pages who either had been hit on or who knew about it. That’s what Hastert had; that’s what should have prompted further investigation. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/228 "2006-10-04T21:30:52Z")
[QUOTE=Pochacco] I have yet to see a single shred of evidence that a single Democrat knew what was going on. Don’t let the Republicans off the hook with this “everybody knew it” crap. The lone Democratic member of the page board has been very vocal about being kept in the dark. As **Left Hand of Dorkness** points out, what possible motive would the Democrats have for keeping this secret? [/QUOTE] Democrats are stupid. You have to present them with a scandal on a steaming hot gold platter then whack them up-side the head and remind them you’ve just handed them a scandal on a steaming hot gold platter. Why would Democrats keep this a secret? Because both Democrats & Republicans saw it as a “Gay thing?” Better not go there. It’s just a Gay congressman doing the Gay thing. It’d be tacky to try to make that a scandal. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/229 "2006-10-04T21:32:55Z")
[QUOTE=levdrakon] Democrats are stupid. You have to present them with a scandal on a steaming hot gold platter then whack them up-side the head and remind them you’ve just handed them a scandal on a steaming hot gold platter. [/QUOTE] So why the Democrats brouhaha about Ohio voting machines, Bush’s failures in Iraq, whether Condi Rice was briefed on Bin Laden, the Yemeni Ports Deal, Tom DeLay, and the roughly two bajillion other scandals of the past two years, some valid and some not? It’s just ignoring evidence to say that Democrats are slow to trumpet a scandal; frankly, for the past six years, they’ve been good for very little else. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/230 "2006-10-04T21:36:32Z")
Thomas Reynolds’ Chief of Staff resigned today. [Now he’s spilling his guts to the FBI:](http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/local_story_277155615.html) > [@](#): > > The fact is even prior to the existence of the Foley e-mail exchanges I had more than one conversation with senior staff at the highest level of the House of Representatives asking them to intervene when I was informed of Mr. Foley’s inappropriate behavior. Hastert is toast. The entire leadership of the House may be toast. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/231 "2006-10-04T21:41:46Z")
Alexander just flipped again, saying that Hastert knew about the emails that he and Boehner knew about. It’s simply amazing to me that it’s Day 5 of this little hoedown and the House leadership is still fumbling their stories… ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/232 "2006-10-04T21:44:24Z")
[QUOTE=Left Hand of Dorkness] So why the Democrats brouhaha about Ohio voting machines, Bush’s failures in Iraq, whether Condi Rice was briefed on Bin Laden, the Yemeni Ports Deal, Tom DeLay, and the roughly two bajillion other scandals of the past two years, some valid and some not? It’s just ignoring evidence to say that Democrats are slow to trumpet a scandal; frankly, for the past six years, they’ve been good for very little else. Daniel [/QUOTE] Yeah, all those scandals have really worked out for the Dems, haven’t they? Anyway, my point is neither the Dems or the Pubs even saw this as a scandal. It’s just a Congressman doing his Congressman thing. Chasing sixteen-year-old tail. ABC news had to bring it to light so everyone finally _noticed_ it was a potential scandal. But I maintain they all knew and looked at it as business-as-usual. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/233 "2006-10-04T21:46:29Z")
[QUOTE=levdrakon] Because both Democrats & Republicans saw it as a “Gay thing?” Better not go there. It’s just a Gay congressman doing the Gay thing. It’d be tacky to try to make that a scandal. [/QUOTE] Where does this come from? Completely out of your imagination? Where is the evidence that anything remotely like this happened? “Ah Hell, they’re all crooks” is a crappy meme. It encourages apathy and complacency. It allows scumbags to get away with betraying the public trust. And it’s intellectually lazy. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/234 "2006-10-04T21:50:42Z")
[QUOTE=levdrakon] Yeah, all those scandals have really worked out for the Dems, haven’t they? [/quote] Which points out that they have a hairtrigger about scandals, if anything, not that they’re slow to pick up on them. > [@](#): > > Anyway, my point is neither the Dems or the Pubs even saw this as a scandal. It’s just a Congressman doing his Congressman thing. Chasing sixteen-year-old tail. That’s just crazytalk–you’re really trying to tell me that the Dems didn’t realize there was scandal potential in the “No stalking kids on the Internet!” bill dude stalking kids on the Internet? I’m sorry, but I really think you’re reaching to defend an argument that’s indefensible. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/235 "2006-10-04T21:55:14Z")
[QUOTE=Left Hand of Dorkness] Which points out that they have a hairtrigger about scandals, if anything, not that they’re slow to pick up on them. That’s just crazytalk–you’re really trying to tell me that the Dems didn’t realize there was scandal potential in the “No stalking kids on the Internet!” bill dude stalking kids on the Internet? I’m sorry, but I really think you’re reaching to defend an argument that’s indefensible. Daniel [/QUOTE] How naive could a person possibly be (never mind hold a seat in congress) to not know - let me remind you all the pages knew and schooled each other on it- that Mark Foley has a thing for the young’ns? You honestly can sit there and claim everyone didn’t know? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/236 "2006-10-04T21:57:48Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] Alexander just flipped again, saying that Hastert knew about the emails that he and Boehner knew about. It’s simply amazing to me that it’s Day 5 of this little hoedown and the House leadership is still fumbling their stories… [/QUOTE] The linked story is actually about an Aide named Fordham, not Alexander. Different guy but easy mistake. Hastert is baloney on a cold roll, man. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/237 "2006-10-04T22:06:47Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] The linked story is actually about an Aide named Fordham, not Alexander. Different guy but easy mistake. Hastert is baloney on a cold roll, man. [/QUOTE] [Alexander story](http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001694.php). ---
**Author:** ![Lvl1alt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lvl1alt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lvl1alt)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/238 "2006-10-04T22:28:52Z")
For those who were wondering how Fox News was going to spin this, well here you go: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mn7qCzV5sNM/hqdefault.jpg "Fox labeling Foley a Democrat (from GregNYC)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn7qCzV5sNM) Pay special attention to the first few seconds. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2006, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/239 "2006-10-04T22:40:20Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > It’s simply amazing to me that it’s Day 5 of this little hoedown and the House leadership is still fumbling their stories… Five days since the story broke and at least 3 days since we were told that the FBI had been asked to investigate. And just today it was anounced that the FBI had finally sent Hastert a letter requesting that Foley’s House office and its contents be secured. ---
**Author:** ![twhitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@twhitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twhitt)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2006, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735/240 "2006-10-05T00:27:09Z")
[QUOTE=Lvl1alt] For those who were wondering how Fox News was going to spin this, well here you go: ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mn7qCzV5sNM/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/mn7qCzV5sNM?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque Pay special attention to the first few seconds. [/QUOTE] For those who didn’t notice, Fox News describes Foley in the following fashion: Former Congressman Mark Foley (D-FL). As much as there was a consensus on the boards at Fark, most people seem to think that this error (intentional or no) will make no difference as anyone even casually attentive to any story will notice that he’s a Republican. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rep-mark-foley-resigns-over-e-mails-to-teenage-boys-repercussions/374735.md?page=13)