Hat Tip to Dragyn's Breath (We winged and fire breathing reptiles have to stick together, right?).
Media Matter's list of the Republican lies on Foleygate the truth they are meant to hide.
Showing posts with label Foleygate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Foleygate. Show all posts
10.12.2006
Hey, Shays! Young people face predation all the time. Would you sweep it under the rug?
Apparently you and your fellow Republicans would!
Just like the Catholic church you would condone repeated sexual predation, harassment at the least, and even online sex with underage (J. E. 17 in CA where age of consent is 18) males who are in a subordinate position.
As a survivor of attempted sexual predation at the age of 17, I can tell you it isn't a small thing.
Afterwards, I was afraid to meet people and had a delayed adult development. I married late and have been afraid to be with males alone. Horribly afraid. Yeah, in fact I don't do interviews, and, therefore, work at a low level job that keeps me outdoors, away from enclosed areas where I could be trapped. My family suffers from my inability to try for better jobs.
And I was lucky in that I wasn't raped, just harassed. Made to feel guilty because I wouldn't give in to an older guy's advances. My SO is patient and kind and helped me recover somewhat, but I'm not the person I was at 16 (who loved to meet people and go places) even so many years later.
But at least I didn't kill myself as some victims have done.
And your House leaders told everyone to keep the news of what Foley was doing away from them, and indeed the complaints were funneled back to Foley's office. Just don't tell anyone like the Speaker or other House leader because if they are told then they'd have to do something that might cost them one seat in Congress.
So page after page was the recipient of Foley's perversions. (I am straight, but I'm not saying that gayness or gay advances are perverted, just the way Foley did them, like he was assuming that the other wanted this contact and sexual "teaching". I've read the IMs sent to J.E. in CA. which are posted in entirety at Slate.com)
J. E. knew the score. Any GOP Representative is above you when you are trying to make in the Republican party, so you play along like you're interested in his aging body and ridiculous antics.
Other pages couldn't even handle the first contacts in which Foley pretended to just be interested in them as people (instead of the sexual targets he really wanted). That is why the pages with the more damning emails came out with them to stop Foley from doing this again.
And why did pages have to do this? Because the Republican House leadership made sure they didn't hear a whisper of Foley's predation so they didn't have to do anything and couldn't be pinned down to knowing anything.
Dennis Hastert should join the Catholic church. He'd make a fine Bishop to cover over the sins of some pedophile priest.
What Edward Kennedy did was to come to his extremity and fail big time one night. Driving a young woman home very late one night he went off a bridge. Kennedy did not go hide his head at that time, but made repeated attempts at diving down to save her.
Remember this was at a time before even wealthy people had cellular phones, and it was in the country away from houses and public phones that were the only life lines in such situations in those days. When the already tired young Congressional reached the absolute end of his strength he made a mistake from extreme exhaustion and most likely Miss Kopechne was already dead. But still he did, when too exhausted to think, make a terrible mistake.
But that was on one night, when he was too sick to think anymore. The next day he contacted authorities and subjected himself to hate and character assasination from the right wing politicos ever since.
Hastert and the other Republican House leaders and who knows how many other Republicans made a conscious decision for over ten years to subject young men to the disgusting advances of Mark Foley. And yes, sexual predation has killed in the past and will kill again in the future.
Some young men have taken their lives because of the actions of priests or other predators. Others have been killed by their attackers. No, Foley didn't kill anyone, but by saying this is no big deal Shays and other House GOP members are giving the green light to sexual predators. And who knows where that will end? Just like their public display of hatred for gays ended one night on a cold and lonely road for Matthew Shepard.
To keep your power, you will give a green light to predators everywhere?
As Riverbend said about US troops after the Abu Ghraib scandal emerged. "Just Go".
I hope the rump group of Republicans that is left in the House of Representatives when the rest of you are voted out, can learn how to honestly and sincerely present logical arguments and practical solutions that are good for the entire country. Instead what we see your party doing now is degrading the political discussion to play to hate groups, trying to favor (or at least fool) a bare majority of special interest groups, and hiding major ethics problems.
Just like the Catholic church you would condone repeated sexual predation, harassment at the least, and even online sex with underage (J. E. 17 in CA where age of consent is 18) males who are in a subordinate position.
As a survivor of attempted sexual predation at the age of 17, I can tell you it isn't a small thing.
Afterwards, I was afraid to meet people and had a delayed adult development. I married late and have been afraid to be with males alone. Horribly afraid. Yeah, in fact I don't do interviews, and, therefore, work at a low level job that keeps me outdoors, away from enclosed areas where I could be trapped. My family suffers from my inability to try for better jobs.
And I was lucky in that I wasn't raped, just harassed. Made to feel guilty because I wouldn't give in to an older guy's advances. My SO is patient and kind and helped me recover somewhat, but I'm not the person I was at 16 (who loved to meet people and go places) even so many years later.
But at least I didn't kill myself as some victims have done.
And your House leaders told everyone to keep the news of what Foley was doing away from them, and indeed the complaints were funneled back to Foley's office. Just don't tell anyone like the Speaker or other House leader because if they are told then they'd have to do something that might cost them one seat in Congress.
So page after page was the recipient of Foley's perversions. (I am straight, but I'm not saying that gayness or gay advances are perverted, just the way Foley did them, like he was assuming that the other wanted this contact and sexual "teaching". I've read the IMs sent to J.E. in CA. which are posted in entirety at Slate.com)
J. E. knew the score. Any GOP Representative is above you when you are trying to make in the Republican party, so you play along like you're interested in his aging body and ridiculous antics.
Other pages couldn't even handle the first contacts in which Foley pretended to just be interested in them as people (instead of the sexual targets he really wanted). That is why the pages with the more damning emails came out with them to stop Foley from doing this again.
And why did pages have to do this? Because the Republican House leadership made sure they didn't hear a whisper of Foley's predation so they didn't have to do anything and couldn't be pinned down to knowing anything.
Dennis Hastert should join the Catholic church. He'd make a fine Bishop to cover over the sins of some pedophile priest.
What Edward Kennedy did was to come to his extremity and fail big time one night. Driving a young woman home very late one night he went off a bridge. Kennedy did not go hide his head at that time, but made repeated attempts at diving down to save her.
Remember this was at a time before even wealthy people had cellular phones, and it was in the country away from houses and public phones that were the only life lines in such situations in those days. When the already tired young Congressional reached the absolute end of his strength he made a mistake from extreme exhaustion and most likely Miss Kopechne was already dead. But still he did, when too exhausted to think, make a terrible mistake.
But that was on one night, when he was too sick to think anymore. The next day he contacted authorities and subjected himself to hate and character assasination from the right wing politicos ever since.
Hastert and the other Republican House leaders and who knows how many other Republicans made a conscious decision for over ten years to subject young men to the disgusting advances of Mark Foley. And yes, sexual predation has killed in the past and will kill again in the future.
Some young men have taken their lives because of the actions of priests or other predators. Others have been killed by their attackers. No, Foley didn't kill anyone, but by saying this is no big deal Shays and other House GOP members are giving the green light to sexual predators. And who knows where that will end? Just like their public display of hatred for gays ended one night on a cold and lonely road for Matthew Shepard.
To keep your power, you will give a green light to predators everywhere?
As Riverbend said about US troops after the Abu Ghraib scandal emerged. "Just Go".
I hope the rump group of Republicans that is left in the House of Representatives when the rest of you are voted out, can learn how to honestly and sincerely present logical arguments and practical solutions that are good for the entire country. Instead what we see your party doing now is degrading the political discussion to play to hate groups, trying to favor (or at least fool) a bare majority of special interest groups, and hiding major ethics problems.
10.11.2006
RE: History of Foley Messages' Release Clarified by Players
This article jibes with a Mr. V's (of Atlanta) account of why he came out to the AP about his dealings with Foley.
The Pages knew that Foley was contacting ex-pages, but they didn't know how far the man would go to attempt to force a relationship on ex-pages that didn't want or weren't ready to play along with that kind of 'companionship'.
It might have been that the most mature of the former pages could handle such exchanges and may have used them to political advantage. A friend on the in with the Republican party is a friend on the in with the Republican party. Mr. Foley's position as a gay Republican gave him a certain vulnerability too. He needed people he could trust.
Unfortunately, Mr. Foley was was a predator not just gay. And when the former pages with the most condemning emails learned that he was pushing this behavior on other young people, and, obviously, the representative was showing signs that he was tone deaf to the fact that some young men found this attraction very offensive and humiliating, then they came out with their IM copies to show America that the Louisiana was not playing a political game. They must know what happens to people who hurt the Republican party by exposing the truth. I think it was darn brave of them to do so.
The hate and spittle thrown at the former pages who did come out is, as usual, overwhelming, obtuse and hate filled. Another time this type of right wing outcry happened at least one major news source hinted that the outcry was started and led by a friend of Karl Rove. I wouldn't put it past Ms Underestimated, the 'friend' who helped Oklahoman William Kerr 'out' one of the former pages (by teaching the guy how to pick up a Google cache apparently, to not have White House ties as well. Reading 'her' blog gives clear signs of paid operative. The hate filled attacks are just Coulter's style, too.
BTW MsUnderestimated is so in love with Ann Coulter, it made me wonder if.... I mean people should only be so adoring of themselves right? In this world self promotion is needed, and MsUnderestimated seems to be pretty in love with herself in all other ways.
And, guess who's picture MsUnderestimated has put up at her YouTube profile (from a video capture). Though the age doesn't match Ms. Coulter's real age it does jibe with the fact that, apparently, Ms Ann has been known to lie about that number (to lower it).
But back to Washington Post, the article shows that most of the pages that came forward were Republicans, as we can assume the ones that contacted the AP and the Los Angeles Times were as well (Click on the Foleygate "label" under "Make Your Own Pendragn Blog" for more on the subject here). Obviously, Foley is not a complete idiot. He thought by keeping his contacts within the GOP he would be protected. And he was until the extent of his predation was realized by some of his friends.
The Washington Post also shows why the timing of the exposure was forced more by circumstance than to get an "October Surprise".
Also a Chicago Tribune article shows that the House investigation seems to be focusing on the former House Clerk Jeff Trandahl who left his office after the latest emails from Foley to a former page surfaced last November.
The ChiTri also notes that John McCain is digging himself out of the Bushco urinal to call for a truly independent investigation of Foleygate and House leaders' actions. (But, of course said inquiry won't be completed until sometime after the election is over -- Oh wait. I can still smell the caca. Does that mean what I think it does? Yep, I stepped in it --fell for a Republican BS campaign -- again.) Let's vote the Republicans back in and the "independent inquiry" might be done sometime after Arnold Schwarzenegger's self investigation of his groping behaviors.
The Pages knew that Foley was contacting ex-pages, but they didn't know how far the man would go to attempt to force a relationship on ex-pages that didn't want or weren't ready to play along with that kind of 'companionship'.
It might have been that the most mature of the former pages could handle such exchanges and may have used them to political advantage. A friend on the in with the Republican party is a friend on the in with the Republican party. Mr. Foley's position as a gay Republican gave him a certain vulnerability too. He needed people he could trust.
Unfortunately, Mr. Foley was was a predator not just gay. And when the former pages with the most condemning emails learned that he was pushing this behavior on other young people, and, obviously, the representative was showing signs that he was tone deaf to the fact that some young men found this attraction very offensive and humiliating, then they came out with their IM copies to show America that the Louisiana was not playing a political game. They must know what happens to people who hurt the Republican party by exposing the truth. I think it was darn brave of them to do so.
The hate and spittle thrown at the former pages who did come out is, as usual, overwhelming, obtuse and hate filled. Another time this type of right wing outcry happened at least one major news source hinted that the outcry was started and led by a friend of Karl Rove. I wouldn't put it past Ms Underestimated, the 'friend' who helped Oklahoman William Kerr 'out' one of the former pages (by teaching the guy how to pick up a Google cache apparently, to not have White House ties as well. Reading 'her' blog gives clear signs of paid operative. The hate filled attacks are just Coulter's style, too.
BTW MsUnderestimated is so in love with Ann Coulter, it made me wonder if.... I mean people should only be so adoring of themselves right? In this world self promotion is needed, and MsUnderestimated seems to be pretty in love with herself in all other ways.
And, guess who's picture MsUnderestimated has put up at her YouTube profile (from a video capture). Though the age doesn't match Ms. Coulter's real age it does jibe with the fact that, apparently, Ms Ann has been known to lie about that number (to lower it).
But back to Washington Post, the article shows that most of the pages that came forward were Republicans, as we can assume the ones that contacted the AP and the Los Angeles Times were as well (Click on the Foleygate "label" under "Make Your Own Pendragn Blog" for more on the subject here). Obviously, Foley is not a complete idiot. He thought by keeping his contacts within the GOP he would be protected. And he was until the extent of his predation was realized by some of his friends.
The Washington Post also shows why the timing of the exposure was forced more by circumstance than to get an "October Surprise".
Also a Chicago Tribune article shows that the House investigation seems to be focusing on the former House Clerk Jeff Trandahl who left his office after the latest emails from Foley to a former page surfaced last November.
The ChiTri also notes that John McCain is digging himself out of the Bushco urinal to call for a truly independent investigation of Foleygate and House leaders' actions. (But, of course said inquiry won't be completed until sometime after the election is over -- Oh wait. I can still smell the caca. Does that mean what I think it does? Yep, I stepped in it --fell for a Republican BS campaign -- again.) Let's vote the Republicans back in and the "independent inquiry" might be done sometime after Arnold Schwarzenegger's self investigation of his groping behaviors.
10.09.2006
Lawmaker confronted Foley in 2000 over sexually explicit emails to former page.
Excerpt Washington Post article "Lawmaker Saw Foley Messages In 2000":
Unlike Fordham's assertion that he did tell Hastert's top aide Scott Palmer this might not have hit the Speaker's office.
A spokeswoman for Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.) confirmed yesterday that a former page showed the congressman Internet messages that had made the youth feel uncomfortable with the direction Foley (R-Fla.) was taking their e-mail relationship. Last week, when the Foley matter erupted, a Kolbe staff member suggested to the former page that he take the matter to the clerk of the House, Karen Haas, said Kolbe's press secretary, Korenna Cline.
A source with direct knowledge of Kolbe's involvement said the messages shared with Kolbe were sexually explicit, and he read the contents to The Washington Post under the condition that they not be reprinted. But Cline denied the source's characterization, saying only that the messages had made the former page feel uncomfortable. Nevertheless, she said, "corrective action" was taken. Cline said she has not yet determined whether that action went beyond Kolbe's confrontation with Foley.
Unlike Fordham's assertion that he did tell Hastert's top aide Scott Palmer this might not have hit the Speaker's office.
10.08.2006
Lets Just Stop and Think about This "Prank"
This Mr.E guy from near San Diego. (The San Diego Tribune actually names another city about 30 miles from SD city center for Mr. E) but I refuse to name it or the guy. It just isn't cool whether you are a blogger or a mainstream news site.
Now we know that Foley started sending him raunchy emails when E. was 17 while the young man was in California where the age of sexual consent is 18.
The young man seems to be goal oriented and possibly of a stronger personality that many 17 year old kids.
He also had and has clear goals and that inlcuded being a rising star in the Republican party.
But, according to right wing idiots who follow every Rovian spittle that Drudge puts out, this ambitious young man with a rising escalator climb in the Republican party works for 4 years on a plan to destroy a Republican Congressman and then waits until after Foley is already outed by another younger teen (still underage) who does not want to be named, who tried to break off the relationship when it got to being scary and whose family is desperate to keep their privacy.
Yeah, that works out. Uh Huh. Set up a prank for 4 years to destroy a Congressman and yourself in your chosen goals.
Right.
We are seeing what happens to groups when they willfully seek ignorance. You have to wonder why they do so. Really. Do the right wing bloggers think that their ads will bring in more money? Have they tried liberal ads and liberal blogging and therefore are able to judge which really brings in more?
Now we know that Foley started sending him raunchy emails when E. was 17 while the young man was in California where the age of sexual consent is 18.
The young man seems to be goal oriented and possibly of a stronger personality that many 17 year old kids.
He also had and has clear goals and that inlcuded being a rising star in the Republican party.
But, according to right wing idiots who follow every Rovian spittle that Drudge puts out, this ambitious young man with a rising escalator climb in the Republican party works for 4 years on a plan to destroy a Republican Congressman and then waits until after Foley is already outed by another younger teen (still underage) who does not want to be named, who tried to break off the relationship when it got to being scary and whose family is desperate to keep their privacy.
Yeah, that works out. Uh Huh. Set up a prank for 4 years to destroy a Congressman and yourself in your chosen goals.
Right.
We are seeing what happens to groups when they willfully seek ignorance. You have to wonder why they do so. Really. Do the right wing bloggers think that their ads will bring in more money? Have they tried liberal ads and liberal blogging and therefore are able to judge which really brings in more?
Why Foleygate Matters
Excerpt Washington Post article "Foley Consuming GOP As Elections Draw Near":
And it goes beyond what Foley did to the cover-up of a safe GOP seat. That is what is at issue. How far will this party go to protect their power? How can you trust them when they will allow a predator to roam the halls ogling pages and contacting them as soon as they are out of the program to set up future sex dates as an article in the LA Times notes.
From the Times:
Wow, isn't that gross? A sexual predator being able to pick up personal information on former pages thanks to the House leadership.
The article notes that the relationship abruptly ended after a one night stand.
In "Conflicting Accounts Leave Plot Holes in Foley Saga" the Washington Post tries to fit together the puzzle pieces floating around DC over Foley. The two I find funniest are the mishmashed piece of Hastert's top aide knowing 3 years ago, yet Hastert who lives with his top aide didn't know a thing until September 29, 2006 after Foley resigned. Conflict or plain out lying?
BTW, I would like to state that I did not read Political Animal Post "FOLEY AS METAPHOR..." before I started this post and as you can see I jumped right in and thought about the same thing as PA. So I'm was feeling pretty smug about coming up with the same conclusion as a smart guy like that, but then I followed his link to Mike O'Hare's article at Reality Based Community "Foleygate is not an ironic diversion" and see I missed the even bigger picture. Boy, is my face red! This is stuff we know about, but putting it together and laying it on the line like that is what is needed in this world. I know a few mainstream news writers that can't do that. Well, maybe I'm aware of a lot of them.
From O'Hare's piece:
More insightful analysis precedes and follows that portion.
George Will says:
Actually a nice analysis, Mr, Will except that you forgot to deal with the fact that many mainstream news outlets will not deal with the Democratic candidates as even the LA Timnes notes in regards to Phil Angelidesn in our gubenatorial election out here.
a frustrated GOP strategist who spoke on the condition of anonymity essentially agreed, saying his party's mishandling of Foley "speaks to our inability to govern and do the right thing. It says everything about who we are as a party."
And it goes beyond what Foley did to the cover-up of a safe GOP seat. That is what is at issue. How far will this party go to protect their power? How can you trust them when they will allow a predator to roam the halls ogling pages and contacting them as soon as they are out of the program to set up future sex dates as an article in the LA Times notes.
From the Times:
the former page's exchanges with Foley offer a glimpse of possible predatory behavior by the congressman as he assessed male teenagers assigned as House errand-runners.
In the messages, Maf54 described how years earlier, he had looked to see whether the former page had an erection in his tight white pants while the then-teenager was working near the congressman. Maf54 also speculated about the sexual attributes of other males in the same page class, including the observation that one young man was "well hung."
...
Foley's flirtations made the young man feel important at a time when he was struggling with his emerging sexuality. "It seemed cool that he was taking an interest," he said. "I knew he was gay, and he was attracted to me."
After leaving the program, the former page began receiving messages from Foley. He is uncertain how Foley knew his college instant-message name, but assumed the congressman had access to a directory listing former pages' whereabouts.
Wow, isn't that gross? A sexual predator being able to pick up personal information on former pages thanks to the House leadership.
The article notes that the relationship abruptly ended after a one night stand.
In "Conflicting Accounts Leave Plot Holes in Foley Saga" the Washington Post tries to fit together the puzzle pieces floating around DC over Foley. The two I find funniest are the mishmashed piece of Hastert's top aide knowing 3 years ago, yet Hastert who lives with his top aide didn't know a thing until September 29, 2006 after Foley resigned. Conflict or plain out lying?
BTW, I would like to state that I did not read Political Animal Post "FOLEY AS METAPHOR..." before I started this post and as you can see I jumped right in and thought about the same thing as PA. So I'm was feeling pretty smug about coming up with the same conclusion as a smart guy like that, but then I followed his link to Mike O'Hare's article at Reality Based Community "Foleygate is not an ironic diversion" and see I missed the even bigger picture. Boy, is my face red! This is stuff we know about, but putting it together and laying it on the line like that is what is needed in this world. I know a few mainstream news writers that can't do that. Well, maybe I'm aware of a lot of them.
From O'Hare's piece:
The core event in the Foley story is not his hitting on pages but the tolerant, lazy, response of the Republican leadership, and that is not an exception or a bizarre misstep or a sad personal weakness but precisely, exactly, the typical, consistent, morality and practice of the whole gang, right up to the president. I'm referring to their bottomless callous, smirking, willingness to sacrifice the weak for a selfish, petty purpose like
- personal greed, including the orgy of fressing at the trough by contractors and unqualified hires in Iraq
- getting reelected with no visible point except to steal more
- showing Dad you're not an ignorant, careless wastrel
- shameless, endless shoveling the wealth of the many to the few.
More insightful analysis precedes and follows that portion.
George Will says:
Having so quickly exhausted the Oprah approach, the Foley story moved on to who knew what, and when. That drove Speaker Dennis Hastert to the un-Oprah broadcasting couch on which Republicans recline when getting in touch with their feelings. To Rush Limbaugh's 20 million receptive listeners, Hastert, referring to Republicans as "we," said:
"We have a story to tell, and the Democrats have -- in my view have -- put this thing forward to try to block us from telling the story. They're trying to put us on defense."
It is difficult to read that as other than an accusation: He seems to be not just confessing a coverup but also complaining that the coverup was undone by bad manners. Were it not for Democrats' unsportsmanlike conduct in putting "this thing" forward, it would not be known and would not be disrupting Republicans' storytelling.
Actually a nice analysis, Mr, Will except that you forgot to deal with the fact that many mainstream news outlets will not deal with the Democratic candidates as even the LA Timnes notes in regards to Phil Angelidesn in our gubenatorial election out here.
Lawrence O'Donnell: Who is Scott Palmer?
Hastert claims that his top aide, Scott Palmer, -- who knew about about Foley's predatory behavior since 2003 never told him about the problem between the Representative and the House pages, but O'Donnell points out that these two men are so close that they live together while in DC.
Read article (same title as above)
Read article (same title as above)
Sunday Morning Political Funnies
Message to the Troops (RJ Matson)
One Man's "Vision" is Another Million Souls' Dangerous Crazy Murderous Pipe Dream (RJ Matson)
What the House Ethics Committee Will Be Investigating (Ed Stein)
A Whole Graveyard Full of Them (Ed Stein)
The Buck Stops umm welll... (Steve Sack)
By Their Words You Will Know Them, Right Senator Allen? (Sandy Huffaker)
Haster Takes a Vacation (Nick Anderson)
All The Trappings (Robert Ariail)
And They're Reaching Into Your Pnats Too (Chip Bok)
They're IMing Again (Bill Day)
The Eleventh Commandment Bob Englehart
Ah. That's What it Needed! (Steve Kelley)
Milk Carton (Signe Wilkinson)
Do They Really Want This? (Signe Wilkinson)
The Icon Awakes (Pat Oliphant)
Our Protectors (Tom Toles)
At Some Time It Ceases to Be.... (Toles)
Not Really Sharing the Pain (Toles)
Booga Booga Ben Sargent
Safe for Now (Sargent)
Violent Games Warp the Mind (Sargent)
Society for the Protection of Predatory Animals
While some of our young people face death each day in war, our Congress members toil away...
One Man's "Vision" is Another Million Souls' Dangerous Crazy Murderous Pipe Dream (RJ Matson)
What the House Ethics Committee Will Be Investigating (Ed Stein)
A Whole Graveyard Full of Them (Ed Stein)
The Buck Stops umm welll... (Steve Sack)
By Their Words You Will Know Them, Right Senator Allen? (Sandy Huffaker)
Haster Takes a Vacation (Nick Anderson)
All The Trappings (Robert Ariail)
And They're Reaching Into Your Pnats Too (Chip Bok)
They're IMing Again (Bill Day)
The Eleventh Commandment Bob Englehart
Ah. That's What it Needed! (Steve Kelley)
Milk Carton (Signe Wilkinson)
Do They Really Want This? (Signe Wilkinson)
The Icon Awakes (Pat Oliphant)
Our Protectors (Tom Toles)
At Some Time It Ceases to Be.... (Toles)
Not Really Sharing the Pain (Toles)
Booga Booga Ben Sargent
Safe for Now (Sargent)
Violent Games Warp the Mind (Sargent)
Society for the Protection of Predatory Animals
While some of our young people face death each day in war, our Congress members toil away...
10.07.2006
Daily Funnies
Cheney Says Don't Compare Iraq to Vietnam (Bill Day)
It's Not Your Father's GOP (Bill Day)
Drunks are Furious (Steve Kelley)
Tweedledee and Tweedledum. That is just how they come. (Mike Lane)
It Even Depresses the Man Upstairs (Vince O'Farrell)
The Blame Game (Rob Rogers)
What Elephant? (Rob Rogers)
It's Not Your Father's GOP (Bill Day)
Drunks are Furious (Steve Kelley)
Tweedledee and Tweedledum. That is just how they come. (Mike Lane)
It Even Depresses the Man Upstairs (Vince O'Farrell)
The Blame Game (Rob Rogers)
What Elephant? (Rob Rogers)
Think You Know Those IMs are Not So Bad?
You've only seen the most palatable of them.
Timothy Noah at Slate has a set sent to the California guy when he was 17 and that is underage in California. (I still can't put down his name even though it has been in nationally respected news now). At the time of this IM Foley was in Florida not DC for those wanting to claim that 16 year old teens in DC are fair game for predation. I'm trying to look up the age of consent in Florida, in case that would matter.
Before you click on this link though, please be warned that though Noah calls the missives "moderately raunchy" other people find them much more offensive. The first of the IMs after an explanation by T.N. start on this page.
Timothy Noah at Slate has a set sent to the California guy when he was 17 and that is underage in California. (I still can't put down his name even though it has been in nationally respected news now). At the time of this IM Foley was in Florida not DC for those wanting to claim that 16 year old teens in DC are fair game for predation. I'm trying to look up the age of consent in Florida, in case that would matter.
Before you click on this link though, please be warned that though Noah calls the missives "moderately raunchy" other people find them much more offensive. The first of the IMs after an explanation by T.N. start on this page.
Foley could face charges in some states
Fair Use Excerpt AP report (same title as above): A federal official says it's possible former Congressman Mark Foley could face state charges if federal case can't be made against him.
Foley resigned last week after reports of lurid e-mails to teen, male congressional pages.
Federal law generally requires a person to meet, or attempt to meet, a minor for sex before a crime has been committed. But in some states where the Florida Republican communicated with children, attempting to seduce a minor might be enough to bring charges.
A senior Justice Department official who didn't want to be identified says federal prosecutors investigating Foley are examining whether Florida authorities might be better positioned to seek charges against him.
E-mails and instant messages released so far indicate Foley communicated with boys in California and Louisiana.
Foley resigned last week after reports of lurid e-mails to teen, male congressional pages.
Federal law generally requires a person to meet, or attempt to meet, a minor for sex before a crime has been committed. But in some states where the Florida Republican communicated with children, attempting to seduce a minor might be enough to bring charges.
A senior Justice Department official who didn't want to be identified says federal prosecutors investigating Foley are examining whether Florida authorities might be better positioned to seek charges against him.
E-mails and instant messages released so far indicate Foley communicated with boys in California and Louisiana.
Hasterts Office Told Earlier than Acknowledged.
Source "a current congressional staff member with personal knowledge of of Foley and his behavior with pages":
Assertion:
And guess what??
Hastert's investigation means that House members and staff don't have to talk about this anymore. Shove it under the carpet! Yep, down low like the dirt under the carpet. Yet, behind the scenes the Republicans are not only working to make this look like the result of a Gay Cabal among aides to Republican Congressionals, but to out them all.
The Gay Cabal Theory is already out at CBS
Everyone of those staffers is to be "outed" according to David Corn quoted at Howard Kurtz's Media Notes. Apparently the Republicans are just looking for some over-eager liberal blogger to do the job for them so they can blame Democrats and liberals for the smear job.
Wait, so gay Fordham tried to warn the speaker's office and got a powerful aide to warn Foley about his behavior, and now the 'straight' or closeted Republicans are blaming the out there gays for this?
At Media note you can also read about Michelle Malkin's disgust with fellow conservatives who outed one Republican aide who was the young man in San Diego (or with whom Foley talked about a dinner date -- platonic -- in "sd"). I dealt with that blogger in a post below.
And Kurtz quotes Andrew Sullivan saying that online sex is not sex. Who knew? Mr. S. also says that age 16 is a legal age for sexual consent in DC, but Mr. S. when Mr. F was IMing J.E. in S.D. Mr. E. was in California. In California the age of consent is 18. Mr. F. emailed Mr. E. "Do you see us fooling around?" (about when the guy got to dc for a page reunion). Gee, that sure sounds like setting up a sexual contact to me. And people do get put in jail for setting up sexual contacts over the internet with a young person residing in a state in which they are a sexual minor.
The former page of the above paragraph (Mr. E.) is the subject of another report by the Washington Post in which his lawyer affirms that the conversations with former Representative Foley were not a prank. People asked why the former page might have come forward with the saved IMs after the news broke of the other page that received what he felt were upsetting IMs from Foley?
Maybe Mr. E. felt like Mr. V. of Atlanta felt, that his was an isolated case and therefore, not a big deal. When they heard that other, more vulnerable type young men were being hurt by Foley's advances, they came out to make sure things like this don't happen again.
The same might be true of 3 more pages who received emails from Mark Foley after leaving the page program from whom ABC has received information.
Assertion:
House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert's chief of staff confronted then-Rep. Mark Foley about his inappropriate social contact with male pages well before the speaker said aides in his office took any action
The staff member's account buttresses the position of Foley's onetime chief of staff, Kirk Fordham, who said earlier this week that he had appealed to Palmer in 2003 or earlier to intervene, after Fordham's own efforts to stop Foley's behavior had failed. Fordham said Foley and Palmer, one of the most powerful figures in the House of Representatives, met within days to discuss the allegations.
Palmer said this week that the meeting Fordham described "did not happen." Timothy J. Heaphy, Fordham's attorney, said yesterday that Fordham is prepared to testify under oath that he had arranged the meeting and that both Foley and Palmer told him the meeting had taken place. Fordham spent more than three hours with the FBI on Thursday, and Heaphy said that on Friday he contacted the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct to offer his client's cooperation.
And guess what??
Hastert's investigation means that House members and staff don't have to talk about this anymore. Shove it under the carpet! Yep, down low like the dirt under the carpet. Yet, behind the scenes the Republicans are not only working to make this look like the result of a Gay Cabal among aides to Republican Congressionals, but to out them all.
The Gay Cabal Theory is already out at CBS
Everyone of those staffers is to be "outed" according to David Corn quoted at Howard Kurtz's Media Notes. Apparently the Republicans are just looking for some over-eager liberal blogger to do the job for them so they can blame Democrats and liberals for the smear job.
Wait, so gay Fordham tried to warn the speaker's office and got a powerful aide to warn Foley about his behavior, and now the 'straight' or closeted Republicans are blaming the out there gays for this?
At Media note you can also read about Michelle Malkin's disgust with fellow conservatives who outed one Republican aide who was the young man in San Diego (or with whom Foley talked about a dinner date -- platonic -- in "sd"). I dealt with that blogger in a post below.
And Kurtz quotes Andrew Sullivan saying that online sex is not sex. Who knew? Mr. S. also says that age 16 is a legal age for sexual consent in DC, but Mr. S. when Mr. F was IMing J.E. in S.D. Mr. E. was in California. In California the age of consent is 18. Mr. F. emailed Mr. E. "Do you see us fooling around?" (about when the guy got to dc for a page reunion). Gee, that sure sounds like setting up a sexual contact to me. And people do get put in jail for setting up sexual contacts over the internet with a young person residing in a state in which they are a sexual minor.
The former page of the above paragraph (Mr. E.) is the subject of another report by the Washington Post in which his lawyer affirms that the conversations with former Representative Foley were not a prank. People asked why the former page might have come forward with the saved IMs after the news broke of the other page that received what he felt were upsetting IMs from Foley?
Maybe Mr. E. felt like Mr. V. of Atlanta felt, that his was an isolated case and therefore, not a big deal. When they heard that other, more vulnerable type young men were being hurt by Foley's advances, they came out to make sure things like this don't happen again.
The same might be true of 3 more pages who received emails from Mark Foley after leaving the page program from whom ABC has received information.
10.06.2006
Right Wing Blogger Outs A Former Page Then Whines About the Blowback
It turns out that the former page is working for a Republican US House member who is running for Governor in Oklahoma. Not a skulduggerous Liberal, but a Republican.
Okay to stop you from taking up time googling that the US Representative Ishtook (R-OK).
This "miracle blogger" did the incredible job of looking up the the young man's AOL profile from a transcript that was apparently not redacted enough, and he needed help doing that.
I will not mention the name myself. This is between Republicans, but the unemployed blogger gave an interview to NewsOK.com which he described as the "Daily Oklahoman", and I would be willing to believe is a real newspaper in Southern City, especially the way they focused only on the blogger and got no balancing statements from anyone else. I must say that the blurb hinting that Senator Inofe may have been in danger in an airplane cause me to try to open up 2 new pages on their site at one time and I guess you just can't do that at newsok.com at least not in the same 10 minutes. So maybe that's an indication of the quality of publication they have there.
But back to the miracle blogger who can look up AOL profiles. The man went through his previous troubles with the law and the military and how his wife supports the family and they get foodstamps, whines about "threats" to his family. (Like I said, this is between Republicans, remember?) But he nevers seems to waste a moment worrying about the other guy, and if that guy is receiving threats. That is a sad commentary on our miracle blogger guy. I'm sure the young man is getting death threats.
The right wing is also trying to confuse the issue of which former page was underage when.
The young man in this incident is the young man who, in California, that received contact from Foley years ago ("I wish I had jumped you in SD" said one of Foley's missives) when he was under 18. He is not the young man in Louisiana that received the more innocuous IMs last year. One thing I do know is California and the age of sexual consent in CA is 18. It does not matter if the young man Foley was talking about a date in San Diego with continued to talk to him, because in California it is statuatorily considered harassment until the age of 18. As is well understood, teens may get together when both are underage, but older people (for Pete's sake Foley's 54!) had better keep their hands and their IMs off.
Okay to stop you from taking up time googling that the US Representative Ishtook (R-OK).
This "miracle blogger" did the incredible job of looking up the the young man's AOL profile from a transcript that was apparently not redacted enough, and he needed help doing that.
I will not mention the name myself. This is between Republicans, but the unemployed blogger gave an interview to NewsOK.com which he described as the "Daily Oklahoman", and I would be willing to believe is a real newspaper in Southern City, especially the way they focused only on the blogger and got no balancing statements from anyone else. I must say that the blurb hinting that Senator Inofe may have been in danger in an airplane cause me to try to open up 2 new pages on their site at one time and I guess you just can't do that at newsok.com at least not in the same 10 minutes. So maybe that's an indication of the quality of publication they have there.
But back to the miracle blogger who can look up AOL profiles. The man went through his previous troubles with the law and the military and how his wife supports the family and they get foodstamps, whines about "threats" to his family. (Like I said, this is between Republicans, remember?) But he nevers seems to waste a moment worrying about the other guy, and if that guy is receiving threats. That is a sad commentary on our miracle blogger guy. I'm sure the young man is getting death threats.
The right wing is also trying to confuse the issue of which former page was underage when.
The young man in this incident is the young man who, in California, that received contact from Foley years ago ("I wish I had jumped you in SD" said one of Foley's missives) when he was under 18. He is not the young man in Louisiana that received the more innocuous IMs last year. One thing I do know is California and the age of sexual consent in CA is 18. It does not matter if the young man Foley was talking about a date in San Diego with continued to talk to him, because in California it is statuatorily considered harassment until the age of 18. As is well understood, teens may get together when both are underage, but older people (for Pete's sake Foley's 54!) had better keep their hands and their IMs off.
FBI Dealiings With Liberal Group Have Americans Questioning Gmen's Committment to Protecting All
The FBI claims that Emails sent to them by Citizens for Responsibility in Washington (CREW) offered them were heavily, but CREW members say the emails were the complete copies (which to me says unredacted).
The further controversy comes over whether or not the FBI contacted CREW for further information. The FBI claims it did. CREW claims it didn't.
In comments on the Internet, we find people wondering just who the FBI works for and some have gone beyond wondering.
Melanie Sloan's statement
The Left Coaster reminds us that the FBI made a different excuse last week for why they didn't investigate the emails to two former pages that CREW provided the FBI.
Media Matters for America is heavily unredacting the mainstream new media's bias on Foleygate. Click here for one article and later you can click on the newssite's title for their latest offerings
A Washington Post article has more on Sloan's responses to newer allegations of the FBI about 'redaction' and a supposed "Deep Throat" (Karl Rove ally behind a leaking public restroom most likely instead of Mark Felt in a parking garage.) allegation that the Bush administration political arm uses so often. Remember when the administration's leakers told Judith Miller all we needed to know about Iraq so we could invade?
The further controversy comes over whether or not the FBI contacted CREW for further information. The FBI claims it did. CREW claims it didn't.
In comments on the Internet, we find people wondering just who the FBI works for and some have gone beyond wondering.
Melanie Sloan's statement
The Left Coaster reminds us that the FBI made a different excuse last week for why they didn't investigate the emails to two former pages that CREW provided the FBI.
Further, the FBI made a different claim previously to explain why they never bothered to investigate Foley:
An FBI official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, said the field office concluded that the e-mails "did not rise to the level of criminal activity." The bureau announced Sunday that it would begin a preliminary investigation into Foley's more explicit electronic exchanges with teenagers.
Media Matters for America is heavily unredacting the mainstream new media's bias on Foleygate. Click here for one article and later you can click on the newssite's title for their latest offerings
A Washington Post article has more on Sloan's responses to newer allegations of the FBI about 'redaction' and a supposed "Deep Throat" (Karl Rove ally behind a leaking public restroom most likely instead of Mark Felt in a parking garage.) allegation that the Bush administration political arm uses so often. Remember when the administration's leakers told Judith Miller all we needed to know about Iraq so we could invade?
Republicans claim that Inquiry Will Focus on What Went Wrong
Again we want to say this is the foxes talking about how they will somehow someday get around to investigating how they failed to protect the hen house last time.
Just like the investigation about whether the pre-war intelligence was coerced by the Bush administration which hasn't been completed at least 1.5 years after it was started.
But they don't care. Anything to get Americans to think that they are really going to actually investigate themselves.
Meanwhile if you check google you will see that the fat cat, big business and American Taxpayer financed massive right wing blogger corps started with the lie that the IMs were faked, but couldn't begin to prove that one. Sorry Karl... er I mean um Mr. Buckbeak. This time that dog don't hunt. So now they are going with the BS that the IM were coerced from Foley by prank playing pages.
(I guess they mean all of these IMs Foley sent all over the nation to explore sexual themes with former pages who were still underage too were coerced as well.)
Though it sounds like once again the right wing is trying a case in the court of public opinion as they are doing about the Valerie Plame exposure, in this case they only have to fool their base who aren't allowed to get real news from outside their little bubbles anyway and a few others and only until election day and after that your kids are theirs to do with what they will. I'm more worried about Iran that the House page scandal because I would never let my child page for a Republican under any circustances. But that draft for Iran will reach out and touch ever family. (And of course as we see how Bush's unpunished invasion of Iraq has increased the violence level in our nation , if Foleygate goes unpunished then it will be a free for all in adults sexually harassing our children and other adults getting away with not stopping the predation.)
Washington Post's "Inquiry To Look At House, Not Foley" is a pretty well reported and well balanced article. It mentions the attempt to get Freeh to investigate as if he were some kind of competent and balanced "Diogenese". Pelosi sure showed what she's made of in this case.
And apparently, the ethics panel is stuffed with Haster loyalists. Can the Speaker get any more slimy? Check out the rest of the article at the link above and see what I'm talking about.
Just like the investigation about whether the pre-war intelligence was coerced by the Bush administration which hasn't been completed at least 1.5 years after it was started.
But they don't care. Anything to get Americans to think that they are really going to actually investigate themselves.
Meanwhile if you check google you will see that the fat cat, big business and American Taxpayer financed massive right wing blogger corps started with the lie that the IMs were faked, but couldn't begin to prove that one. Sorry Karl... er I mean um Mr. Buckbeak. This time that dog don't hunt. So now they are going with the BS that the IM were coerced from Foley by prank playing pages.
(I guess they mean all of these IMs Foley sent all over the nation to explore sexual themes with former pages who were still underage too were coerced as well.)
Though it sounds like once again the right wing is trying a case in the court of public opinion as they are doing about the Valerie Plame exposure, in this case they only have to fool their base who aren't allowed to get real news from outside their little bubbles anyway and a few others and only until election day and after that your kids are theirs to do with what they will. I'm more worried about Iran that the House page scandal because I would never let my child page for a Republican under any circustances. But that draft for Iran will reach out and touch ever family. (And of course as we see how Bush's unpunished invasion of Iraq has increased the violence level in our nation , if Foleygate goes unpunished then it will be a free for all in adults sexually harassing our children and other adults getting away with not stopping the predation.)
Washington Post's "Inquiry To Look At House, Not Foley" is a pretty well reported and well balanced article. It mentions the attempt to get Freeh to investigate as if he were some kind of competent and balanced "Diogenese". Pelosi sure showed what she's made of in this case.
And apparently, the ethics panel is stuffed with Haster loyalists. Can the Speaker get any more slimy? Check out the rest of the article at the link above and see what I'm talking about.
AOL Instant Messages Easy, Legal to Copy
Apparently right wingers are all in an uproar about someone copying IMs and showing what their man Foley was up to offering help and access in exchange for e-sex.
But AOL allows saving of IM conversations and it is perfectly legal.
Sorry freepers, no army typewriters involved this time.
But AOL allows saving of IM conversations and it is perfectly legal.
Many people who take advantage of these free software services believe their conversations can't be tracked, but that's a misconception, said Michael Hall, managing editor of the Web site Instant Messaging Planet."Even the most basic instant-messaging software will keep some sort of archive," he said. "In the Foley case, I noticed there was a lot of carrying on in the right-wing blogosphere about the fact that these messages were recorded, [but] it's not odd. . . . Over the Net, you're never given any guarantees of real privacy."
Instant messages can be saved in a variety of ways. Most popular IM programs have built-in archiving features that can be turned on by anyone who uses them.
...Hall said he inspected screen shots of Foley's messages online and they appeared to have been captured using the standard archiving feature built into AOL's AIM software.
Sorry freepers, no army typewriters involved this time.
10.05.2006
Hastert's Plan to have Republican Puppy Louis Freeh investigate Pagegate
Remember when the Republicans and Louis Freeh worked together to target a sitting president for removal for having a consensual and legal affair with a 26 year old woman who showed him her thong the first time they met?
Remember when that was supposed to be a scandal?
But now a Representative preying on 16-17 year olds is not supposed to be worthy of anyone's attention.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
Hastert thought he could get a deal with Democrats to have the former FBI director investigate the current scandal.
They knew they could pull it over the eyes of mainstream news which once called Henry Hyde a fair and balanced fellow, but they couldn't pull it over the eyes of the Democrats.
So Hastert just spewed his hate and bitter recriminations in his press conference.
Remember when that was supposed to be a scandal?
But now a Representative preying on 16-17 year olds is not supposed to be worthy of anyone's attention.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
Hastert thought he could get a deal with Democrats to have the former FBI director investigate the current scandal.
They knew they could pull it over the eyes of mainstream news which once called Henry Hyde a fair and balanced fellow, but they couldn't pull it over the eyes of the Democrats.
So Hastert just spewed his hate and bitter recriminations in his press conference.
Former Page From Oklahoma Says They Had No Hint
He also says over the top stuff like pages are "more mature than other teens".
Representatives themselves pick the pages, but of course they have hidden insight into how is "more mature" than other teens.
Sure, especially the GOP Congress members who are "annointed by God", unlike the Democrats who claim they are Christians but are really in league with Osama bin Laden according to the ever-wise right wing bloggers and pundits.
In other words this guy seems to have been hand picked to cover for the Republicans.
Indeed other former pages have said that most pages knew about Foley so our OK guy is quite out of the loop or covering up.
Why is that not a surprise?
Link to post under green or salmon print above.
He lets on that pages had plenty of places to complain to if they had problems with Representatives.
School counselors (who probably owe their jobs to the Republicans in Congress), supervisors (um I think they tried that but the supervisor was a Republican), and their clergy.
Yeah, go tell it to your priest, kiddo! They'll wanna hear if you've had some experience already with that kind of stuff.
Representatives themselves pick the pages, but of course they have hidden insight into how is "more mature" than other teens.
Sure, especially the GOP Congress members who are "annointed by God", unlike the Democrats who claim they are Christians but are really in league with Osama bin Laden according to the ever-wise right wing bloggers and pundits.
In other words this guy seems to have been hand picked to cover for the Republicans.
Indeed other former pages have said that most pages knew about Foley so our OK guy is quite out of the loop or covering up.
Why is that not a surprise?
Link to post under green or salmon print above.
He lets on that pages had plenty of places to complain to if they had problems with Representatives.
School counselors (who probably owe their jobs to the Republicans in Congress), supervisors (um I think they tried that but the supervisor was a Republican), and their clergy.
Yeah, go tell it to your priest, kiddo! They'll wanna hear if you've had some experience already with that kind of stuff.
RE: "Lawmaker's Intentions Appear Clear In Exchanges"
In a report that gets too disturbing to repeat here, the Washington Post shows that the emails to some pages clearly crossed the line. (Link to WP ariticle same name as referred in post title is second link below -- the green or salmon paragraph.)
It also shows that Foley offered access and help in advancing careers in exchange for the sexual communication and possibly physical contact.
BTW, ABC reports that Rep Deborah Pryce has called for an investigation of rumors that Foley tried to enter the page domitory one night.
Republicans keep hinting they could take some others down in the House with this, but, well if there were any Democrats or the Independent doing these kinds of things to House pages, you know their names would already be national news.
And it gets worse: According to the ABC report linked above, apparently, complaints about Foley's behavior were funneled to Foley's staff.
It also shows that Foley offered access and help in advancing careers in exchange for the sexual communication and possibly physical contact.
BTW, ABC reports that Rep Deborah Pryce has called for an investigation of rumors that Foley tried to enter the page domitory one night.
Republicans keep hinting they could take some others down in the House with this, but, well if there were any Democrats or the Independent doing these kinds of things to House pages, you know their names would already be national news.
And it gets worse: According to the ABC report linked above, apparently, complaints about Foley's behavior were funneled to Foley's staff.
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