Congratulations on a great investigative story. Keep up the good work.The House Speakers lack of leadership on this issue demands that he resign.

I read one of the email messages from Foley and have to wonder...did he want to get caught? Afterall, he was intimately involved in exploited children. Did he believe himself to be above the law?

Is there still a law that makes it mandatory to report SUSPECTED child abuse to authorities and to a Federal Register within 24 hours?

If so will FBI also investigate this?

Congress is just as bad as the Catholic Church in covering for sexual deviates. When will this country take action?

Justice will be done.

Serves him right. He thought he was above the law because he wrote it. What sick people.

I read the e-mails to the boy and they are absolutely Disgusting !

And to think ... Mark Folley said he was protecting kids from predators > shaking head < I am sure more boyswill be coming forward and telling the truth ~

They better also investigate who knew about this guy's predatory pedophlic behavior, when they knew it, and what they did about it.

Anybody who even had an inkling of what this guy was, should resign immediately for the good of not only congress and the pages, but our nation.

By now the GOP gave the pervert plenty of time to erase his hard drive.

Our federal government is so incredibly corrupt, it is essential that a viable third party completely displace the Republicrat monopoly party that is destroying America.

I am heartened that our FBI is going to investigate the allegations that one of our members of the House of Representatives did something wrong. I am sure that the FBI will come to its usual conclusion.

What bothers me is that other crimes by members of the House of Representatives are not investigated by the FBI. But what do I know?

Let's msee if there's any precendent for obstructing justice or being charged as an acessory for all the lawmakers who knew just not about the emails, but about the content, which was illegal?

Where was this guy educated that he would be so dumb and naive to do this kind of thing which is so well recorded and available for the public to observe.

Yet another reason, as if one was needed, for term limits and why Congress rates lower than dirt in opinion polls. How does something this blantant go without consequences for so long? At least he has resigned quickly, but he should have back when he was first detected in 2002.

Brian: on a radio show the other day they said that there were no good investigative reporters out there any longer...
Obviously they overlooked YOU.
Keep up the great work and THANKS

A year later, they decide to investigate? Perversion is apparently allowed as long as it is Republican perversion. Makes one long for the days of Monica Lewinsky. At least that was a "normal" relationship.

This is maybe one of he worst things I have ever heard of in the House. I know that the House will do what is right becuse I feel they know the public is counting on them to do the right thing. What a shame. My heart is hurting!

Anthony D., Tampa

Oh, to be hoisted with ones own petard!

Well, I think an investigation is not warranted. Explicit instant messages should be protected under the First Amendment. Otherwise, half of the population would be in prison.

Why is that the people who rail the most against things such as this somehow always seem to be involved in the very behavior they so vehemently oppose?

Congressional contempt for the Constitution, which is routinely ignored, is much worse than this.

Uh....Cathy? When you say "Congress" I hope you mean only the Republicans in the House ...no Democrats are involved in this underage sex scandal.

Anyone who knew that this guys was trying to sexually seduce minors, a criminal offense, is complicit. End of story.

I agree with Warren Wilson. We need to start considering alternatives to the Democrats and Republicans. We need candidates of integrity and sincerity. The Libertarians are looking better every day.

How much more does society have to go through before we admit the more we invent and create the more we bring out the sicknesses in people. computers are supposed to be doing people good, all they really turned out to be is another avenue for SCUM !!!

why are we letting him resign...he already confessed. why waste money to dig furthur. he should be stripped of any rights and benefits he had in positions he held. something shouldn't have to be decided in an investigation or a long drawn out court. when it comes to preditors there is no excuse and they should be taken into custody and punished...just because you hold a position of power doesn't make you exempt.
you sick puppy !!!!

Terminate his Congressional pension, please.

I read the posts of others and wonder if they read the same article I did. It was obvious that Hastert, et al, took action on the emails about which they were made aware - and did so appropriately. The sexually explicit emails they didn't hear about until last week, and as you can see, Foley is gone. Why waste taxpayer money on investigating now that he is gone? Instead, enact legislation that denies retirement benefits to any Congressman or Senator found guilty of such crimes, and removes them from office immediately - at least pending an investigation if one is necessary.

I think I would like to know what was said in the alleged, sexual, explicit, emails. How can people convict this man without hearing all evidence.

1..2...3....

Enough with the Republican/Democrat bashing already. It's irrelevant to this issue.

Corruption among the powerful is not limited to a particular political party. There's plenty to go around.

It's a little naive and irresponsible to think that anyone from your particular party of choice is less likely to get sucked into the Washington power game.

I tend to vote Republican but that doesn't mean I jump to the defense of pedophiles like Foley just because they have an "R" next to their name.

Brian

Great reporting by you and ABC.

In the public schools, you are required as a teacher, to report any threats by teachers towards students immediately.

Most of the laws that require this were written by Politicians such as X-Rep Foley.

I am shocked that Speaker Hastert and the Republican leadership sat on this; and Speaker Hastert certainly has a lot to sit on.

Shame on the Republican House of the Moral Majority. It is obvious that they don't represent Values of Families

Bet he'll still be going to church and mentioning 'god almighty' at every opportunity.

Two inconvenient words for all you hypocritcal liberals - GARY STUDDS.

And the difference here is WHAT exactly? One year and the fact that Foley has RESIGNED.

I'd be careful about wagging fingers at Republicans. That's about the time that something will come out about a sick Democrat. Sick people are everywhere.

The old saying goes, Those who yell the loudest, are usually the ones you should immediately suspect. I find this hysterically funny and cannot wait to see ole Foley's pic on the sex offender registry. If they do not prosecute him for solicitation of a minor a true injustice will have been done and every victim of molestation will have been slapped in the face.

A couple of things really scare me about this incident (beyond the obvious):

First, why do people make the leap from individual actions to party politics? I tend to vote liberally (meaning Democrat), but vote for the person first. We'll never get anywhere as a country as long as we say, "See, there goes those darn Republicans again." The same happened with Clinton and a number of Dems back in the late 1990s.

Second, I will be curious to know how many people in Florida will still cast their vote for Foley come November.

Concluding, if ever the saying "guilty until proven innocent" was a good approach at times, this is such a time.

maf54: I'm sitting in my boxer shorts, are you?

Undercover FBI Agent: Yes.

It is so typical of this government and so sad. Everyone is outraged now - because Foley got CAUGHT! Where was all this outrage and investigation requests BEFORE it hit the papers? No place to hide anymore. Our government has become a system of smoke and mirrors - only when it is blatantly obvious do they fess up. Does anyone want to guess what Gonzalez's investigation is going to find?
We need honest - transparent government!

Wouldn't you know it? The bastions of "family values" and all things Christian are nothing but -- to quote their beloved scripture -- "false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves." Mt. 7:15 Congratulations for exposing your real selves, Republicans!!!

I am so sick of politicians thinking they are above the law of our land. Exploiting children, Obviously lying to the public about how our soldiers are supported every possible way the , secret spying with OUT congressional consent. ect..ect ect..

"What about these kids?"

They.are.underage. Enough said.
Foley was in a position of power and abused it. He should have some self control. End of story.

Ok. Give this guy a slot on Datelilne- "To Catch a Predator"! The entire episode is so disgusting. The issue should not be confused or blurred so people confuse his homsexuality with being a pedofile. All homosexuals are not pedofiles. He just happens to be a freak of nature who is homosexual who enjoys preying on children who are male. He should have been neutered years ago but instead, has been protected by the party who pushes religious family values! How two faced.

I realize that perversion knows no political party, but what I find to be so hysterically funny is that Republicans seem to claim the moral high ground as being solely theirs. It will be interesting to see the spin that follows this as we approach election day.

UNREAL...AND DISAPPOINTING!! A VERY SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS!!

IF YOU ALL WANT TO KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, IT IS SIMPLE. COME NOVEMBER, VOTE OUT ALL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND AGAIN IN THE NEXT ELECTION. WHEN THE NEW MEMBERS TAKE OFFICE THEY WILL KNOW THAT WE THE CITIZENS OF THE U.S. WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY ABUSE. WHETHER YOU ARE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT, THIS IS WHAT MUST ME DONE. I MYSELF AM A REGISTERED REPUBLICAN, BUT AM GOING TO VOTE INDEPENDENTLY AND FORGET PARTY POLITICS. IT IS THAT SIMPLE!

This is not a partisan issue. It is sad that every time someone in office gets caght the public is on the sidelines cheering if the creep is a republcan or democrat. We should be happy that they have been busted and can no longer abuse power no matter what side of the aisle they are on. I am a republican and this guy belongs in the slammer. Lets stop playing "tit for tat" and put these people where they belong. There are enough of them in both parties to go around.

Republican blah blah blah, Republican blah blah blah. Keep the focus on Foley and not his party.

Maybe he has a drinking problem. Maybe not. He has his high powered attorney in place, while he goes into therapy or rehab. He shows contempt for the position he holds and those that trusted him. And he broke the law - as I understand it. That aside, if this were some middle class person - same scenario - would he/she be able to rush off to re-hab? Wouldn't they be booked/arrested/bailed and maybe then go to re-hab? It's about class and power. It troubles me. Lets see how this plays out.

The REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP knew about this for years, and nothing was done? THAT is criminal.

As someone in secondary education I find it alarming that allegations were not reported to the proper authorities when they arose back in 2005. As a teacher I would be placed in cuffs for not reporting an allegation such as those that swirled around Foley.

As high school principle I am required BY LAW to report any suspected child abuse reported to me. Aparently once again the powers that be in the U.S. Government aren't held to the same laws the rest of us are.

Unfortunately, this appears all too common amoong America!
Clue in people, it is not defined by the side of the isle that you sit!
There was Gary Studds (D)that seduced a young male page,defied the House when it censured him and was re-elected several times. ...Then you got Mel Reynolds (D) who suduced a 16 year old campaign worker. These men need to be in prison! A sickness that has become the norm! OUTRAGOUS!

"It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress." ~ Mark Twain

All the comments re: Republicans or The Speaker of the House are BS. The fact is, there are bad people who do bad things regardless of sex, race and political party.

Parents, think twice about sending your kids to D.C. for any programs, internships, etc.!!

There seem to be several people on this thread laboring under the delusion that Gerry Studds is still in Congress.

The same people seem to have forgotten that Dan Crane, a Republican Congressman, was also censured by the House for sex with a 17-year-old page (female, in Mr. Crane's case).

Neither Mr. Studds nor Mr. Crane resigned. Mr. Crane, however, was not re-elected.

What a sick sick person. They should lock him up and throw away the key.

when i was 17 half the people i knew would have laughed at messages like those, the sender would have become a public joke.any big time person doing a thing so dumb would have been our joke if not the towns joke.

Makes one wonder: if all the pages (Republican, that is - word is that Dem pages weren't clued in to this) were warned about Foley, how could the rest of Florida's Congressional delegation be unaware? Katherine Harris knew nothing? Adam Putnam? After all, Putnam often cites his ties to GOP House leadership. So how could he not have known? And if he knew, why did he remain silent, if not to avoid a scandal in the GOP ranks? This year, I'm voting for an independent.

I think it is fair to say that so many of the members of the US citizenry are grateful for the efforts of the FBI to investigate into only one, of the numerous areas within our own borders for our sake and protection. Having the feeling that something or someone is looking out for the innocent matters a great deal.

I applaud the FBI, for searching for some answers for all of us!!