In this case, I'm not sure I agree that the cover-up is equally wrong (compared to the sex crime). A pedophile is mentally ill. By trying to sweep the controversy under the rug, the supposedly mentally sound House leaders negligently allowed a pedophile to continue stalking teens. Therefore, the lust for power may actually harm more people than the lust for children. Now that's stomach-churningly creepy.

RE "term limits" proposed by skidog.

We have term limits already. It's called an election. There's one in 36 days. If you don't like the way things have been going, vote accordingly.

When will people wake up and realize that almost everybody in power is full of crap??? From "religious leaders" to "politicians." This news is not shocking in any way, shape or form. Keep on believing in your leaders America.

Good work, ABC! Today we see old Hastert insisting that he and his cronies never knew how bad Foley's
correspondence was...is he kidding?
The big question is: Did they know the IMs in addition to the e-mails? All reports are that there is panic in the ranks of the GOP and understandably so. I have the feeling that there's much, much more to come? Don't you?

Another reason why, after the last six years, if you're still a Republican, you haven't been paying attention.

About 10 yrs. ago, I had the unfortunate experience of meeting Foley at a Republican rally in Florida. I remember that he was workin the room with a beautiful model hanging onto his arm and introduced her to everyone as his financee. He put up a good front for family values & tried to fool the public. We all need to get out & vote this next election & get rid of his cronies that covered up this this terrible situation. Alcholism is no excuse for his horrible behavior.

Thank you ABC and Brian Ross, et al. for this HUGE story. The fact is you may have saved some lives by breaking this story.

Often young victims go on to attempt suicide and have other acting out behavior related to their victimization, including creating other victims.

This may not be classic pedophilia, given the age of the victims, but reprehensible, nonetheless. It is the POWER inequity that causes the problems for the victims. They felt powerless and that is part of the attraction for Foley. He is a classic power rapist.

ABC, please stay on this until all the cover-ups are exposed. Hastert has to go!

Politicians cover up for pedophilic colleagues in the interest of holding more representational seats for their party. Question: Deep within these people we elevate to such heights, is politics a mere game complete with a scoring system? Or worse, do our leaders, so evidently corpulent with self-importance, view the advancement of their personal ideologies as so powerfully critical that the ends justify any means? Would we be naïve to assume that we are witnessing in this latest scandal the ultimate in consequences of our extremist national polarity; can we safely bet that the worst to come out of the deep and wide ideological chasm that has dominated national political life is the mere shaming of one Congressman? Or, is the "house" that is so radically divided just beginning to fall?

The power to exploit is at the heart of the Foley matter. His party has mastered the art of exploitation and abuse of power; on a personal, national and international level. He is a poster boy for his corrupt party and colleagues Their insatiable lust for domination is exceeded only by their conviction that nobody will notice.

Don't we as a country deserve better than a sexual predator co-chairing a committee on exploited children? This situation has nothing to do with his being gay, his "alcoholism," and it certainly has nothing to do with Bill Clinton. What this has to do with is a miscreant who was preying on underage boys and the leadership of his political party that hid it to save their hold on power.

These people are showing you their true colors...vote accordingly, America.

this is the saddest thing ive ever heard, and the local media is covering breast cancer, and petty crimes. This is why we have congressmen raping our children. So what new excuse will this pervert comeup with next? And when did bushs endorsement mean anything anyway, hes the biggest liar of them all. If only your immagination was so wharped could you know whats going in the the bedrooms of the other congressmen.

There are so many disgusting aspects of this story. Obviously Foley's conduct heads the list, particularly with his "non-excuse" excuse issued today by his lawyer re his previous abuse. Equally disgusting is the is the lack of concern for the pages demonstrated by the House leadership, apparently because of their concern regarding the political fallout. It took ABC about 24 hours to uncover the most egregious e mails after learning of the "overly-friendly" e mail the house leadership was aware of months ago. It appears that all ABC had to do was ask other pages and the information became readily available. Not only did the House leadership not see fit to inquire as ABC did, they also kept the information from the Democratic member of the Page Board. The FBI was aware of the information this summer and did nothing so much as inquire of other pages. The final absurd aspect is Hastert's suggestion that this was "sprung" by the Democrats, yet another pathetic attempt by Republicans to blame everything and everyone that dares to question their authority and competence.

It is pathetic. I would like to know if the rule allows pedophiles to give a reason like previous abuses, or drug or alocohol and check into luxury rehab centres and avoid prosecution, gain time for defense and if possible destroy evidence etc?

It is a disgrace to our democracy that people at the top who made laws on abuse of children are doing the same. When lawmakers become lawbreakers and the rest of the lawmaker crowd join to hus up things, sound action is what we need. They should prosecute the members who kept silent, for endangering the safety and helath of our children. I think Foley's escapades is only the tip of the iceberg.

im sure what we have heard so far is just the tip of the iceburg.
can anyone honestly think all he did was im and email these young men. hastert should step down, so should anyone who was involved with the cover up.

I haven't been up to anything. My mind is like an empty room, but such is life. Maybe tomorrow. Today was a loss, but eh.