I think it reprehensible that the Republicans turned a blind eye toward Mark Foley's behavior. After all Dennis Hastert was a teacher and a coach. He should have acted on the original e-mails, when he first knew of them. I think increasingly there is an effort to show Democrats as equally responsible. They aren't equally responsible. The House Republican leadership should have acted to sanction their own. It would have been perceived as political otherwise. I totally blame the Republicans for this debaucle.

So, let's review:

1) There was no law broken.
2) Ethics rules clearly broken and the Republican leadership drove him out.
3) Democrats did nothing and sat on the emails until two-three weeks before the elections.

Are those same people that called for heads to roll going to call for those same Democrat heads to roll? If the Democrats are more ethical, will they make those representatives resign? Pelosi promised us the most transparent, honest and ethical congress ever? Will she back up her own words or was that just politics as usual?

Of course they won't mention that! why? because it proves the Dems could care lesss about the pages either, and ony used them as political fodder for the election. The only thing that never changes is the actions of all of our politicians. Its all about themselves and wht they can get out of an issue, screw the country !

Are you saying the Democrats sat on the story until it was to their advantage to email the news source? Good grief, they are just as bad.

Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule - and both commonly succeed, and are right.
- HL Mencken

There's not much new under the sun... but the real point is how corrupt the whole bunch are... now THAT'S non-partisan... we've got one party--the Republocraps!!!

Just look at the lack of comments on these stories... hot stuff during the "elections"... now, ho hum??? Hey, our integrity, democracy and future are at stake and in the hands of corrupt, self-serving fools--

'08's gonna be different for fed up citizens like me, wait and see.

I guess there really is no honor among thiev-- er --I mean Congressmen.

I think about two weeks ago I was watching on TV where the police were setting up sting operations to arrest and prosecute people for trying to pick up on kids over the internet and willfully trying to meet with the kids to engage in unspeakable acts. Those people were getting arrested just from the intent of wanting to pursue a act with a minor. Her we have a grown man wanting to stick his penis in underage boys and our so called House Ethics Committee can find no grounds of any wrong doing. I don’t know what kind of world we live in right now but if we do not start holding people responsible for acts they commit we are all going to be in trouble. We need to stop blaming out parents and others for acts we actively take part in.

That clown claims he was abused as a child in the same fashion, so he is telling us he knew it was wrong. Why the hell would you do the same thing to someone else’s child if you thought it was wrong when it was done to you. Not only is Foley a faggot but just the fact he is trying to pop some young boy should be enough to set any decent human being off. I think if any other Congressman or woman knew about this they are wrong in not doing something about it. I do not care what your job or title is if there are laws being broken I think we should all be held to a standard. This act was not a matter of national security this was a sexual pervert taking advantage of some young boys. We should treat this as a crime as if it were any other private citizen.

I am sure this Foley guy will leave and still get all the same privileges as any other Congressman who served honorably. This is a shame because we all know deep down inside it is wrong. If we all could put aside politics and look at the issues as they arise I think this would be a better country. Lets look at what is best for the country not for a Republican or a Democrat. This guy should be going to jail and all who knew about his cornholing ways should be in line with him

Brian Ross trying for the mythical journalistic "balance" tries to imply that Dems were as guilty as Reps by citing one unsubstantiated line in a Republican controlled report. That's not balance that's phoney equivalence. Do you job.

All of the people involved have done despicable things. Let's admit it... everybody knew what was happening and no one did anything.

However, throwing around blanket insults about people as a previous poster here did does not help the issue. Why can this issue not be discussed without using terms like *****?

Night time Host Jay Leno mentioned, "is ethics committee headed by Michael Jackson?", and whole audience laughed at his comment. Unfortunately, what Jay said is true. Ethics committee is made to protect bad Republicans and bad Democrats. How can Ethics committee says law is not broken, when the law was really broken.

Hey MSgt H, what about the young boys that are being sexually abused in u.s. prisons, because the government determine they were old enough to be tried as adults? do you know that several states still place this kids with the adult general population?

there are so many stories out there about how youn children and teenagers are being abused by the government and you only look into this pervs wrong doings and if the democrats knew or no. Let me tell you something, had the democrats said something, you would be claiming political persecution for something that is not even illegal, because those boys were 18 or 19.

The Democrats sat on the information until they could use it for their political advantage. I see where William Jefferson just got reelected (90k found in freezer)and the Media has said nothing, Nancy Pelosi does not want to rock the Black Congressional Caucus so she is remaining quite. Who in this forum believes the democrats will act more ethical. I wish we could fire them all.

Why is it the responsibility of Democrats to protect teenage pages who are working for Republicans? And especially when the Republican leadership knew about it. If it had been Democratic pages being preyed upon by a Democratic house member, then it would have been a Democratic problem. As it was, the House Republican leadership knew about it, should have dealt with it and didn't.

And finally, the press release of the IM came from the pages, not Democrats. I presume since the pages were working for Republican house members, that they came from fine upstanding Republican families who vote for and support Republicans. Therefore it was Republicans themselves who'd had enough of the deception of the House Republican leadership and sent the e-mails to the media.

They are all guilty the Dems sat on this and the republicans raised terror lvl's after the Dem Convention and befor the elections of 04

Ah yes, we knew it all along!
It was the Democrats fault!!!
They forced Foley into his acts and they are to blame for inaction on the
Republican's part! Why it was those
sneaky Democrats who waited the whole
time to release the info b/c the
Republicans never knew of the issue.
As a matter of fact, the Republicans
still dont know about it! They are
waiting to find out what happened still. Oh, and Foley was never a Republican, he is a Democrat, always was, in disguise, b/c a Republican would never be gay. Or a pervert. Or unethical. Only Dems.
Those that blame the "other" party are overlooking a big issue. Those on your own "team" can't simply shrug off the responsibility. If my project fails, blaming another project team isn't going to keep my job. Oh yeah, it didn't work for the Republicans either (wink...wink). Iraq, Foley, the losing Middle Class. You can blame the minority Dems (at the time) for this all you want until you see the election results. D'oh, maybe you were wrong all along.

Beagle66

You can't seriously be suggesting that the Democrats should not hold the Republicans accountable for their actions simply because they're not in their own party. Our whole system of government is based on checks and balances. If a page is being verbally molested, it's EVERYBODY'S problem, and anyone who knew about it and did nothing doesn't deserve to be in a position of leadership.

It is telling that even when they were asked about their prior knowledge the Democrat's leadership denied that they knew about it before the story broke, never saw the messages, and were never contacted by any parents of pages...

Hmm now we find out that they shopped the story beginning a month before the election and then when someone bit they negotiated a week delay in release... And yes they did know the content and yes a parent was the reason it came to their attention...

We do need a third Party in this country, both sides seem to be able to look into the camera and lie like a dog! Ha ha But unfortunately the laugh is on us...

George asked all these pointed questions on his Sunday show and totally lied to him and to us...

Oh well we get what we deserve...

to dennis kucinich:

Not hate, baby. Love.

Smitty

Beagle 66 says "And finally, the press release of the IM came from the pages, not Democrats." Apparently, truth is no longer a requirement when defending one's position.
The article states "Matt Miller, the House Democratic Caucus staff member, sent the e-mails at some pont to various news organizations"

This is an example of the REAL problem in American politics. Say or do anything to defend your side; the truth be damned.

The bottom line is that Foley is gone entirely too late. There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that the Republicans tried to sit on this until after the election and the Democrats sat on it until right before the election. The ONLY motivation for EITHER party is to gain/maintain power. For those ardent defenders of either party: here is your wake up call. Learn to think freely!

That is why so many people like myself do not vote, all politicians the same