This story fails in comparison with the Sandy Berger scandal. Great mis-direction ABC. Ignore the scandals of your own hero.

JelloBiafra,

You can't possibly think that soliciting sex from minors over the internet is on par with removing 5 classified documents and notes about them from Archives. One of those crimes is a serious violation of the rights of a human being, while the other is at most a minor security risk. Why would ABC need to report about the Sandy Berger story? He confessed! And besides, the DOJ and NARA seemed very eager to investigate him, a member of the Democratic Party. Is that a conspiarcy, too? Sure, Berger did a stupid thing and an illegal thing, but he did not violate the rights of children. I'm sick that you would even equate the two.

maybe someone should investigate the FBI?

Wow, looks like more of the Field Training Officer [FTO] approach: "If you don't want to spend time processing paperwork, tell the public that the unusual behavior -- that warrants review -- is 'not a crime'."
Valid indicators of unusual behavior prior to Sept 2001 were rebuffed. The error is for JTTF and law enforcement to ignore these indicators; do nothing about valid responses; then blame the people daring to come forward.
In this situation, CREW stepped forward, did the right thing, and the FBI arrogantly accused CREW of doing something wrong. This is outrageous, and invites additional Congressional scrutiny:
1. Why despite the "lessons" of 9-11 is law enforcement treating informants and concerned citizens with disdain?
2. Why bother sending FBI agents to school if the public, despite knowing the rules of evidence and US Attorney manual better, STILL is rebuffed with law enforcement laziness?
It is arrogant for the American law enforcement to whine that "nobody cares," only to openly attack the people at CREW who dares to do the right thing. WE have the makings of another 9-11, not because of what others are or are not doing, but because of the SAME roadblocks to getting information into the system DESPITE having removed the roadblocks between the CIA and FBI.
We have less privacy, and less security; and the American law enforcement is unreasonably using the public response, and effort to assist, as a basis to accuse the public of having problems. The problem exists with the arrogant management in the American law enforcement who refuse to pull their head out of their rear-end: People, trying to help, are directly attacked by law enforcement reducing the chances. If only the FBI were as arrogant with criminals -- oh, wait they do that -- they violate the Geneva Conventions.

Andrew E. I'm sorry, do you have more information that I do that says that the he solicited minors? Thats a crime and I thought I read in the above arictle that there was "no evidence of criminal wrongdoing". I also thought I read that the page was not a minor the time these emails were sent. Don't get me wrong, I do not condone any of this behavior, but to answer your question, YES removing classified documents is MUCH more serious than Mr Foley's actions and can affect the entire country instead of a single person.

Andrew Elgert,

Are you nuts! Stealing classified documents under one's pant legs, is a federal crime whether the prepertrator pleaded guilty or not. Only a few eyes ever saw those documents because they were classified, locked up only to be stollen by those who are in charge or our security. AND if what Foley did was such a horrific crime why is not what happened in the Atlanta Airport bathroom a crime? This scandle which has two high profile Liberal professor's one from NC, having sex in a man's bathroom is not known although they were arrested Friday. Where's the media on those men?

I believe from the evidence gleaned from newspaper accounts and online news reporting, that former Congressman Mark Foley was not investigated enough and that there was a complete miscarriage of justice in the handling of this investigation. I'm a 55-year-old therapist in private practice and I can tell you categorically that were I to send similar e-mails to other young pages or people, I would be in jail right now! This is a terrible injustice especially to the House pages who were the recipients of Mr. Foley's overtures whatever nature they were.

I don't think Sandy Berger's punishment for his wrongdoing fit the crime. I think he should have gotten a stiffer sentence or a stiffer fine and barred forever from having any security clearance. From the evidence gleaned from online sources and news media, just like Mark Foley's e-mails, Mr. Berger calculated a way to purloin documents or steal documents from a high-security institution. Both men knew what they were doing but the crimes are not the same. Mr. Foley's criminal behavior warrants a serious investigation by the FBI to determine if any civil rights were violated not to mention child-abuse rights. There is no equating stealing of documents and sending suggestive and intimate government employees. I know the damage that can be caused by sexual abuse as I've been a victim of sexual abuse by other males and we have never heard anything from the pages or the intended individuals to Mr. Foley e-mailed. Wouldn't it be helpful to an investigation if we could hear or learn how the page is experienced Mr. Foley's overtures to his e-mails.

We don't know for sure WHAT Berger did. Nor why. We, because a sweetheart plea deal, lost any opportunity to turn the screws on him to find out: EXACTLY what he did and at whose behest and or benefit. It could be an INDICTMENT of BOTH President Clinton and Bush. Removing something that embarasses both of them is just the type of thing that would get a win, nod, and handshake of both parties. A politcial mulligan for want of a better term. This is exactly the type of corruption that shakes to the core any belief in the basic honesty of politicians. While Foley and the pages is disgustingly terrible, undermining the legitimacy of the government is HUGE imho.

Wow Andrew, a minor security risk? I consider it much more serious. Our national security is at risk and at a time when there was investigations into how 9-11 happened. I think a possible cover up of the Clinton administration is a bigger story. I don't think any molestation has been uncovered in the Foley story. The one case turned out to be with a man over the age of consent. Weren't we told that what happened between two consenting adults was none of our business?

What was the crime Foley commited?
So far no charges filed at all.
As for Berger its a fact that he stole classified documents hiding mitakes the Clintons made that cost the lives of 3000 americans on 9/11 not to mention the 1000s that died oversees.
Unwanted emails are easily blocked.
Getting to the bottom of what happened on 9/11 is also easily blocked if youre a Clinton operative.
The Foley scandal turned out to be much ado about nothing.
We will never know how much damage Burglar really did.

Andrew, I think both of the offenses are worthy of investigation. I agree with your comments about the violation of rights of another human being. I disagree that what Mr. Berger did was a minor security violation. Had this been a Republican, virtually all of the Democrats would be screaming for the head of the President (as if they aren't already). Since this is a Democrat we are simply supposed to overlook at as a mild indiscretion and a mistake. Investigate them both and punish them both accordingly.

The funny thing about all this was Gerry Studds dying when he did. He missed out on the democrats giving him a hero's send off. At least Foley won't have to buy a pardon from Bush like Mel Reynolds had to buy from Clinton.

The DOJ swept Berger under the rug. He got a slap on the wrist. Who says he only removed 5 documents? Why would you trust the confession of someone who would go so far as to steal classified documents? He hindered the investigation of the 911 commission thereby affecting the lives of thousands of people touched by that disaster. What Foley did was sick and despicable, but it was not illegal.

This protecting the children only applies when protecting them from a republican. When Garry Studds (a Democtrat) had sex with a 17 year old page (the one that Foley was accused of was 18 at the time by the way and they never had sex), Gerry Studds was censured. Which basically means given a stearn talking to. However Foley was asked to resign. What about when Barney Franks boyfriend was running a male prostitution ring from Fran's DC apartment. What happened there? NOTHING. Once again the Democrats get caught with their hipocrit skirt showing. Not to mention the Dems sat on this information until it was to the best political advantage to them, so theyu must not be too worried about the children. You guys just keep drinking the Kool-aid and we will see where you stand in two more years.

Andrew Elgert,

Though Foley's behavior was totally innapropriate, there is no proof that he solicited sex from his pages. there is no proof of any crimes commited. On the other hand, Sandy Burglar confessed to a crime. He stole classified documents. To say this type of behavior is at most "a minor security risk" is asinine. Remember, spies steal documents... and we hang spies. I am not defending Foley or his actions here, but there is a huge difference between these two men. One commited a crime, the other did not. And regardless of which of these two is the larger scandal, the media will always run with the most sensational story. A congressman flirting with his pages is definitely more sensational than stealing classified documents.

Andrew-
How can YOU downplay an actual crime (removing classified documents of importance to national security) to a congressman sending dirty emails to pages that were 18 (of legal age) at the time! I wholeheartedly disapprove of Mr. Foley's actions..they disgust me, but he didn't break the law, Berger did! I would hardly call these inappropriate emails a violation of children's rights. And Berger's confession doesn't make it OK to do it!

Where is Foley?

Has the Republican Party exiled him from the
country?

Foley has been in rehab longer than most

hard core users.

So where is Foley?

funny that the powers that be would wanna know the source before taking steps to further investigate these emails, wouldn't that naturally become part of an ivestigation??? sounds like they were trying for retribution or to posibly silence the source, would love to see futher inquiries into this matter... hmmmm was this investigative snow job enginered by the same foks that decided to remove federal da's such as the gal who brought charges against duke cunnigham???

"Flubbed" is a gentle word here. Note that the FBI officials lied to reporters.

The FBI has been busy, in Atlanta at least, investigating reports of people reading articles critical of Bush in coffeeshops. Perhaps there were many such complaints in DC at that time, which took precedence over evidence that a Congressman was solicting teenaged boys for their photos and offering them gifts and lodging.