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.

Faced with the choice of my Son getting an email from Foly or being ask by The Clintons to be "on the team", I'd choose the former. Much safer.

BTW Andrew, did you ever make the statement "It's only about sex" during President Clinton's Term in Office? "THAT WOMAN" was a young intern at the time.

Jello,

Surely you mean "PALES in comparison?" You freepers are tenacious, but you aren't the smartest bunch.

You could argue that having sex with teenagers is not only not wrong, but historically justified.

(Not my view, though, but NAMBLA and many pederasts would agree)

You see Andrew, you can argue this either way, but to downplay the 'minor' Berger security break is EXACTLY what the MSM did while it played up the Foley scandel.

Moreover, Andrew, a 'minor' burglary brought down a sitting President whereas today, it couldn't bring down a democrat nat (note I stated democrat for it the nat were republican, well ...)

The page wasn't a minor!!!

The page was over the age of 16 and in Washington D.C. the age of consent for all sexual activities is 16. And this is the lowest age for all 50 states. Only Canada is lower, with an age of 14 for all sexual activities.

Andrew breaking the law is breaking the law, that's problem with you liberals, you like to justify it when your boys break the law. Bergler should be investigated as much as foley. they both broke the law. also, if you don't think stealing classified info isn't as bad, then you are very ignorant.

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

Nice points except for a few facts:
1.) Foley did not solicit sex from a minor.
2.) We don't know what document Sandy Berger removed.
3.) The democrats knew about the Foley emails and IM's well before they made them public. They waited to release the information at a time that was designed for maximum damage.

Which leads to a few opinions:
1.) Are you really suggesting that sending creepy emails is more serious than matters of national security?
2.) If the Republicans would have made a big deal about the Foley emails and IM's they would have been cast as homophobic bigots who were trying to police the bedroom. It was a no win situation.
3.)The democrats withholding the information is not any worse than the republicans inaction but it is not a whole lot better either.
4.) The Foley and Berger stories are not related and it is childish to suggest that one should not be reported because the other is not covered. I am surprised the Berger story does not get more coverage but comparing the two makes no sense in any case.

Andrew Elgert, while I in no way condone what Mark Foley did, check your facts. He did not solicit sex from minors. The only email they found where he actually intimated that was to the page when he was 18. Once they are 18, using his power and influence was the real crime. And before you say that they couldn't say no or weren't responsible, how old was Monica the first time? Again, I don't condone it, but I PUT WHAT Sandy Berger did ON A LEVEL WITH WATERGATE!

Oh are we still looking into that? I thought he resigned, apologized and went to rehab. I think that's all the Republicans have to do to absolve themselves of any wrongdoing.
What did he do that was so wrong? Abuse of power, abuse of minors, sexual harrassment in the workplace, unethical behavior in government. But then he didn't get oral sex from a consenting adult, so who cares?

Teenagers are not children -- they have a mouth - legs - ears - etc.

Why didn't they report it or even quit on account of no action. They didn't have to stay there and take it.

Give me a break - they weren't helpless -

When are you libs going to start training your children to be self-sufficiant instead of waiting for permission. Everyone has the right to report obscene behavior - don't wait for permission to report it.

We all know it was a set up in the first place - and there were teenagers that coddled to MR. Foley and were making wise cracks behind his back. ONly the stupid person didn't realize it.

It worked didn't it? Got him off the congressional floor. That's what the MSM wanted -- along with the Dem Party.

people are just stupid , both are wrong, and both should be put in jail, wrong, is wrong, if you violate the rights of children or steal information to protect someone is also wrong, both should be investigated and if found guilty put in jail, final, when is one worst then the other, sin, is sin, and wrong is wrong, but if your a friend of someone in high places you get all the breaks. If it was a normal citizen he would be in jail by. now, come on America wake up!!

Berger = Foley? When you got nothing, use it over and over again until someone thinks you're right. Wing. You freepers looking for a job on fox?

On a level with Watergate? How stupid can you be? Did Sandy Berger's name appear in this story anywhere? If not, then stop talking about him. The FBI lied to CREW and lied to the media and did not investigate even though they should have. No one at the FBI is being punished for what went on. Sandy Berger has nothing to do with it.

When a Democrat has boy-on-boy love, it's called 'beautiful'.

When a Republican wants to have boy-on-boy love, it's called a 'Scandal'.

Funny, isn't it?

Commenting on the Sandy/Foley comparison. Remember, Foley didn't commit a crime -- not a single crime. Regardless of what I may personally think of his actions, he did nothing criminal.
Sandy Berger, on the other hand, committed several crimes. He engaged in illegal activities -- Foley did not.

ABC News/Brian Ross- thank you for the constant flow of information on penises.

Penis. Penis. Penis. Penis. Penis, Penis. Mark Foley Penis. Page Penis. Focus on Penis. Penis and more Penis.

Now for the news, head over to Fox News Channel.

Yeah, beaking the law is breaking the law for you republicans, unless of course it is George Bush breaking the law. But then again for King George, no laws apply to him because he says so, and you repubs have no problem with it. So lame dragging the Sandy Berger situation into this. Pathetic attempt to demonize the democrats. And right, the repubs sat on the Mark Foley emails so as not to be cast as homophobic. It is quite the fantasy world you repubs have created for yourselves. This argument that the pages were not children and not helpless or under the age of consent is OBSCENE! Absolutely ridiculus. Does that make it just fine to you for a representative to prey on them? And arguing the right vs. wrong of Berger and Foley, yeah Berger broke the law and should be punished, and it appears that Foley did not break the law, but MORALLY to me there is no question Foley has done the greater wrong.

but but but...

SANDY BERGER!!!

did he lie and people died? Or was that someone else?

See you at the Impeachment hearings, my little chicken hawks.

It's just more obstruction of justice by the Bush administration and Congress. It happened under the GOP-majority, and they weren't going to let anything affect their hold on power in Congress. I'm sure they were pressured from going-forward, and that can only be done by Executive pressure.

"did he lie and people died? Or was that someone else?"

That was Bill Clinton I believe you are referring to Gars.

See 'Waco'

"Playing up" the Foley scandal???
LEWINSKI was ALL over the ENTIRE MEDIA, papers, teevee, rasio. EVERYTHING for FOUR SOLID YEARS.
The Foley story was GONE after a MONTH. OUR media has been HIJACKED AND STOLEN by the SAME CRIMINALS who PERPETRATED 9/11. Al-Queada was CREATED by the CIA, and INFILTRATED by the CIA, yet teh ENTIRE "security" apparatus sat around with BLANK STARES on 9/11.
Time to get real people, the Republican CABAL has been consistently been using the MEDIA to STEAL our nation under the guise of PATRIOTISM since Joe McCarthy.

"The Foley story was GONE after a MONTH"

It just so happened that that 'month' was during an election cycle.

"LEWINSKI was ALL over the ENTIRE MEDIA"

If Bill didn't lie about it, under oath, during another rape investigation, it probably wouldn't have been a big deal.

Now George Bush Hijacked the media? Or was it the CIA that hijacked the media? Did he use a gun? Maybe a taser?

And how can one both create something and at the same time, infiltrate it. Seems to be something incorrect here...

Please, pretty please, with sugar on top.

Go to bed.

Flubbed Bureau of Incompetents they are pawns of our leaders! They find out what they are told to find out. Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity but not intelligence or freethinking ability! Just stupid robots with a badge! Just Ask Foley, Billary or Duke Cunningham! Shalom!

FOLEY was supposedly PROTECTING minors from PEDOPHILIAC PREDATORS, the VERY thing HE WAS DOING, which is EXACTLY like EVERYTHING ELSE the Republicans have DONE ALL ALONG: They go ON AND ON AND ON about PATRIOTISM while SELLING OUT AMERICA FOR AS MUCH AS THEY CAN POSSIBLY GET THEIR FAT GREEDY HANDS ON. Middle and lower-class Republicans have been entirely LIED to by their leaders, who are interested in them SOLELY for their VOTES. Wake UP.

Note that it's illegal for an individual to lie to an FBI agent during an investigation, but that it's perfectly okay for the FBI to lie to other people, including the media. That double standard undermines any claim the FBI may make to justify their existence. To restore any credibility to the FBI and their statements, we need a law that makes it a felony for an FBI agent or spokesperson to make a false statement about a case or investigation. Provide a little incentive for them to tell the truth.

Just what exactly does Sandy Berger have to do with this article about MARK FOLEY?

Nothing! Stay on topic people! If you want to discuss S. Berger, do it someplace else or wait until there is an article about him to comment on. Otherwise, quit de-railing the topic simply because you don't like what it has to say.

Amazing how this story has more or less vanished now since the elections are over and the Democrats regained control. Media has no real use for this story anymore, unless they can use it to hurt Republicans in '08.

What Sandy Berger did was criminal and he did get a slap on the wrist. He should be in jail.

What Foley did was not illegal, but grossly unethical and borderline sexual harrassment (it seems pretty obvious his advances were unwanted). But everyone involved was of legal age in Washington DC - so how is it illegal?

As for Gerry Studds, he was right it was no one else's business who he was sleeping with. Did he abuse his power and sexually harass the "victim" or was it consentual? Again, everyone was of legal age, how was it illegal?

Andrew Elgert,

For NOW,Jello is correct and you have made up charges that even law enforcement authorities have yet to charge...which means your not relying on facts but your own desire to find guilt, even in th eabscence of facts..typical liberal. Sandy berger on the other hand was guilty and plead guilty to a Federal offense. The documents Sandy took wilol never be completely known , as several of the recordsa he had access were uncatalogued notes. In addition, the law enforcement action against Sandy only concentrated on two of the four times he went to the Archives, one of those uninvestigated times was the infamous "shoving documents in his sock" visit. To understand what makes what Sandy did so bad, you must first understand the classification system. the documents sandy reviewed were of the highest security clearence level...so high that only Sandy alone could view these documents and none of his administrative assistants. This classification level means that revelation of the contents to our enemies would result in CERTAIN DEATH & IRREPAIRABLE HARM to the AMERICA and HER CITIZENS. These same documents, Sandy, realizing the Archives were on to him, hid in an open construction site in downtown Washington DC. Now remember Sandy was the National Security Advisor...he knew why these documents were classified at such a high level, and he knew the risk to YOU and ME, and yet he still stole them and hid them in an unsecure location, much like spies do in document transfers. I have avoided talking about why Sandy would do these things, I think people should use whats between and figure that out for themselves...its pretty obvious what his motivation was. Its a shameful thing that he put his reputation before the safety and security of the US. I did not expect Sandy to be perfect as NSA, so if mistakes they made were revealed that played a hand in 9-11 occurred, so be it (they are only human), we would be the wiser as citizens for knowing what those mistakes were and NOT MAKING THE SAME MISTAKES.

So Jello is right, the press, not just ABC has glossed over the seriousness of what Sandy Berger did for political agenda reasons, yet focused to this day on the supposed revelation of a CIA agent..which by the way nobody is charged with having done that, and the only guy that is charged (Scooter Libby), isnt even charged with revealing the identity of a covert agent, he is charged with perjury to investigators (an administrative charge unrelated to the investigation substance. And worse, we just recently found out it wasnt him, that it was actually Dick Armitage who had revealed Pflames identity to Woodward, and one more thing, no law was broken because she had not been an active operative for more than 3 years and had transitioned to an analyst position which can be freely divulged. Yet the press keeps it going...people better wake up as to the crap your being spoon fed by the old media.

The fbi is a republican organization. They deliberately covered up for a man who asked for sexy stuff from minors. Obviously they knew it would ruin their party. And if you do your research you will note that Bush II deliberately snubbed Foley. Foley resorted to emailing Jeb to find out why. That leads me to theorize that Foley's behavior was well known in the oval office. YUCK!!

I'm with Adams above...if you can find his comments above. The FBI is a vacillating organization...it all depends on who is in power...right now with a democratic congress and a whacko repug executive branch, it must be very hard where to place their loyalties.

I keep here the term minor and I guess in most people mind he was a minor, but under the law the person was of the age of concent, that is the point here.

If the majority of you in here would put as much energy towards the Liberal Judges in Vermont who are infact letting off sex offenders then your cause would be more worth while than the time you spend on Mark Foley who broke no laws.....there is where your energy needs to be.

hey - Foley was scum. worse, he knew the laws concerning age of consent, so he didn't break them. and thats what torques you off.

the diff between a 17 year old and an 18 year old? one day and the law. and thats what Dems played up. Foley didn'ty break the law, and that was apparent 5 min into the breaking story. he's still scum, but, as the FBI found, wasn't a law breaker.

and rightwingers don't excuse his perversion (thats right - we still call homosexuality a perversion), we make it a point that Foley, although scum, wasn't (as the lefties claimed to do maximum damage) a party to criminal perversion. and that's the diff between consevative and libs.

we hold are people to a higher standard and don't make excuses for their babd (but not criminal) behaviour. maw

Am I reading a different article? This isn't about Sandy Berger. This isn't about whether or not Foley committed a crime. It's not about minors or consenting adults. The FBI received information about a possible crime. Clearly red flags were up, and a full investigation was warrented to determine if, indeed a crime was committed, if minors were involved. The FBI's initial inaction and subsequent lies should outrage ALL Americans. This isn't a partisan issue.

Every time a story comes out that is even slightly critical of a Republican, the RNC sends his paid trolls out to post anti-Democrat diatribes (we call them "Mehlman's Mafia"). The point is always to cloud the issue and to divert people from the real story.

Are we all supposed to pretend we don't know that the age of sexual consent in the District of Columbia is SIXTEEN (irrespective of gender and age difference). Maybe that law should change, and maybe Foley is disgusting, but we would have to change the law to truthfully call Foley a crook. THAT'S why the FBI did nothing.