Rep. Mark Foley, should he be prosecuted?

[veronak]

In the last few years we have seen a boom in predators preying on small children via the internet. Now in FL Rep Mark Foley sent explicit instant messages to a under age kid. Now our lovely Gov. Jeb Bush made the comment that he hopes he's not prosecuted (or something similar) I mean come on. He may not have ask the kid to meet him some place but when you are 54 and ask a 16 year old if you make him horny or what are you wearing and then ask to him to take his clothes off what is that all about. If it was my kid I would want him under the jail. I am sure this is not his first time and almost positive he has met with young boys in the past, it’s just that he has gotten caught this time <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

[Broken Arrow]

I haven't heard much about this particular piece of news, but ideally, the law is blind. No one is above the law and I hope that he receives fair and impartial due process.

[PRICEPLUS]

Ditto!

[asmom]

Originally Posted by veronak

Now our lovely Gov. Jeb Bush made the comment that he hopes he's not prosecuted (or something similar)

Jeez louise, WHY would he hope the guy is not prosecuted?! What is his defense for that? No matter what his political affiliation, Jeb should be distancing himself from him and if anything he should be the first person to call for prosecution. I am not sure if what he did is technically illegal but this sort of behavior rarely stops with mere emails. It's a sure bet that he has done more with young boys than email them. This guy needs to be investigated to the hilt and Jeb should be at the top of the list for people calling for it.

[mountainmist]

I am appalled with Washington,D.C.

I heard on the radio that all the Republicans know all about Foley -- in fact, the last time all the new pages arrived, they were specifically told to watch out for Foley.

I hope that there exist racketeering laws applicable to this Big Open 'Secet' so as to evict all the child predators from our nation's capital, as well as all those other adults who are covering up for them.

[mountainmist]

I am appalled with Washington,D.C.

I heard on the radio that all the Republicans know all about Foley -- in fact, the last time all the new pages arrived, they were specifically told to watch out for Foley.

I hope that there exist racketeering laws applicable to this Big Open 'Secet' so as to evict all the child predators from our nation's capital, as well as all those other adults who are covering up for them.

[neatdesign]

House Speaker Dennis Hastert's staff knew about Foley's text messaging a year ago, and Hastert himself knew by this spring that some of the messages were sexually explicit. Despite all these people knowing about it, they all stayed quiet. It's only because the media caught wind of it that Foley finally resigned and his Republican friends are now feigning disgust and calling for investigations into it.

Why weren't they disgusted a year ago? Or even six months ago? Why weren't the calling for his resignation then? Why weren't they calling for investigations then?

The timeline of this whole thing disturbs me but doesn't surprise me in the least. What surprises me is that people are surprised by it.

The irony -- and hypocrisy -- is that only three months ago, Foley was there when Bush signed the Children's Safety Act into law -- a law which, among other things, targets online child sex predators.

~ Jenney

[sweeps]

I'm no fan of the Republicans, but this kind of thing is not unique to them. Practically all of our elected officials do unethical, immoral and illegal things. If someone's not a bad apple before he gets into office, he becomes one after he gets there.

[geojen]

Originally Posted by Sweepsplayer

I'm no fan of the Republicans, but this kind of thing is not unique to them. Practically all of our elected officials do unethical, immoral and illegal things. If someone's not a bad apple before they get into office, he becomes one after he gets there.

I'd have to agree. Both parties have their share of sickos, and they both practice selective moral outrage.

[PrincessPerky]

ditto the lack of supprise, and ditto the desire that he be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.