I'm inclined to believe that Foley didn't commit a crime. The page is older than the required age of consent in both his and Foley's state, so that doesn't put Foley over the line there.

On the other hand, I just can't condone how Hastert thought what Foley did was no big deal. I'm not even asking that Hasters be held to a higher standard than if he were in a similar position in a private company. We know very well, I think, that had this been, say IBM, Hastert would be resigning right now for allowing such sexual harassment to continue. Yes, I know the boy's parents didn't want a big deal made of this, but there are ways to deal with Foley firmly and without ambiguity that don't involve trumpeting it from the highest mountain. Hastert should have at least been savvy enough to recognize that if the Democrats were to find out about it (and of course they would), they'd make as much political hay out of it as they could. So if there are Republicans who are not inclined to punish Hastert for not dealing with Foley because of the offense, they certainly ought to punish him for being politically inept.

I'm surprised at how pissed off this whole thing has made me.

And lest anyone get the wrong impression about something else: this isn't about legality or some criminal wrongdoing. We have no idea whether Mark Foley actually broke the law. The FBI is looking into that, but initial indications are that he did not. So what's here isn't so much a cover-up of legal wrongdoing but abuse of power.

It's one side of the coin (along with the actual legal wrongdoing that occurred also) that had folks like me so up in arms about Bill Clinton. No conservative should be on the side of those who want to preserve their power, even if that gives the advantage to a host of rather slimy Democrats who are using Foley's misdeeds for their own political advantage.

The way you wrote it implies that all gay men are attracted to children, which isn't the case at all. Mr. Foley falls into that disgusting level of humanity along-side John Mark Karr.

I agree with you that this isn’t a case of sexual orientation nor is it gay bashing. It is calling abhorrent behavior out, wherever it may be, and punishing it appropriately. This, too, goes for those who wish to offer cover to those sick individuals who prey on the young. Republican … Democrat … Independent … it doesn't matter. You're all being called to the floor.

Honestly, we should vote every single Congressional incumbent out of office and start from scratch with people who aren’t tainted by the corruption of power.

The FBI is assessing whether Mark Foley, a six-term Florida Republican, broke any laws when he alleg…