GOP Ethics: Lewinsky Warrants Shouting But Foley Warrants Silence

How hypocritical can you get?

Re Clinton (h/t Dover Bitch at FDL)

Republicans were aghast at Clinton's behavior, with many saying it showed he had lied and abused his power.

"It's vile," said Rep. Mark Foley, R-West Palm Beach. "It's more sad than anything else, to see someone with such potential throw it all down the drain because of a sexual addiction."

But when it comes to the sleazy online sexual solicitation of Congressional pages by the aforementioned Republican Congressman Mark Foley, well check out this video (courtesy of crooksandliars.com) and note the response by the Republicans to Nancy Pelosi's request for a roll call vote.

The 16 year old page in question worked for Republican Rep. Rodney Alexander of Louisiana and was the first Congressional person to recognize the inappropriateness of this. But does he report it to the folks in charge of ethics? Noooooo! Does he report it to the folks in charge of the Congressional Page School? Nooooo! He reports it to the person in charge of getting Republican Congresscritters reelected, Rep Tom Reynolds. Shows where his priorities are, eh?

So what does our defender of youth Mr. Reynolds do? Does he contact the ethics folks? Nooooo! Does he contact the Page School? Noooo!

(He) said Friday that when he learned of the e-mail exchanges 10 to 11 months ago, he called the teen's parents. Alexander told the Ruston Daily Leader, "We also notified the House leadership that there might be a potential problem."

Then the Washington Post reported yesterday

The resignation rocked the Capitol, and especially Foley’s GOP colleagues, as lawmakers were rushing to adjourn for at least six weeks. House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) told The Washington Post last night that he had learned this spring of some “contact” between Foley and a 16-year-old page. Boehner said he told House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), and that Hastert assured him “we’re taking care of it.”

So it appears Alexender told Boehner and Boehner told Hastert. Anybody giving any thought to the safety of Congressional pages? Apparently not. Obviously "taking care of it" apparently doesn't include informing the (admitedly toothless) ethics committee or the (more blatantly obvious) Page School. See Firedoglake's analysis here. Hastert now claims he doesn't remember being told about it. Gee whiz, what would it take to make an impression on him?

What is painfully, indisputably clear (and I challenge anyone to provide evidence about this incident that proves me wrong) is that for the GOP getting reelected is more important than any other moral value. It trumps all others. This is a sad epilogue to an already sad week.

New York Times seems to have a reasonably good summary (as of 09/30/06) G.O.P. Leaders Knew in Late ’05 of E-Mail. However, for some reason they don't bother to report that...

The emails include Foley discussing what a great body a teenage friend of the boy had, and asking the boy for a "pic" - or "picture" in America Online "pick up" vernacular.

See the email at Americablog and come to your own conclusion.

Ugh.