They Investigated Clinton's Cat
But, it seems they needed a Republican Congress more than they needed to stand up for the "family values" they profess to believe in. Cenk Ugyur explores Republican ethics:
Is there anything these Republicans won't cover up? Duke Cunningham took millions of dollars in bribes. The people who were buying him off bought him a yacht called the Duke-Stir. He had a bribe menu on Congressional letter head. How many ethics investigations? Zero. Zilch. Nada.Bob Ney took gifts and favors from Jack Abramoff.
He has confessed and is about to go to prison. How many ethics investigations? Zero. None. Not one.
Then there is Hastert's shady land deal. Bill Frist's insider trading. Tom DeLay's money laundering. The list goes on and on. Every one of them had their ass covered by the rest of their Republican colleagues, crooks, whatever you want to call them.
When Joel Hefley, a conservative Republican from Colorado, had the temerity to actually do an ethics investigation of Tom DeLay -- he was removed. Can't have it. You can't have any ethics investigations in a place with no ethics. The house will fall in.
Well, now it has. Because they've gone too far. This time they covered for a sexual predator. Mark Foley, Republican of Florida, was caught sending very explicit sexual messages to 16 and 17 year old boys who worked as pages for Congress.
Actually, he was caught by a fellow Republican, Rodney Alexander, because one of the pages worked for Rep. Alexander and turned Foley in. So, what did the Republicans do about it? Absolutely nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada.
They covered it up. Because it's what they do.
The Republican Protection Racket stepped in and made the story go away. There was no public apology to the boys that were sexually harassed. No criminal investigation. No ethics investigation. Not a word.
The Republican leadership knew for most of the year. In all that time, while other kids could have been exposed, while they knew of several instances of sexual advances toward underage boys -- they did nothing!
Now, they feign outrage. Why weren't they outraged when they first found out about it? They're not outraged because young boys were jeopardized. They're outraged now because they're jeopardized.
But it gets worse. They left Foley in charge of the Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus. Come on!
If you put it in a movie about a corrupt Congress, I wouldn't believe it. It's too over the top. You'd walk out of the theater saying, "That's too much. No one would do that." Apparently they would and they did.
Remember this is the same Republicans who spent 140 hours investigating Bill Clinton's Christmas card list. I'm not kidding. They even started an investigation into his cat. If you put it in a movie, no one would believe it.
Here's one of the IMs:
Xxxxxxxxx (8:04:04 PM): normal clothesXxxxxxxxx (8:04:09 PM): tshirt and shorts
Maf54 (8:04:17 PM): um so a big buldge
Xxxxxxxxx (8:04:35 PM): ya
Maf54 (8:04:45 PM): um
Maf54 (8:04:58 PM): love to slip them off of you
Xxxxxxxxx (8:05:08 PM): haha
Maf54 (8:05:53 PM): and gram the one eyed snake
Maf54 (8:06:13 PM): grab
Xxxxxxxxx (8:06:53 PM): not tonight...dont get to excited
Maf54 (8:07:12 PM): well your hard
Xxxxxxxxx (8:07:45 PM): that is true
Maf54 (8:08:03 PM): and a little horny
Xxxxxxxxx (8:08:11 PM): and also tru
Maf54 (8:08:31 PM): get a ruler and measure it for me
Xxxxxxxxx (8:08:38 PM): ive already told you that
Maf54 (8:08:47 PM): tell me again
Xxxxxxxxx (8:08:49 PM): 7 and 1/2
Maf54 (8:09:04 PM): ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Maf54 (8:09:08 PM): beautiful
Xxxxxxxxx (8:09:38 PM): lol
Maf54 (8:09:44 PM): thats a great size
Xxxxxxxxx (8:10:00 PM): thank you
Maf54 (8:10:22 PM): still stiff
Xxxxxxxxx (8:10:28 PM): ya
Maf54 (8:10:40 PM): take it out
Xxxxxxxxx (8:10:54 PM): brb...my mom is yelling
Maf54 (8:11:06 PM): ok
Xxxxxxxxx (8:14:02 PM): back
Maf54 (8:14:37 PM): cool hope se didnt see any thing
Now maybe it's just because the Republicans are in power right now. No, I don't think so. Save for a few suspect Democratic lawmakers -- Maxine Waters, Alan Mollohan, and William Jefferson -- the Republicans outpace the Democrats in sleaze bigtime.
Yuck. But I must say I'm equally sick of both Republicans and Democrats. We're living under a kleptocracy run by a bunch of corrupt, disgusting old men. I would vote for virtually ANY third party candidate, just to upset the applecart and get these useless bureaucrats tumbled out of office. Their chokehold on the system has them convinced they can get away with anything. Throwing the bums out is the main thing.
Pirate Jo at October 2, 2006 8:20 AM
This sounds as outlandish as the "Franklin cover-up". Which doesn't sound quite so outlandish after reading this.
Abby at October 2, 2006 8:59 AM
Can they stoop any lower? Foley be back on his knees before you know it.
Roger at October 2, 2006 10:20 AM
Wow. I didn't watch any media coverage of this over the weekend, and that's HUGELY different to the email that was published when the story broke, which to me seemed only moderately innappropriate.
www.nbc-2.com/News/documents/20060929_emails.pdf
BTW, Ann Coulter is trying to downplay that Republicans had previously known of Foley's child exploitation...
mediamatters.org/items/200610010004
Hasan at October 2, 2006 10:30 AM
So - where is the Special Prosecutor? Didn't Democrats invent him to get at Nixon?
Radwaste at October 2, 2006 2:45 PM
"...I would vote for virtually ANY third party candidate, just to upset the applecart and get these useless bureaucrats tumbled out of office. Their chokehold on the system has them convinced they can get away with anything. Throwing the bums out is the main thing."
Before this can realistically happen, independent commissions would have to redraw the districts. They're currently a senseless mess, for one reason: to keep incumbents in power.
Doobie at October 2, 2006 7:13 PM
Hey, Amy. You're right about Republicans outpacing the Democrats in terms of sleaze. Here's a list I got from a message board of the pederasty of the "Grand Ole Pedophiles."
Republican Congressman Mark Foley abruptly resigned from Congress after "sexually explicit" emails surfaced showing him flirting with a 16-year old boy.
Republican executive Randall Casseday of the conservative Washington Times newspaper was arrested for soliciting sex from a 13-year old girl on the internet.
Republican chairman of the Oregon Christian Coalition Lou Beres confessed to molesting a 13-year old girl.
Republican County Constable Larry Dale Floyd was arrested on suspicion of soliciting sex with an 8-year old girl. Floyd has repeatedly won elections for Denton County, Texas, constable.
Republican judge Mark Pazuhanich pleaded no contest to fondling a 10-year old girl and was sentenced to 10 years probation.
Republican Party leader Bobby Stumbo was arrested for having sex with a 5-year old boy.
Republican petition drive manager Tom Randall pleaded guilty to molesting two girls under the age of 14, one of them the daughter of an associate in the petition business.
Republican County Chairman Armando Tebano was arrested for sexually molesting a 14-year-old girl.
Republican teacher and former city councilman John Collins pleaded guilty to sexually molesting 13 and 14 year old girls.
Republican campaign worker Mark Seidensticker is a convicted child molester.
Republican Mayor Philip Giordano is serving a 37-year sentence in federal prison for sexually abusing 8- and 10-year old girls.
Republican Mayor Tom Adams was arrested for distributing child pornography over the internet.
Republican Mayor John Gosek was arrested on charges of soliciting sex from two 15-year old girls.
Republican County Commissioner David Swartz pleaded guilty to molesting two girls under the age of 11 and was sentenced to 8 years in prison.
Republican legislator Edison Misla Aldarondo was sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping his daughter between the ages of 9 and 17.
Republican Committeeman John R. Curtain was charged with molesting a teenage boy and unlawful sexual contact with a minor.
Republican anti-abortion activist Howard Scott Heldreth is a convicted child rapist in Florida.
Republican zoning supervisor, Boy Scout leader and Lutheran church president Dennis L. Rader pleaded guilty to performing a sexual act on an 11-year old girl he murdered.
Republican anti-abortion activist Nicholas Morency pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography on his computer and offering a bounty to anybody who murders an abortion doctor.
Republican campaign consultant Tom Shortridge was sentenced to three years probation for taking nude photographs of a 15-year old girl.
Republican racist pedophile and United States Senator Strom Thurmond had sex with a 15-year old black girl which produced a child.
Republican pastor Mike Hintz, whom George W. Bush commended during the 2004 presidential campaign, surrendered to police after admitting to a sexual affair with a female juvenile.
Republican legislator Peter Dibble pleaded no contest to having an inappropriate relationship with a 13-year-old girl.
Republican advertising consultant Carey Lee Cramer was sentenced to six years in prison for molesting two 8-year old girls, one of whom appeared in an anti-Gore television commercial.
Republican activist Lawrence E. King, Jr. organized child sex parties at the White House during the 1980s.
Republican lobbyist Craig J. Spence organized child sex parties at the White House during the 1980s.
Republican Congressman Donald "Buz" Lukens was found guilty of having sex with a female minor and sentenced to one month in jail.
Republican fundraiser Richard A. Delgaudio was found guilty of child porn charges and paying two teenage girls to pose for sexual photos.
Republican activist Mark A. Grethen convicted on six counts of sex crimes involving children.
Republican campaign chairman Randal David Ankeney pleaded guilty to attempted sexual assault on a child and was arrested again five years later on the same charge.
Republican Congressman Dan Crane had sex with a female minor working as a congressional page.
Republican activist and Christian Coalition leader Beverly Russell admitted to an incestuous relationship with his step daughter.
Republican Judge Ronald C. Kline was placed under house arrest for child molestation and possession of child pornography.
Republican congressman and anti-gay activist Robert Bauman was charged with having sex with a 16-year-old boy he picked up at a gay bar.
Republican Committee Chairman Jeffrey Patti was arrested for distributing a video clip of a 5-year-old girl being raped.
Republican activist Marty Glickman (a.k.a. "Republican Marty"), was taken into custody by Florida police on four counts of unlawful sexual activity with an underage girl and one count of delivering the drug LSD.
Republican legislative aide Howard L. Brooks was charged with molesting a 12-year old boy and possession of child pornography.
Republican Senate candidate John Hathaway was accused of having sex with his 12-year old baby sitter and withdrew his candidacy after the allegations were reported in the media.
Republican preacher Stephen White, who demanded a return to traditional values, was sentenced to jail after offering $20 to a 14-year-old boy for permission to perform oral sex on him.
Republican talk show host Jon Matthews pleaded guilty to exposing his genitals to an 11 year old girl.
Republican anti-gay activist Earl "Butch" Kimmerling was sentenced to 40 years in prison for molesting an 8-year old girl after he attempted to stop a gay couple from adopting her.
Republican Party leader Paul Ingram pleaded guilty to six counts of raping his daughters and served 14 years in federal prison.
Republican election board official Kevin Coan was sentenced to two years probation for soliciting sex over the internet from a 14-year old girl.
Republican politician Andrew Buhr was charged with two counts of first degree sodomy with a 13-year old boy.
Republican legislator Keith Westmoreland was arrested on seven felony counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition to girls under the age of 16 (i.e. exposing himself to children).
Republican anti-abortion activist John Allen Burt was found guilty of molesting a 15-year old girl.
Republican County Councilman Keola Childs pleaded guilty to molesting a male child.
Republican activist John Butler was charged with criminal sexual assault on a teenage girl.
Republican candidate Richard Gardner admitted to molesting his two daughters.
Republican Councilman and former Marine Jack W. Gardner was convicted of molesting a 13-year old girl.
Republican County Commissioner Merrill Robert Barter pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual contact and assault on a teenage boy.
Republican City Councilman Fred C. Smeltzer, Jr. pleaded no contest to raping a 15 year-old girl and served 6-months in prison.
Republican activist Parker J. Bena pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography on his home computer and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and fined $18,000.
Republican parole board officer and former Colorado state representative, Larry Jack Schwarz, was fired after child pornography was found in his possession.
Republican strategist and Citadel Military College graduate Robin Vanderwall was convicted in Virginia on five counts of soliciting sex from boys and girls over the internet.
Republican city councilman Mark Harris, who is described as a "good military man" and "church goer," was convicted of repeatedly having sex with an 11-year-old girl and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Republican businessman Jon Grunseth withdrew his candidacy for Minnesota governor after allegations surfaced that he went swimming in the nude with four underage girls, including his daughter.
Republican campaign worker, police officer and self-proclaimed reverend Steve Aiken was convicted of having sex with two underage girls.
Republican director of the "Young Republican Federation" Nicholas Elizondo molested his 6-year old daughter and was sentenced to six years in prison.
Republican president of the New York City Housing Development Corp. Russell Harding pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography on his computer.
Republican benefactor of conservative Christian groups, Richard A. Dasen Sr., was found guilty of raping a 15-year old girl. Dasen, 62, who is married with grown children and several grandchildren, has allegedly told police that over the past decade he paid more than $1 million to have sex with a large number of young women.
Republican Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld authorized the rape of children in Iraqi prisons in order to humiliate their parents into providing information about the anti-American insurgency. See excerpt of one prisoner's report here and his full report here.
Patrick at October 4, 2006 7:02 AM
Hey, Amy, do you give out prizes for lamest attempt at damage control?
If you do, I have a nominee! None other than Ben Stein! Go back to doing commercials for Clear Eyes, you dolt!
Patrick at October 4, 2006 7:12 AM
Amy, I'm withdrawing my nomination of Ben Stein as author of the lamest attempt at damage control. My new nominee is Katherine Harris, and she's batshit crazy!
Listen to this excerpt:
So, in other words, the Republicans are blameless in Mark Foley's indiscretions because they "didn't know," but the Democrats and the media must be scruntinized to find out which ones new about it. So, it's all liberals' fault that Foley was able to get away with soliticing 16 year olds on the internet.
Patrick at October 4, 2006 2:09 PM
Good thinking, Patrick.
That list proves Republicans are super-bad, because it's a comprehensive list of all politicians at any level arrested or convicted of such things, and there's no Democrats on it, thus providing an infinity:0 ratio!
Oh, wait. You mean it's actually just a list of partisan hit-points, with no attempt at providing a full set of data from both parties, so we can see if one is actually worse than the other?
Doubly interesting how many of those people weren't even elected officials or party officials, just people who happen to be Republicans. But that's okay, because nobody who's a member of another party every committed a sexual crime.
(And... pederasty? Well, lots of that list is, yes. But Foley's follies involved... 16 or 17 year olds. Who are not "children" in terms of DC's age of consent, nor that of many (if not most) states. And who he, of course, didn't actually have sex with at all.
I guess this is a "coverup" of a "child sex scandal", minus the "child" and the "sex".
But, again, anything for a cheap-shot point against them Republicans! They're so uniquely evil they deserve not even a vestige of being non-partisan or concerned with anything but point-scoring! You've sure opened my eyes on that count, yes sir.
Well, actually, you have, but to your personal prejudices and obsessions, not the unique perfidy of parties-that-start-with-R-and-aren't-Democrats.)
(PS. No, I'm not a Republican.)
Sigivald at October 4, 2006 2:28 PM
Yo, Sigi, if you can find a list of DNC pederasts, I'd love to see it. No one on my message board has produced one so far. If they do, I'll bring it right here.
Patrick at October 4, 2006 3:01 PM
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