No Charges Expected Against Ex-Rep. Foley

Former Congressman's Lurid Messages To Pages Was Subject Of Lengthy Investigation

(AP)  Former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley isn't expected to face charges after a lengthy investigation into his lurid messages to underage congressional pages, two federal law enforcement officials told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case, said the results of a state investigation would be announced Friday.

They said neither state nor federal charges were expected, although an FBI investigation has not been closed yet.

Foley resigned in 2006 after being confronted with the e-mails and instant messages he sent to male pages. He has since been under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the FBI.

Foley's attorney, David Roth, has acknowledged that Foley sent the messages to the teenagers, but has maintained that the Florida Republican never had inappropriate contact with minors. Roth had no immediate comment on the pending announcement.

Shortly after Foley's resignation, Roth announced Foley was gay and had been molested by a priest as a teenage altar boy. Foley also checked himself into an Arizona treatment facility for what his attorneys said was "alcoholism and other behavioral problems."

"Mark does not blame the trauma he sustained as a young adolescent for his totally inappropriate e-mails and (instant messages). He continues to offer no excuse whatsoever for his conduct," Roth said at the time.

Foley represented parts of Palm Beach County for 12 years. He has kept a low profile since coming out of rehabilitation late last year but has been seen occasionally in the West Palm Beach area.

Foley was seen as a shoe-in for re-election in 2006. His resignation received national attention as Democrats were trying to win 15 Republican seats to regain power in the House. Democrat Tim Mahoney won the election after Republicans had just weeks to select a new candidate to replace Foley, whose name remained on the ballot.

Then-House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and other Republican leaders came under fire for their handling of the Foley matter. Hastert had claimed he did not learn of Foley's messages to the teens until the scandal broke. A House ethics committee concluded in December 2006 that Hastert actually had heard about the e-mails months earlier, as had other Republicans, but the panel did not find that anyone broke rules.

Florida authorities had said their investigation was hampered because neither Foley nor the House would let its investigators examine his congressional computers.

In a letter to the FDLE obtained by The Associated Press, House Deputy General Counsel Kerry Kircher wrote that because the data "may contain legislative information that is constitutionally privileged ... and because Mr. Foley has not waived that privilege ... we cannot simply give you access."

The Florida agency had been working with the FBI and Foley's attorneys to gain access to information on the computers. Foley's attorneys have declined to comment throughout the investigation.

Foley himself was the only person who could release the computers for review, but he had refused. It was not immediately clear what information from the computers investigators had been able to review - if any - before concluding their investigation.

House officials said they did not find any sexually explicit photos in a review of some e-mails Foley sent and received through his congressional account, but the e-mails did not include all of Foley's communications.

Some may have been deleted from the main congressional computer server but would likely still have been accessible from an examination of the actual computer hard drives.
Former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley isn't expected to face charges after a lengthy investigation into his lurid messages to underage congressional pages, two federal law enforcement officials told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case, said the results of a state investigation would be announced Friday.

They said neither state nor federal charges were expected, although an FBI investigation has not been closed yet.

Foley resigned in 2006 after being confronted with the e-mails and instant messages he sent to male pages. He has since been under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the FBI.

Foley's attorney, David Roth, has acknowledged that Foley sent the messages to the teenagers, but has maintained that the Florida Republican never had inappropriate contact with minors. Roth had no immediate comment on the pending announcement.

Shortly after Foley's resignation, Roth announced Foley was gay and had been molested by a priest as a teenage altar boy. Foley also checked himself into an Arizona treatment facility for what his attorneys said was "alcoholism and other behavioral problems."

"Mark does not blame the trauma he sustained as a young adolescent for his totally inappropriate e-mails and (instant messages). He continues to offer no excuse whatsoever for his conduct," Roth said at the time.

Foley represented parts of Palm Beach County for 12 years. He has kept a low profile since coming out of rehabilitation late last year but has been seen occasionally in the West Palm Beach area.

Foley was seen as a shoe-in for re-election in 2006. His resignation received national attention as Democrats were trying to win 15 Republican seats to regain power in the House. Democrat Tim Mahoney won the election after Republicans had just weeks to select a new candidate to replace Foley, whose name remained on the ballot.

Then-House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and other Republican leaders came under fire for their handling of the Foley matter. Hastert had claimed he did not learn of Foley's messages to the teens until the scandal broke. A House ethics committee concluded in December 2006 that Hastert actually had heard about the e-mails months earlier, as had other Republicans, but the panel did not find that anyone broke rules.

Florida authorities had said their investigation was hampered because neither Foley nor the House would let its investigators examine his congressional computers.

In a letter to the FDLE obtained by The Associated Press, House Deputy General Counsel Kerry Kircher wrote that because the data "may contain legislative information that is constitutionally privileged ... and because Mr. Foley has not waived that privilege ... we cannot simply give you access."

The Florida agency had been working with the FBI and Foley's attorneys to gain access to information on the computers. Foley's attorneys have declined to comment throughout the investigation.

Foley himself was the only person who could release the computers for review, but he had refused. It was not immediately clear what information from the computers investigators had been able to review - if any - before concluding their investigation.

House officials said they did not find any sexually explicit photos in a review of some e-mails Foley sent and received through his congressional account, but the e-mails did not include all of Foley's communications.

Some may have been deleted from the main congressional computer server but would likely still have been accessible from an examination of the actual computer hard drives.

[billarynfl]

please tell me what this congress has accomlished? I think Foley''''s approval ratings are higher.

Posted by notblue

Not much, becuase the democrats control it, and about foley''s approval ratings being higher as you said, well that''s just a sad testament to the mindset of liberals.

[billarynfl]

Well McCain''''s buddy Mark foley gets off the hook

Posted by jsilver2th

That''s because by law there was not enough to prosecute on. Besides, you libs love homosexuals as long as you get their vote. But when a homosexual turns up on the other side, wow, it''s a terrible thing, what happened to your loyalty with homosexuals? Just like obama, if it costs you votes or makes your side look bad then you throw them or anyone else including your family members under the bus to save yourself. Typical lib attitude. I''m glad he''s gone, he has no business in conservative ranks. Funny thing though, none of the democrat politicians that ACTUALLY had *** with minors got kicked out. No you low life hypocritical liberals voted them back into office. Big difference between libs and conservatives, we kick them out, you vote your wrong doers back into office.

[billarynfl]

I have got to say that this post wins the prize as the most ignorant post I have ever read. By the twisted logic here, any adult that is gay is a pedophile.

Posted by kansas1946

No it''s fact and you know it and it hurts because you can''t defend it. Yes all molestations of young boys by men are homosexuals. That''s 100%, I know being a liberal you have a hard time with numbers at times, but it''s a fact. It''s a fact that one perversion leads to another and then another, on and on, it''s just a self destructing road. As far as the most ignorant posts, try reading some of the BS you and your lib friends wite in here. Pathetic.

[kansas1946]

Dems are the ones that fight to make a perversion like homosexual activity an accepted practice. They are the party of the perverts including homosexuals, child molesters, the news is full of it everyday, about how young boys, America''''s children are molested or worse by homosexuals just trying to practice their deviant sexual habits. I''''m talking about 10 and under, that''''s really perverted. Yet, when one of the lib''''s own, as in a homosexual, is discovered pursuing their deviant sexual interests, they act like it''''s a terrible thing, they are suddenly so outraged and disgusted. That is true hypocrisy, you tell all the homosexuals that they are your friends, we respect your perversion and your right to practice such perversions please give us your vote, then turn right around and attack someone that is practicing a perverted sexual interest when it serves your interest, as in attacking an opposing party. Yep, your right, libs are truly the masters of hypocrisy
Posted by billarynfl ********************************************
I have got to say that this post wins the prize as the most ignorant post I have ever read. By the twisted logic here, any adult that is gay is a pedophile. That is really brilliant. So you think it is OK for heterosexuals to have *** with children? Or should we just consider all heterosexuals pedophiles because some heterosexuals are pedophiles?

[babooph]

Reagan gave Whittaker Chambers the medal of freedom-J.E. Hoover,Talbert,Roy Cohen-all early pushers of modern right wingers& all-weeelll not that there is anything wrong with that -----....

[jsilver2th]

Well McCain''s buddy Mark foley gets off the hook- McCain''s buddy Todd Palin refuses to testify- McCain''s buddy Larry Craig still in office- McCain''s buddy Dave Vitter stiil in Congress- Boy these people sure don;t like to face justice do they?

[hbevis]

Yes, liberals will, because it serves their purpose. The question is, to prove a point, can any one name the democrat politicians that did the same thing, even worse, I believe he actually got with the boy, but once again, democrats re-elect their low lifes.

Posted by billarynfl at 11:53 AM : Sep 19, 2008

PLEASE GIVE US A NAME.........

[jjreding-2009]

So, how many regular citizen paedophiles are there in prison while this Washington-connected creep gets to go free?

[billarynfl]

Lesbians basic civil rights while the leaders themselves practice the Anal Arts in private.

Posted by ChicagoRail6

Typical liberal BS. It''s back to that double standard, those different set of rules that libs live by. Talk about hypocracy. Dems are the ones that fight to make a perversion like homosexual activity an accepted practice. They are the party of the perverts including homosexuals, child molesters, the news is full of it everyday, about how young boys, America''s children are molested or worse by homosexuals just trying to practice their deviant sexual habits. I''m talking about 10 and under, that''s really perverted. Yet, when one of the lib''s own, as in a homosexual, is discovered pursuing their deviant sexual interests, they act like it''s a terrible thing, they are suddenly so outraged and disgusted. That is true hypocrisy, you tell all the homosexuals that they are your friends, we respect your perversion and your right to practice such perversions please give us your vote, then turn right around and attack someone that is practicing a perverted sexual interest when it serves your interest, as in attacking an opposing party. Yep, your right, libs are truly the masters of hypocrisy

[billarynfl]

Is anyone surprised? It is 2008. No matter how long, people will remember this creep.

Posted by luvienne

Yes, liberals will, because it serves their purpose. The question is, to prove a point, can any one name the democrat politicians that did the same thing, even worse, I believe he actually got with the boy, but once again, democrats re-elect their low lifes.

[billarynfl]

First off, weren''''t the "teenagers" 18? Secondly, wwould someone please recount for us what Barney Frank did and explain why he is allowed to maintain his position in our government?HYPOCRITS

Posted by luvusa

Good point. It goes back to those different set of rules that libs get to follow, they don''t have to answer to any form of honesty or intefrity. What''s wrong for others to do is ok for libs to do, they are exempt from wrong doing in their eyes and the liberal biased medias eyes that give them a free pass. Take the fuss about the dems saying something a republican said was racist, although it wasn''t, but when the dems make an accusation it doesn''t have to be based on fact. Then at the same time they have an ex kkk leader on their payroll as a sentator. Typical liberal double standard complete with Typical liberal double talk.

[chefrc]

You are correct if you make one small correction in the detail(s) you have presented.

On "To Catch a Predator" emails and communication is exchanges with minors, that is very true, BUT arrests are not made until the predator actually shows-up to commit the proposed act. I don''''t think I have ever seen that Foley showed for his victims. I do not condone what he did, but he did not complete the act.
Thanks Doc for clearing my head

[docpeter1953]

Guess the government has not seen "To Catch a Predator" Those people sent messages to who they thought were underage boys and girls and were arrested immediatly. SAME D@MN THING. That''''s your F@G Government taking care of your F@G Government

Posted by chefrc at 09:56 AM : Sep 19, 2008
____________

You are correct if you make one small correction in the detail(s) you have presented.

On "To Catch a Predator" emails and communication is exchanges with minors, that is very true, BUT arrests are not made until the predator actually shows-up to commit the proposed act. I don''t think I have ever seen that Foley showed for his victims. I do not condone what he did, but he did not complete the act.

[notblue]

clovis, please tell me what this congress has accomlished? I think Foley''s approval ratings are higher.

[chefrc]

Guess the government has not seen "To Catch a Predator" Those people sent messages to who they thought were underage boys and girls and were arrested immediatly. SAME D@MN THING. That''s your F@G Government taking care of your F@G Government

[luvienne]

Is anyone surprised? It is 2008. No matter how long, people will remember this creep.

[clovisbuford]

YET ANOTHER investigation by the do nothings in Washington, it will be the legacy of this congress.
Posted by notblue at 09:33 AM : Sep 19, 2008
errr so you aer saying the FBI should not have investigated what at the very least was innapropriate sexual inuendo by Republican Foley towards some of the pages he was charged with helping to oversee ? or you are saaying because it wsnt your son wasn''t involved its ok ? or are you saying its congress fault because he is a Republican legislator just like Craig buried in the closet?

[notblue]

YET ANOTHER investigation by the do nothings in Washington, it will be the legacy of this congress.

[jjp735i]

It figures. When a Republican does something "lurid", it''s not really lurid. So it''s okay to send lurid messages to underage teens as long as you don''t meet up with them? Teen chat rooms will be busy.

[usclimey]

Between this and the first Dude/subpoena story, it''s a bad day for the GOPigs on the Justice side.