FBI had Foley's e-mails since the summer. Did Hastert know that?

[BurtWorm]

Is that why he reacted so furiously to the Jefferson FBI investigation? Was he trying to stall the public's gaining knowledge of the impending Foley investigation until after the election? Was he trying to save Foley, or the Repubs, or himself? Am I using Fox-style rhetorical questions to pretend to be fair while making a charge?

These questions occurred to me as I read this at Glenn Greenwald's Unlcaimed Territory:

http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/2006/10/john-hinderakers-defense-of-denny.html


This is an overlooked though critical fact -- when the group known as CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics) received copies of the Foley e-mails over the summer, they reported them to the FBI. From the original AP article on this story:


The e-mails were posted Friday on the Web site of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington after ABC News reported their existence.

Naomi Seligman, a spokeswoman for CREW, said the group also sent a letter to the FBI after it received the e-mails. CREW did not post their copies of the e-mail until ABC News reported them, instead waiting for the investigation.


The claim that these Foley e-mails were "innocent" or there was nothing alarming about them -- now the central defense of those still defending Hastert and company -- is negated simply by looking at what the e-mails say. But this is empirical proof of that -- CREW knew when it received the e-mails that there was nothing innocuous about them. Rather, they reflected the substantial possibility that a serious crime had been committed, which is why they contacted the FBI and requested an investigation. Contrast that conduct with the inaction and cover-up of the House GOP leadership upon learning of those same e-mails and it becomes clearer still that their only objective was to protect Mark Foley.

[aquart]

1. So the FBI, under Gonzales, did not act?

Not until it was in the news?

[lonestarnot]

5. They didn't act on the pre 9/11 investigation in Phoenix either.

Why should a pervert Congressman be so important?

[Divernan]

2. Bush's FBI would never have exposed a GOP Congressman

And I expect the FBI is under instructions to identify every kid this pervert approached, and scare/threaten/talk them out of going public. I doubt we'll see a single man voluntarily come forward to testify as a result of this FBI "investigation". And it won't be because they're underage. After the length of time Foley has been diddling around (at least 5 years), many of them have to be adult by now.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Funny you mention Jefferson

A freeper I know mentioned him too.

Big difference, I told him. Jefferson isn't a pedophile.

They try to distract but this is NOT going away.

[Double T]

4. This is going to get REALLY UGLY and the rethugs are...........

going to be pointing fingers at one another. The ONLY question left is who and how many will fall on the sword.

[lonestarnot]

6. They can use mine free of charge if they need a spare!

[Dems Will Win]

7. IOKIYAR! This means the Justice Dept. Protected a Predator=MAJOR COVERUP!

[malaise]

8. Very important point

I saw a lady on CNN last night talking about this. Can't remember her name but she said they sent the emails to the FBI some time back.

[acmejack]

10. Melanie Sloan?

She's the head of CREW...

[malaise]

12. Yes. Thanks n/t

[Blackhatjack]

9. Time For AG Gonzalez to warn the Courts to stay out of this !!!

... How could the FBI be in possession of this kind of information since summer, allow Foley to remain in daily personal contact with minor pages, and take no action to protect them? How could they not contact the House Leadership and demand that protections be put in place until they finished their investigation? How could the House Repub Leaders have been ignorant of all this?

THis is a very impt catch --there is no getting around the political use of the FBI if none of the above took place.

THis needs to be kicked up to the Greatest Page.

[William Bloode]

11. This morning on Msnbc

They have been playing up Hasters role as lead man calling for investigations. :puke:

[malaise]

13. Harry Reid called for the investigation

I notice they're ignoring that and the fact that Nancy Pelosi asked for investigations since Friday night.

[DoYouEverWonder]

14. The St Pete Times knew since last November

September 29 2006

<snip>

In other e-mails, Foley wrote, ``I am back in Florida now...its nice here...been raining today...it sounds like you will have some fun over the next few weeks...how old are you now?'' and ``how are you weathering the hurricane...are you safe...send me an email pic of you as well.''

What the boy wrote to Foley, who is single, wasn't available. The e-mails were sent from Foley's personal account, which Foley spokesman Jason Kello says he uses to communicate with many people, including Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Efforts to reach the boy were unsuccessful, but he told the St. Petersburg Times last November, "I thought it was very inappropriate. After the one about the picture, I decided to stop e-mailing him back." The Times didn't publish the comments until Friday.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-929foley,0,5232912.story

Apparently, SPT also knows the boys identity because they talked to him LAST NOVEMBER.

You would hope the FBI were a little more on the ball then some local newspaper?

[bunny planet]

15. Wait, didn't Congressman Alexander say he first heard the story from a

reporter?