Gingrich defends Foley cover-up, says there was nothing sexual

[kurth]

Gingrich: House GOP would have "been accused of gay bashing" if it "overly aggressively reacted" to Foley's emails in 2005

Discussing the recent resignation of former Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) with host Chris Wallace on the October 1 edition of Fox Broadcasting Co.'s Fox News Sunday, Fox News political analyst and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) claimed that House Republicans would have "been accused of gay bashing" if they had "overly aggressively reacted" to Foley's allegedly inappropriate email communications with a 16-year-old male congressional page when House Republicans reportedly first learned of Foley's actions in late 2005. As Media Matters for America has noted, the House Republican leadership -- including House Majority Leader John Boehner (OH), National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Reynolds (NY), and a senior aide to House Speaker Dennis Hastert (IL) -- has reportedly known for months about Foley's emails. Wallace then asked: "How would it have been gay bashing?" Gingrich replied: "Because it was a male-male relationship," adding that "there was no proof" that Foley was a "predatory person."

Gingrich suggested that House Republican leaders would have been responding "overly aggressively" if they took action against Foley after reading his alleged emails because "the actual notes were relatively innocuous, there was nothing sexual in those notes." As the weblog Talking Points Memo has noted, House leaders have acknowledged that Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-LA) had seen the emails; the blog also noted a report by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) said he and the clerk of the House had also seen the emails, while a Shimkus spokesman said Shimkus hadn't seen the emails. Boehner, Reynolds, and Hastert acknowledge being aware of the emails, but not having seen them directly. In the emails, Foley allegedly asked the page to "send me an email pic of you," remarked that a different page was "in really great shape," and asked the page "what do you want for your birthday" and "how old are you now?"

Further, if House leaders had investigated further, they might also have uncovered sexually explicit instant messages Foley reportedly sent to a House page in 2003...

http://mediamatters.org/items/200610010003

[Avalux]

1. So why did the page describe Foley's email as "sick" -

He wrote that word 11 times when he forwarded the email. I guess Gingrich doesn't care about the victim.

[The Deacon]

6. The Way Newt Victimizes Women & Even His Own Children

(Leaving them without so he can wine & dine his latest conquest) what would ever make you think he gave a shit about anyone other than Newt Gingrich & His Route Back To Power?

[Donnachaidh]

2. This from the guy who ORIGINATED the *I didn't have sex with her* argument

Uhhh yeah Newt -- you have all the credibility in the world:sarcasm:

[Orrex]

I thought it was "I didn't *sleep* with her"

Big difference, right? :eyes:

[colonel odis]

3. i only wish i were surprised by gingrich defending it. sadly, i'm not.

[Swamp Rat]

4. So, Gingrich has been buggering children too...

Why else would he defend Foley?

The ONLY people who defend sexual predators and pedophiles are the ones who do it themselves.

[Mz Pip]

5. Did Newt read the IMs?

Nothing sexual? Geez. It isn't the 'send me an email pic of you" that did him in. When I read the original emails I thought there had to be more for this guy to resign over.

All the RW talking heads are all "CLINTON CLINTON CLINTON!!!" Dems won't let them change the subject, thankfully.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[Double T]

7. What a crock of feeble, sorry, lame excuses................

Hastert will follow newt and trent down the has been rethug trail.

[bdamomma]

11. what do expect from Hastert who doesn't even know

the words to the anthem, what a sorry bunch of a$$holes.

[ZENmud]

8. Seems like Foley made an oral Statement for the Record...

Does it feel like the 18th breach in the 'dike' of State, for Bush/2006?

http://crystelzenmud.blogspot.com/2006/10/oral-statement-for-record.html
WARNING: link is to a rather harsh, satirical cartoon...

Gingrich is sadly wrong, badly wrong, madly wrong... there's no excuse for Foley's discussing masturbatory techniques with anyone underage, for starters, not to mention those in subordinate staffing positions (even if not directly 'underneath' his own office)...

ZENmud

[bdamomma]

9. no just called it pedophilia

[kenny blankenship]

10. Actually Gingrich, it's NOT a "relationship" it's harrassment

of a Congressional page--in this case of a minor. That's the whole trouble with you Republicans: in every facet of life you pass off your predatory exploitations as "a relationship".

[Frustratedlady]

12. Give me a break!

Newt is about as slimy as they come when it comes to wiggling out of trouble. They must be desperate if they used that as an excuse for not doing their duty. But then, we have to realize this Congress isn't good at oversight on anything.

Newt gets the Incredible Comment of the Day award for that one!

[CoffeeCat]

13. Watch closely....

...and take notes on who stands up for Foley---and minimizes his behavior, rationalizes his crimes (and his actions are crimes) and tries to make this about Democrats.

Soon, we will know which members of Congress are predators, sexual deviants and child molesters.

Anyone who would dismiss ANY of this---could only do so because they have these tendencies as well.

Keep talking Gingrich. Keep letting us know how insignificant it is when a grown man--in a position
of power in the US Congress--sends sexually explicit communications to a teenager who is employed by the predator.

We want to hear you talk more about that. Be sure to speak clearly into the microphone.

[sam sarrha]

14. so asking him if he was horny and discussing what hand cream and did he

jerk in the shower wasn't sexual... the Newt is a pervert himself if so, his period of silence is over, he made a deal to get out of 5 felonies when he stoled the poor black kids collage scholarships from the foundation he set up.. to make video tape for sale political propaganda lectures for profit at a racist collage... he resigned and agreed to stay out of the public media for a period of time and he wouldn't go to jail for the rest of his life.. is what i heard.. guess time is up last week he was declaring the Supreme Court shouldn't be legislating form the bench.. they aren't qualified to interperate the Constitution.

[KelleyKramer]

15. Breaking- Foley met with, and had dinner with one of these boys!

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/10/emails_show_fol.html

Maf54: I miss you lots since san diego.
Teen: ya I cant wait til dc
Maf54: :)
Teen: did you pick a night for dinner
Maf54: not yet…but likely Friday
Teen: ok…ill plan for Friday then
Maf54: that will be fun

[warrens]

16. A repuke afraid of gay-bashing

That'll be the day. Dickhead.

[Ganja Ninja]

17. Keep digging Newt.

I hope we get every Republican to weigh in on this so we have a record of them defending pedophilia for the next time they start crowing about their family values.

[Marnieworld]

18. Since when are they afraid of being called anti-gay?

They only organized a movement to prevent gays from getting married and refer to civil rights as "Special privledges"