Foley blamed Democratic activists for spreading rumors in 2003

[DoYouEverWonder]

Sexual orientation a private matter, U.S. Rep. Foley says

May 23, 2003

With rumors spreading about U.S. Rep. Mark Foley's sexual orientation, the Republican U.S. Senate candidate summoned reporters Thursday to address the issue.

Then Foley said he would not discuss it.

"I'm declaring today that I have a right to privacy, like anyone else in this country," Foley said in a 30-minute conference call. "The fact that I'm not married has led many people to speculate, but I'm not going to be dragged into the gutter by these rumormongers."

Foley, a five-term congressman from West Palm Beach, organized the unusual conference call after an alternative newspaper in Broward County reported this month that it believed Foley was gay.

That story spread to other gay-oriented publications, and Foley said he wanted to be "proactive" before a general circulation newspaper, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, published an article on the issue.

Foley is running for the Senate seat held by Democratic presidential candidate Bob Graham. Unlike some other prospective candidates, he says he will run for the Senate even if Graham drops his presidential bid and seeks re-election. He said his private life has no bearing on his candidacy.

Foley blamed Democratic activists for spreading the rumor to try to derail his campaign and rounded up prominent Republicans to support him.

"Liberal Democratic activists have reached new levels of hypocrisy," U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said in a statement. "The underhanded rumormongering campaign they've launched against Mark Foley is despicable."

http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/339753541.html?dids=339753541:339753541&FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=May+23%2C+2003&author=ADAM+C.+SMITH&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&edition=&startpage=6.B&desc=Sexual+orientation+a+private+matter%2C+U.S.+Rep.+Foley+says

I suppose we shouldn't hold our breath waiting for an apology.

[kenny blankenship]

1. Apologies from Republicans are like hen's teeth: blast from the past

another time, a different Foley.
One day in 1989, rumors alleging Democratic Speaker of the House Tom Foley was into "little boys" were traced directly to Newt Gringrich's office. Newt, who would soon succeed Foley as Speaker, and who had a documented history of spreading rumors of that nature about people, even friends, who became inconvenient for him, did NOT fire the aide who made up the Foley story.
http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/1989/09/beers.html