Mark Foley Falls into Pelosi’s Lap

Not literally, of course. She’s not his type. But the Blotter is reporting that Florida investigators have asked the Speaker’s help in accessing Foley’s Congressional computer, which they had been prevented from subpoenaing because of the William Jefferson ruling extending Speech and Debate to Congressional materials.

Florida law enforcement officials investigating former Republican Rep. Mark Foley, whose e-mails and instant messages to teenage former congressional pages shocked the country, are hoping Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi will grant them access to Foley’s House computers.

"We are respectfully requesting access to any and all computer equipment that the U.S. Government possesses that former Representative Foley utilized during his time in office," Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey wrote to the speaker last month.

What makes this request particularly interesting is that Republicans have been trying to drum up a page scandal (yup, you guessed it, a consensual blow job) to blame Pelosi for. Thus, while Congress in general seems to want to use the Jefferson precedent to expand their own prerogatives, the new page scandal offers Pelosi cover for turning over Foley’s computer files.

The early indication, at least, is that Pelosi would very much like to do that–turn over materials to the Florida investigative team.

Spokesman Brendan Daly also said the office wants to cooperate with Florida investigators and will consult with House lawyers.

If she were smart, she’d craft an approach that would make it difficult for all Congressmen to use the Jefferson precedent to hide their legal improprieties. But it’s so much easier to get people in DC to take action to punish sex than bribery.

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15 replies
  1. Leen says:

    Back to blowjobs instead of holding people responsible for intellligence snowjobs. All a matter of priorities…

  2. FrankProbst says:

    I think it bears noting that the consensual blowjob in question involved two pages, not a page and some sort of authority figure. And the “public place” it occurred in was, in fact, a dorm room. I would imagine that this sort of thing goes on in just about every boarding school in existence. That being said, I think the key questions are whether or not Congress should have its own boarding school, and whether or not it’s capable of adequately running one. I think the answer to the second question is a resounding “No”, with all of the accompanying irony that such a statement deserves.

    As for Mark Foley, I think he’s clearly an asshole who got his jollies talking about sex to teenage boys online. That being said, I think that being an asshole should not necessarily be illegal, and any prosecution here would make me somewhat nervous. I think that resigning in disgrace was punishment enough.

    As for Pelosi, she should absolutely release all the computers and any files that they have on them. The William Jefferson ruling was pure horseshit–evidence of outright bribery is not “speech and debate”.

  3. bmaz says:

    I wonder what the odds are that Ginny’s 16 year old grandson has “knowledge” of knob jobs himself? Oh, the shock of it all. Teenagers having oral sex; it .. it .. it must be the Clenis’s fault!

  4. JamesJoyce says:

    “If she were smart, she’d craft an approach that would make it difficult for all Congressmen to use the Jefferson precedent to hide their legal improprieties.”

    Her failure to move impeachment forward is a clear indication of her self interest. Now to think she might “craft and approach” to require accountability is insane. It might be used against her or others , with “legal improprieties.” Like the fox in the hen house, no other fox would do something that might jeopardize another fox’s self interest. It might be used against her in the future!! Locke, Bentham, Mills, provided considerable insight for America’s founders when dealing with “self interest.”

  5. Minnesotachuck says:

    PJ @ 7: I added the “archives/005043.php#” after the final slash and that didn’t work either.

  6. PJEvans says:

    Sorry, my bad. I was looking at the wrong set of ellipses.

    Incidentally, that site seems to be overloading today.

  7. Neil says:

    OT

    Clemens can cool his heels for another month before going in front of a national audience under oath on C-SPAN and calling his old trainer a liar… and for that matter calling George Mitchell a man of flawed judgment. He’ll have to give a deposition first, though.

    A friend who listened to the taped phone conversation between Clemens and McNamee said she was surprised at Clemens’ answer to McNamee when McNamee asked him, “What do you want me to do?” Clemens could have said, “Tell the truth” but he did not.

    Some people believe they have earned the right to cheat and to not lose face. Clemens will foolishly maintain his innocence. Pettitte conceded to the facts asserted by McNamee but Clemens does not.

    “The Oversight Committee will postpone the hearing until February 13, 2008, which is after the sentencing of Kirk Radomski. The witnesses to be invited to the rescheduled hearing are Brian McNamee, Kirk Radomski, Andy Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch, and Roger Clemens. In preparation for the hearing, we will ask each witness to provide the Committee with a deposition. Postponing the hearing will provide additional time to coordinate the Committee’s investigation with the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts.”

    The hearing scheduled for Tuesday, January 15, 2008, at 9:30 a.m. with Sen. George Mitchell, Baseball Commissioner Selig, and Union President Fehr remains unchanged.

    Waxman on Oversight

  8. bmaz says:

    If Clemens doesn’t have any problem testifying under oath in front of the committee, he shouldn’t have any problem sitting for a depo. I say that because it is true; nevertheless this is complete predatory manipulative bullshit. Guess we know why Congress doesn’t have time to enforce contempt citations, actually learn the facts and ramifications of telco immunity or put impeachment on the table. An excellent use of time for the 6-8 different Federal bureaucracies involved.

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