For Shame
By Thomas JeffreyArticle Posted: Wednesday October 4, 2006
There appears to a disturbing effort afoot within the far Right of the GOP to deflect responsibility from the Republican party over the Mark Foley scandal by making homosexuality the root cause for his behavior. And in Congress, a list is allegedly being circulated that implicates a group of gay staffers as being complicit in the former Florida representative’s pursuit of underage congressional pages.
The list, which has already been disseminated amongst the blogoshpere, allegedly reveals the names of “nine chiefs of staffs, two press secretaries, and two directors of communications” who work for some of the cream of the crop of GOP congressman and women, including “Representative Katherine Harris and Henry Hyde and Senators Bill Frist, George Allen, Mitch McConnell and Rick Santorum.”
The effort, which apparently was spearheaded by members of the gay community who work in congress, appears to be aimed at exposing a “network of gay staffers and gay members who protect each other and did the Speaker a disservice.” Ergo, the gays are to blame.
The implication that there is a dirty little underworld operating up on The Hill, made up of evil homosexuals preying on children and embarrassing the Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert in the process, is enough to make this Leftwing Nutjob lose his lunch. And even if that were the case, the fact that something like that could operate within the halls of congress without the speaker or his staff knowing about it—considering the fact that it was well known about Mr. Foley’s preoccupations—would again speak to the inability of Mr. Hastert to do effectively do his job.
My dear readers, the inference that homosexuality is the real reason behind this abhorrent abuse of power is something that only the most ardent, twisted, born again bible thumper would subscribe to. And no matter how many times the Right tries to tie the world ills to one’s sexual preference, it always smacks of blatant hypocracy when another ardent ‘Right winger’ comes out of the closet and identifies his or herself as a homosexual.
And whether or not the real reason for this orchestrated effort is to somehow “win back” those on the Right who may choose to sit next month’s election out—disgusted with their party’s fall from grace—this scheme may just be the lowest form playing politics that I’ve ever seen. The only question that remains on the mind of this Leftwing Nutjob is whether or not gay members of the GOP will continue to observe their “code of silence” as their lifestyle is attacked from within and scapegoated by their own Republican party, or will they stand up and say enough is enough?
The party of Abraham Lincoln should be ashamed.
Source:
“The List” (of Gay GOP Aides on the Hill); Hubris on Bloggingheads.tv—David Corn.com
New Revelation In Foley Case—CBS News.com
Long Knives
By Thomas JeffreyArticle Posted: Tuesday October 3, 2006
Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert has been finding it increasingly difficult as of late to avoid allegations that he did not do enough in regards to the Mark Foley scandal after he was informed about inappropriate emails between the former US House representative and a 16-year old page. And now, the Washington Times, a leading conservative news daily, just turned up the heat by calling for Hastert to resign from his post in an editorial that it published on Tuesday.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert must do the only right thing, and resign his speakership at once. Either he was grossly negligent for not taking the red flags fully into account and ordering a swift investigation, for not even remembering the order of events leading up to last week’s revelations—or he deliberately looked the other way in hopes that a brewing scandal would simply blow away. He gave phony answers Friday to the old and ever-relevant questions of what did he know and when did he know it? Mr. Hastert has forfeited the confidence of the public and his party, and he cannot preside over the necessary coming investigation, an investigation that must examine his own inept performance.—Washington Times Editorial October 3, 2006
Indeed, the long knives seemed to have become unsheathed as the Republican Leadership in the House appear to be laying all blame for the scandal at their speaker’s feet, with House Majority Leader David Boehner stating on Tuesday that he had talked to the speaker about the issue earlier in the year when he initially became aware of it and was led to believe by Hastert that it had been dealt with.
“My position is, it’s in his corner, it’s his responsibility. The clerk of the House who runs the page program, the Page Board—all report to the speaker. And I believe it had been dealt with.”—House Majority Leader David Boehner
Representative Tom Reynolds, who chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee and took the initial brunt of criticism over the scandal, maintains that he informed Hastert immediately upon learning of the email exchanges from Representative Rodney Alexander, a conversation that Hastert claims not to remember but doesn’t dispute the possibility that it may have occurred.
“If he did, he brought it in with a whole stack of things.”—Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert.
As for now, Speaker Hastert remains defiant, perhaps buoyed by the same sense of confidence that has allowed him to weather other storms like the Tom DeLay ethics scandal and sail on through with nary a scratch. But this time might be a bit different.
The American people have come to expect dishonesty, infidelity, and even some level of impropriety from their elected representatives, but there are some things that go so beyond the pale that no amount of ‘explanation’ can satisfy.
And the fact that this matter has been referred into the House or Representatives’ ethical “black hole”—namely the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct—illustrates quite clearly just how seriously the speaker views this issue. And when Mr. Hastert claims that “There wasn’t much there other than a friendly inquiry,” about the original email in which Foley asked for the page’s picture and complemented him on his body, you really have to wonder whether or not the former high school wresting coach has his priorities straight.
Indeed, it’s time to pull the plug.
Source:
Resign, Mr. Speaker—Washington Times
Majority leader: Foley matter Hastert’s responsibility—CNN.com
Hastert Stands by Handling of Foley Case—AP via Myway.com
The Bottle Made Me Do It
By Thomas JeffreyArticle Posted: Monday October 2, 2006
Taking a page from former Ohio Republican Bob Ney, disgraced Florida Republican Mark Foley has announced on Monday that he is entering rehab for alcohol abuse, stating that his problems with ‘the bottle’ may have played a role in his alleged preoccupation with underaged congressional pages.
“Painfully, the events that led to my resignation have crystallized recognition of my longstanding significant alcohol and emotional difficulties,” Foley wrote. “I strongly believe that I am an alcoholic and have accepted the need for immediate treatment for alcoholism and related behavioral problems.”
In a letter faxed to WPBF-TV, West Palm Beach, Florida’s ABC affiliate, Foley stated that he had made plans to check himself in to “a renowned in-patient facility to address my disease and related issues.”
The news comes as the House leadership has effectively washed their hands of the matter by referring it to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, a bipartisan dysfunctional body that has been in limbo since allegations of abuses by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay sent the group into petty squabbles over procedure rules.
The action has caused several members of Congress to ask the House leadership to appoint an independent investigator to look into the matter.
Sources:
Florida Law Enforcement Agency Examining Foley E-Mails—WPBF.com
As sex e-mail allegations swirl, Foley enters rehab—CNN.com
Speaker calls for inquiry on Foley—Boston Globe
Podcast #117
By Thomas JeffreyArticle Posted: Tuesday April 15, 2008
Leftwing Nutjob Podcast, Episode 117, for Sunday, April 13, 2008
Penn hits the bricks, Iran in the spotlight again, the Obama money machine, al Qaeda’s rising star and more!