When it Comes to Protecting Pervs, Congress is More Powerful Than God

It must really be nice to live under such a thick veil of protection and secrecy that you can conduct yourself like a complete sleaze bag without repercussions. The veil of which I speak is, of course, our government. This week as Florida police officers tried to look for, you know, evidence, in their investigation of former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley - who in Sept. 2006 resigned from Congress after being accused of soliciting and sending sexually explicit emails and instant messages to teenage boys - they were stopped cold by Congress. Sorry, said Uncle Sam, but you can't snoop around these parts, criminal investigation or no. Something about "case laws," which is just legal jargon for: Ha ha, there's a precedent-setting case that's stopping you, so there!

Apparently, no matter what one of our elected public officials is doing on their state-issued computers, it's off limits to the public, and certainly the police. Considering Foley spent most of his time at the office, and was allegedly in contact with former Congressional pages (who, if by the time they became "former" were still teens, then Capitol Hill needs to seriously rethink its internship policies) chances are the burden of proof lies in that very computer. Geez, talk about blanket protection. When Catholic priests were being accused of all those horrible, illegal, immoral acts, the law of the Lord protected them for awhile, but eventually the truth - and consequences - came out.

Why does Foley get to jump through loopholes that allow him to escape federal pornography laws - and who knows what else. Now, I'm not accusing the man of the worst things the priests were guilty of, but the last time I checked, partaking in salacious conversations with minors got you arrested, or at least outed and humiliated on the evening news.

And if these ridiculous, elitist protections weren't bad enough, old Foley is resorting to the go-to damage control of public people: He checked himself in to rehab for "alcoholism and other behavioral problems," admitted he was gay and confessed to being molested by a priest as a teenage altar boy in Florida. Damn, another low-blow to the Big Guy.

Follow Heather Wood Rudúlph on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SirensMag

Comments

[scooperss]

I think Jefferson and Foley SHOULD BOTH be jailed. There I've said it. If Congress takes it upon itself to say *no you cannot have their records to investigate possible criminal action* turn the tables and cite them for contempt of law.

[Swift2]

This is a question like censorship, I think. Nobody wants real filth, but who defines it and who enforces it? Should child molesters be exposed and prosecuted? Of course. But are we sure we want Alberto Gonzales poking around in congressman's computers -- in the Congress? The ultimate law enforcement officer in the House is the Sergeant-at-Arms. Now, I think you can work out some kind of deal here: let the Sergeant in Arms into the deal, and if he or his legal staff says the warrant is valid, then a majority vote can accept the warrant, I'd say.

I know reform people say this privilege gives the wrongdoer a free haven to store his incriminating information, and that may be; but you can't just treat the congressman's office as his home, either. It is a official office in the house of the people, and we have to beware of executive intrusion.

[grammology]

As a grandmother and mother I'm equally fed up with our system of those who have, and those who have not... The list of improprieties continues with our elected officials and in the end, even after all the bad media, they seem to go forward their arrogance is incredible...

More concerning is the increase in the money needed to get elected. Corporations who find ways to give the money to keep their people in office excludes the average person from being a part of what once was a government for the people.. that is all people...and not the few who have access to big pockets. Thanks for bringing all the hypocrisies to the surface. Keep up the good work...
Regards, Dorothy from grammology
http://grammology.com

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

Anyone who preys on children...should be publicly executed. I think that would dissuade at least some!

[ProfT]

It seems to me that there is probable cause to search Foley's office; the State of Florida is not part of the Federal Executive office. If there are any lawyers out there who would like to comment on whether Foley -as opposed to Jefferson- has a legal leg to stand on that would be helpful. For another story out of bizzaro Republican land check out the story over at Bradblog about 3 dead bodies found in Orlando home of a Republican political consultant who worked for several Republican under investigation.

[net50]

After the past decade of watching our Congress concentrate on protecting themselves while they are owned more by big business and lobbying groups, and the hog wash of misdeeds that make both parties smell bad, I am all for limited terms, that may turn their attention back on what is best for America. No matter which party you belong to or associate yourself with, they have been there so long and have become so plugged in to Commerce and Trade, that they have no obligations to the American people who put them there. Making a life time career to serve only the special interest leaves our country more vunerable that we have ever been. Republicans are left cold with the choices that they have in the upcoming elections and Democrats can only expect more of the same "give away" things which leaves our country poorer and practically defenseless. We really do want new blood in Washington. Just for once, why can't we have someone in office that doesn't belong to a party, owes no one favors, and cares about enforcing our immigration laws and stop creating loop holes for big business? Voters don't want to hear the same old spill, we don't want to hear from the spouses of the people who want the whitehouse, they are sounding like they belong in the ladies mud wrestler ring, and cause Laura Bush seem like the princess of grace.
Is there anyone capable of making America strong again? Can we stop spending and start expecting all of our government offices to start "working" and actually getting things done again? Term limits are the only way to go if we want real change.

[avergejoe]

Growing weary of the media assault on priests as the sole source of sex abuse! Dredging up Foley to whack priests around is pretty low.

Christian Science Monitor: 04/05/02 -
Sex abuse spans spectrum of churches

Despite headlines focusing on the priest pedophile problem in the Roman Catholic Church, most American churches being hit with child sexual-abuse allegations are Protestant.

These are findings from national surveys by Christian Ministry Resources (CMR), a tax and legal-advice publisher serving more than 75,000 congregations and 1,000 denominational agencies nationwide.

CMR's annual surveys of about 1,000 churches nationwide have asked about sexual abuse since 1993. They're a remarkable window on a problem that lurked largely in the shadows of public awareness until the Catholic scandals arose.

The surveys suggest that over the past decade, the pace of child-abuse allegations against American churches has averaged 70 a week. The surveys registered a slight downward trend in reported abuse starting in 1997, possibly a result of the introduction of preventive measures by churches.

At least 70 incidents a week

Dr. Shupe suggests the 70 allegations-per-week figure actually could be higher, because underreporting is common. He discovered this in 1998 while going door to door in Dallas-Ft. Worth communities where he asked 1,607 families if they'd experienced abuse from those within their church. Nearly 4 percent said they had been victims of sexual abuse by clergy. Child sexual abuse was part of that, but not broken out, he says.

James Cobble, executive director of CMR, who oversees the survey, says the data show that child sex-abuse happens broadly across all denominations– and that clergy aren't the major offenders.

"The Catholics have gotten all the attention from the media, but this problem is even greater with the Protestant churches simply because of their far larger numbers," he says.

Of the 350,000 churches in the US, 19,500 – 5 percent – are Roman Catholic. Catholic churches represent a slightly smaller minority of churches in the CMR surveys which aren't scientifically random, but "representative" demographic samples of churches, Dr. Cobble explains.

[ghostsofamerica]

I believe Pogo would say about the congress and senate protecting the Pervs, "We have seen the enemy, and he is us."


The sexpionage blackmail plan of Bush and also other governments of other countries will never give up the goods. It is like having reins on each member of congress, so to speak.

[RobertPaul]

Just curious but, after the church settles for millions of dollars because Father X, Y and Z did A,B and C.
Are there any legal charges placed against these (admitted) perves?

Are they required to register as sex offenders so that others will know who they are before sending their kids to be alter boys (and girls?)

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

ROBERT,

They SHOULD be prosecuted. Somehow, the "lord" gives them immunity...because he is all forgiving, and people should be all forgiving, and the sheep that follow the lord must agree...because the perv priests will be "judged" in the "other" life.

Otherwise, people would be as angry as I am at those atrocities. I tried to fight that fight, and believe me, you get nowhere....because the priests have the support of the sheep.

Having gone to catholic school most of my life... I became an aetheist in my junior year of high school... cause I saw through all the bull. Can you say... every nuns nightmare? Logical questions, theories and conclusions were not allowed.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

THANK YOU Heather! I was completely outraged when I read the article and was hoping someone would comment!

Being the mother of a young boy... it is just sickening!!!

[Ben Dixon]

With stories like this, is it any wonder that Congress has earned its all time low approval rating.

[Defyant]

If and when the masses actually take to the streets and begin to say no to this government, something might change. Until that time Congress will continue to enjoy its veil of secrecy.

[WilliePilgrim]

So...a perv is evidently someone whose sexual preferences are different from and somehow seem to threaten you? I despise Mark Foley because he is a sneaking lying cheating greed-head. The fact that he also likes boys, and the fact that there are boys who like powerful men, is another issue all together. Is it unscrupulous to use your position in work for sexual contact...I guess it could be but trying to legislate moral behaviour is bound to leave us lookin' like fools. Public exposure and a public understanding or our instinctual sexual drives will go much farther than moralizing accusing others of what amounts to sin, not crime.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

This is NOT about sin. Soliciting young boys (BOYS!)DOES make a pervert...or do you see that as totally normal? Am i going to find your face on the child molester site for my neighborhood? Sounds like it.

How many other boys has this pervert ALREADY molested that we don't know about YET??...but would surely find out if we had those e-mail records.

[Truthsfire]

Willie, the issue isn't that Mr. Foley "whose sexual preferences are different from you and somehow seems to threaten you" (and we understand "you" here to mean a generic person and not WilliePilgrim). The issue is that Foley's preference for teenage boys happens to be illegal and, because he's using his power to coerce teenagers into committing acts they're in no position to judge as an adult. Even if there ARE boys who like powerful men, the "powerful men" have an obligation as adults and as decent human beings to limit their sexual engagements to other ADULTS, not to teenagers.

And if Foley wants to wait until these kids become adults, and if at the same time the now-kids decide that Foley is just the humpiest thing they've ever seen, by all means -- HAVE AT. Until then, the burden is decidedly on Foley to act decently and not like some slime.

[WoodyCPM]

The demarcation line between what makes an "adult" and what makes a "teenager" is arbitrary and culturally defined. In the U.S., as with nearly all other facets of public and private life, the definitions of these terms are based on economics. The dividing line between these two existential states moves around depending on what country, even state, you're in and on what period you're talking about. I despise these kind of articles and stories about sex, teenagers and sex and what gets defined as "pedophilia" and "perversion" is this country. It's mostly little else but typical American obsession and hysteria over sex mixed up with, in this instance, a great deal of homophobia masquerading as "concern" for the youth. We've put teenagers in jail in this country for having sex with other teenagers! We're a crazy, mixed up society over it all. I would like to elaborate on all this, but I gotta go to work. There's much more to say.

Of course now that I've announced my contrary view of these matters from the herd, I'll be accused of being a "sex offender" within about two minutes by people who know nothing about me.

[Theda]

No one cares if Foley is gay or not.
He just shouldn't be going after MINORS....you know, those under 18 years of age.

[lobear00]

Makes you wonder how many more Republican Predators are in the halls of Congress. They sure did cover that up in a hurry.
Surprising! all Investigations done at the hands of Republicans always ended with "there was never a smoking gun. These Clowns were such perfect little Devils..

[CLR]

So you think there are only Republican Predators? Sure.

[ManhattanMC]

Repression always erupts in perversion-

Repugs are the party of repression in all it's forms.

[1will]

Isn't Congress controlled by the Democraps now?




By the way, I don't see any outrage from the Left about the FBI losing the right to use the evidence found in their search of Congressman Jefferson's office ($90K in the freezer).

[ManhattanMC]

"Democraps"-

Ya just gotta love that repug thoughtfulness and charity.

A slim margin is not control in any real sense other than having committee chairs and bringing bills to the floor.

Repugs have almost set the record now for filibusters-give them another month or two.
And of course, the "President" has finally dusted off the veto.

Jefferson is not a very bright guy-and was, IMHO-entrapped-

Kinda like those homeless guys in Florida who were supplied with ninja outfits, shoes and Al Queda "loyalty oaths" by an FBI enabler.

[nippersdad]

Executive, er Congressional privilege has its uses. If we could only have a peek into all of those Congressional computer files, I feel sure that all of our questions about the whys and wherefors of what our Congress HAS NOT DONE the last six months (at least!) would be answered. I particularly would like to know what they have on Arlen Specter.

[scooperss]

And Lindsay Graham.