Republican Leadership on Foley: What did they know and when did they know it?

^**
As you may already know, Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., abruptly resigned from Congress yesterday after questionable emails that he had sent to a 16 year-old male congressional page surfaced. Later in the day, more emails to minors emerged that were not just questionable -- they were overtly and undeniably sexual.

Now we have the sickening spectacle of the corrupt Republican House leadership falling all over themselves trying to cover up the part they played in, well, covering this all up.

Apparently Foley was questioned about his inappropriate cybersex emails to minors as far back as eleven months ago by some in leadership positions in "God's Own Party." The "investagation" by Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., chairman of the Page Board seemed to go only as far as asking Foley if he was doing anything wrong and Foley answering "no" and the matter being dropped (They didn't even bother to try to replace him as co-chairman of the Missing and Exploited Children Caucus).

No House Democrat was informed of the allegations at the time.

The party of "moral values" are now backtracking as fast as they can from their initial interviews with the media where they said that House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) was informed of the situation by House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio).

And the reaction from Foley's local Florida Republicans? They're only sorry that he was caught. From the Southwest Florida News-Press via Daily Kos:

"It's devastating," said Ruth McCarthy of Clewiston. "All I can say is it's a shame he was indiscreet."

"It's never good when you lose a good congressman," said Lee County's GOP state committeewoman Jan Ganter. "I think the people lost a good servant. So, I regret it."

Charlotte County Republican Executive Committee Robert Starr said he found out about Foley's resignation around 3 p.m. Friday and was surprised. He saw Foley at an event Sunday and said he looked fine. "First of all, I'm very surprised and very sad that Mark decided to resign," Starr said. "He's really been a friend to Charlotte County."

Yeah, the problem was that he was "indiscreet" and had to resign, not that he was cyber-fucking minors...

Republicans: You just can't trust them with your children!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
(FYI: AmericaBlog is all over this story like Foley on a 16 year-old in a chat room white on rice.)
**(Wish I could claim this design as my own!)