Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) talks to The Advocate about Foley and the possible purge of gay Republicans from the Party:
“This is a real crisis, since before, gays in the Republican Party were willing to be tolerated, but Republicans will now be more nervous having gay people in positions of power. They have been critical of people who are out and gay—there could be a real purge of gays in the Republican Party now. It’s probably just enough for people to be perceived to be gay… Newt Gingrich said the Republicans couldn’t have publicly reprimanded Foley or they would be accused of gay-bashing. That’s just gibberish. There would probably be just as much uproar if it was an underage female, because of Foley’s work with children. In fact, I think the media has been fairly good about not gay-bashing this scandal.”
Frank also talks about how gay male politicians attend functions in Washington with male dates when the Democrats are in office, but show up with their beards under Republican administrations:
“Once, at a congressional Christmas party at the White House, my ex-boyfriend Herb went up to Foley, who was with a female date, and said to him, ‘Why don’t you get a real date?’ Foley didn’t say anything.”
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
Lawyer: Matt Drudge story on Page’s “prank” IMs “a piece of fiction.”. “Stephen Jones (the lwayer for the page in question) told the Daily Oklahoman that “there is not any aspect of this matter that is a practical joke nor should anyone treat it that way.”
Three more pages come forward. ABC reports that pages from the classes of 1998, 2000 and 2002 have told authorities they were approached by Foley.
2002 Page: “I was seventeen years old and just returned to [my home state] when Foley began to e-mail me, asking if I had ever seen my page roommates naked and how big their penises were.”
2000 Page: “His e-mails developed into sexually explicit conversations, and he asked me for photographs of my erect penis.”
1998 Page: “Foley would say he was sitting in his boxers and ask what I was wearing. It became more weird, and I stopped responding.”
Previously
Hastert Asked “To Intervene” on Foley Three Years Ago [tr]
Mark Foley’s Indiscretions Began in ’95, as did Cover-Up [tr]
Foley is Gay, Says Attorney; Was Molested by Clergyman as Teenager [tr]
The Talk: Foley, Jon Stewart, Hastert, Bay Buchanan [tr]
Mark Foley Scandal Updates [tr]
Investigations Begin into Cover-up Surrounding Mark Foley: Republican Leaders Knew of Misdeeds for Five Years, Did Nothing [tr]
Political Page Turner: Rep. Mark Foley Resigns Seat Over Inappropriate Emails [tr]
Male Page and Rep Mark Foley in Troubling Email Exchange [tr]
