Once Again The Page Turns

Question: Why are all the books in former Representative Mark Foley’s library dog-earred?

Answer: Because he likes all his pages bent.



I guess that sexual scandals have been around our Federal Government since the days that Thomas Jefferson said, “I’d like to give you a promotion with a big bonus” to Sally Hemmings.





So the recent scandal involving well known multi-term gay Congressperson and recently recognized pedophile, Mark Foley, doesn’t come as much of a surprise.



Back in 1831, The Petticoat Scandal forced most all of President Andrew Jackson’s Cabinet to hand in their resignations in support of John Henry Eaton, who had been making whoopee with the owner of a Washington D.C. boarding house named Peggy O’NEILL. Mrs. O’NEILL was at the time married to a sailor that committed suicide because of his wife’s adultery.



In 1919, FDR, who was Secretary of the Navy launched an investigation known as the Newport Sex Scandal. It was a look into reported homosexual behavior of the sailors stationed in Newport, Rhode Island.






In the early 1960's the Press was mum about President John Kennedy and Attorney General Robert Kennedy’s numerous affairs, nude swimming in the White House pool with young ladies and potential ties to the wives and girlfriends of men associated with illegal activity.


Brother Ted Kennedy drove his car off of a bridge in Chapaquitic and killed his passenger, Mary Jo Kapetanic. He was never charged.



Vince Foster was linked to Hillary Clinton. Mr. Foster was found dead in a Washington D.C. park and his death ruled a suicide. Any relationship was covered up.



Of course Bill Clinton’s tryst with Monica Lewinsky is well known.




In 1983 we were confronted with the original Congressional page sex scandal. This rocked the House of Representative and caused two members to face censure.

The Congressional Page Program — which has been around for more than 150 years — was overhauled and a board was created to monitor it. A dormitory for pages was created near the Capitol.
Pages are high school juniors at least 16 years old and are sponsored by a member of the House or Senate for either one or two semesters, or for the summer. They serve as messengers, passing notes and delivering documents. They wear uniforms and attend a special "page school" during the school year. It is a paid position.

On July 14, 1983 the House Ethics Committee concluded that Rep. Dan Crane (R-Ill.) and Rep. Gerry Studds (D-Mass.) had engaged in sexual relationships with minors, specifically 17-year-old congressional pages. In Crane's case, it was a 1980 relationship with a female page and in Studds's case, it was a 1973 relationship with a male page. Both representatives immediately pleaded guilty to the charges and the committee recommended reprimand for the two.

However, Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) demanded their expulsion. On July 20, 1983, the House voted for censure nearly unanimously, the first time that censure had been imposed for sexual misconduct. Crane, who subsequently apologized for his transgression, lost his bid for reelection in 1984.

Studds admitted "an error in judgment." While Studds has often been reported as having "turned his back on the House" as the House read its censure motion aloud, contemporary reports made it clear that in contrast to Crane, who faced the House as the motion for his censure was read, Studds faced the Speaker who was actually reading the motion, with his back to the other members. Also in contrast to Crane, who left the chamber after his censure, Studds rejoined the other members of the House after his censure was read. He called a press conference with the former page, in which both stated that the young man, who was 17, consented. Studds, who had been 36 at the time, claimed he did not break any U.S. laws in what he called a "private relationship." He continued to be reelected until his retirement in 1996.

Can you believe that! I repeat he was elected for 12 more years!

So now we are faced with an new Congressional Page scandal wherein longtime US Representative from Florida has sent sexually explicit emails to male Congressional Pages.

Foley is a Republican and of course this has generated well-deserved heat from the Democratic party. Thankfully the Congressman resigned, otherwise he probably would have been re-elected.

I find it difficult to imagine that when one reaches such a position in life that you would allow your libido to control you. History teaches us the this is the case.