Give the money to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Today, I sent a letter to my opponent asking her to join me in calling for the resignation of any member of congressional leadership who had knowledge of inappropriate email and instant messenger communications between shamed Congressman Mark Foley and underage pages working at the House of Representatives. I urged my opponent to donate the funds she recently received from Congressman Tom Reynolds, who has admitted he knew of the situation and did nothing about it and from any others in congressional leadership who had prior knowledge of Mr. Foley’s actions to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Much has been made about Republicans falling all over themselves condemning Mark Foley. I’m surprised that there haven’t been some serious injuries from Republican jostling and competing for face time and microphone time as they race to wax appropriately indignant over Foley’s perversions and exploitation of underage Congressional pages. Shocking…what about the children?…he should be punished to the fullest extent of the law…yadayadayada….
What hasn’t been discussed in really any detail at all is that Republicans aren’t nearly so sanguine when it comes to the $2.7 million in Foley’s campaign war chest. After all, when it comes right down to it, we all know it’s about winning elections and maintaining power. Righteous indignation doesn’t feed the bulldog…nor does it convince people to vote Republican.
Common decency would seem to dictate that not divvying up Foley’s campaign war chest among Republicans is simply the wrong thing to do. No one should be benefitting from money amassed to benefit the campaign of a Congressman who solicits underage male Congressional pages for sex. It’s. Just. Wrong. Period.
So what to do with the money, then? Well, it’s not as if there’s really any question, is there? Give the money to the National Center For Missing & Exploited Children. It’s the right thing to do.
Now, we find out that the national Republicans are quick to condemn Congressman Foley, but are willing to accept the $2.7 million campaign war chest Mr. Foley has amassed. On Sunday, Carl Forti, the communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said “that the committee would gladly accept Mr. Foley’s money or part of it to devote to House races.” [New York Times, 10/2/06]
That’s despicable.
Please join me in calling on Mr. Foley and the NRCC to donate his $2.7 million campaign war chest to the National Center for Missing Exploited Children.
It’s the right thing to do, and if Republicans were serious about cleaning up the mess left by Mark Foley, they would jump at the opportunity to look as if they’re about more than just cheap, overheated rhetoric and faux self-righteous indignation. Of course, for Republicans, it’s really only about one thing: winning and political power. Well, OK…it’s about two things….
Same as it ever was….
