They had a "Win a Dinner with Mark Foley" contest???

[kerry-is-my-prez]

Just said on MSNBC by A.B. Stoddard of "The Hill." I'm not sure if this was a joke or if it's really true.

If this IS true - it is utterly reprehensible that Hastert and the others who knew about Foley sat back and did nothing.

[LTR]

1. "Bring the kids" they said

Yikes!

[crikkett]

2. any more context to add?

could just be an off-color joke.

[Sydnie]

3. Not an off color joke

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2279677&mesg_id=2280312

Actually, it was an auction. The page paid well for the "dinner".

[Bunny]

4. Yep, it's true.

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2006/10/gop-rep-john-shimkus-r-il-let-foley.html

<snip>
Shimkus then introduces Foley. Read what Foley has to say to the pages of the 2001-2002 class in his speech wishing them goodbye.
FOLEY: John was the highest bidder on lunch with Mark Foley. Maybe you all do not know this story, but John had paid considerable sums to dine with me. I had offered to take the winning bidder to lunch in the Members' dining room. Then I heard how much John Eunice paid. And I said, ``John, there is no way in the world after you committed so much money to have lunch with me that I would dare take you downstairs to eat in the Members' dining room.'' I said, ``Where do you want to go?'' He says, without reservation, ``Morton's.'' I said, ``Morton's? Like in Morton's Steakhouse?'' He said, ``Oh, would that be too much?'' I said, ``Oh, no, we'll go.'' I said, ``Call your mother, get permission, make sure she notifies the Clerk and we will go to Morton's.'' And so we proceeded to cruise down in my BMW to Morton's.
Putting aside the creepy notion of children bidding on dinner with an already-suspected child sex predator, what in God's name were Shimkus and the Clerk doing approving of Foley taking a kid in his BMW to a private dinner in downtown Washington? The GOP staff already knew that Foley was trouble. They had already warned the kids. Yet Shimkus let Foley spend lots of time with the kids, by Shimkus' own admission. And then they let Foley cruise the kid to dinner in his beamer.
<snip>

[jarnocan]

5. holy bat crap! nt

[MADem]

10. And so we proceeded to cruise down in my BMW to Morton's.

The mind fucking boggles.....

[Jacobin]

15. The gift that keeps on giving

[originalpckelly]

6. I want to win a dinner with Mark Foley mom, can't I enter?

:rofl:

No, son remember uncle Albert and how I told you to stay away from him?

Yes.

Mr. Foley is a lot like uncle Albert, so stay away from him as well.

[BuyingThyme]

7. That sounds like a great joke. So it's probably true.

[Sydnie]

9. see post #3 for details

It's true. But it was an auction where the pages had to bid for it.

[Parche]

8. dinner

Ok who is for desert????

[Initech]

11. Was Michael Jackson doing the entertainment?

[Parche]

13. MJ

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

[MADem]

12. This bit (from the cite above) is TOTALLY SICK!

Shimkus is toast. There's even video of Shimkus letting Foley talk to the pages AFTER the GOP knew Foley had page-issues.

You'll recall that he is the Republican member of Congress who runs the Page Board, the group in charge of the pages. You'll also recall that tonight we learned on ABC News that GOP House staff warned the page class of 2001-2002 to stay away from ex-Rep. Mark Foley.

Then why is it that on June 6, 2002, well after the kids were warned to stay away from Foley, Shimkus notes approvingly that Foley has spent a lot of time with the Page Class of 2001-2002? This is Shimkus speaking at the page's goodbye ceremony,

MR. SHIMKUS: I thank my colleague. Now someone who spends a lot of time with you also, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley), would like to say a thank you.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

14. They are taskmasters, they love you in an incredibly personal way

Man if this isn't freudian - I don't know what is....

http://www.teambio.org/2006/10/rep-mark-foley-gives-a-heart-felt-good-bye-to-the-page-class-of-2001-2002/

-snip-

First, I want all of you to salute two people that I know at times were tough on you. They are taskmasters, they are disciplinarians; but they love you in an incredibly personal way. I would like all of the pages to clap for Ms. Sampson and Ms. Ivester, your supervisors.


Ms. Sampson is on the back rail. She does not like to come too close here because she may cry, too; and she does not want any of the kids before you depart on Saturday to see her being a vulnerable person. It is true.

-snip-

The tag team of Dominic and Hilary. Who will forget their exuberance coming in the room? Bubbly, excited, cheerful. Of course Jordan and Eddie. Eddie’s mother I met today. They are from Florida. He is a constituent and hopefully a future voter of mine if I choose to run statewide, so Eddie will be my next best friend.

And, of course, Melanie, and finally John Eunice. John was the highest bidder on lunch with Mark Foley. Maybe you all do not know this story, but John had paid considerable sums to dine with me. I had offered to take the winning bidder to lunch in the Members’ dining room. Then I heard how much John Eunice paid. And I said, “John, there is no way in the world after you committed so much money to have lunch with me that I would dare take you downstairs to eat in the Members’ dining room.'’ I said, “Where do you want to go?'’ He says, without reservation, “Morton’s.'’ I said, “Morton’s? Like in Morton’s Steakhouse?'’ He said, “Oh, would that be too much?'’ I said, “Oh, no, we’ll go.'’ I said, “Call your mother, get permission, make sure she notifies the Clerk and we will go to Morton’s.'’ And so we proceeded to cruise down in my BMW to Morton’s. And all of this story is meant to make you all feel jealous that you were not the high bidders. So we went to Morton’s, and I do not know where you all went.

[NV Whino]

16. So, okay, they bid for a dinner with the pervert...

for what was the money used? Did that money actually pay for the dinner? If not, where did it go? Anybody know?

[kerry-is-my-prez]

17. I'm saying if any of the Rep. leadership KNEW about Foley at THIS

time and allowed this "Bid for Dinner With Mark Foley" - it should have SERIOUS ramifications for them.

I'm an HR Person and if a company were to sponser or knowingly allow something like this and knew the person tended towards inappropriate behavior they would be open to lawsuits, etc. In itself - allowing an adult to take a child out off of the premises alone is dumb, dumb, dumb.

An organization is responsible for the actions of it's employees.

[TorchTheWitch]

18. True, and guess who's idea it was?

Well, I don't know, but I'd bet my last dime it was Foley's idea to be auctioned off to the pages for dinner... not only could he pretend these kids were actually interested in him sexually but so interested they would clamor to pay for it. I can just imagine how that must have swelled his head (no pun intended).

sick, sick, sick