[NYCFarmboy]

Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., resigned from Congress on Friday, effective immediately, in the wake of questions about e-mails he wrote a former male page.
"I am deeply sorry and I apologize for letting down my family and the people of Florida I have had the privilege to represent," he said in a statement issued by his office.



The two-sentence statement did not refer to the e-mails and gave no reason for Foley's decision to abruptly abandon a flourishing career in Congress.

Foley, 52, had been a shoo-in for a new term until the e-mail correspondence surfaced in recent days.

His resignation comes less than six weeks before the elections. It was not clear how Republicans would fill his spot on the November ballot.

Campaign aides had previously acknowledged that the Republican congressman e-mailed the former Capitol page five times, but had said there was nothing inappropriate about the exchange. The page was 16 at the time of the e-mail correspondence.

It was not clear what prompted Foley to abruptly decide to give up a successful career in the House.

Foley, who represents an area around Palm Beach County, e-mailed the page in August 2005. The page had worked for Rep. Rodney Alexander, R- La., and Foley asked him how he was doing after Hurricane Katrina and what he wanted for his birthday. The congressman also asked the boy to send a photo of himself, according to excerpts of the e-mails that were originally released by ABC News.

Foley's aides initially blamed Democratic rival Tim Mahoney and Democrats with attempting to smear the congressman before the election.

The e-mails were posted Friday on Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington's Web site after ABC News reported their existence. The group asked the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct to investigate the exchange Foley had with the boy, who served as a page for Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La.

"The House of Representatives has an obligation to protect the teenagers who come to Congress to learn about the legislative process," the group wrote, adding that the committee, "must investigate any allegation that a page has been subjected to sexual advances by members of the House."

According to the CREW posting, the boy e-mailed a colleague in Alexander's office about Foley's e-mails, saying, "This freaked me out." On the request for a photo, the boy repeated the word "sick" 13 times.

He said Foley asked for his e-mail when the boy gave him a thank you card. The boy also said Foley wrote that he e-mailed another page.

"he's such a nice guy," Foley wrote about the other boy. "acts much older than his age...and hes in really great shape...i am just finished riding my bike on a 25 mile journey now heading to the gym...whats school like for you this year?"

In other e-mails, Foley wrote, "I am back in Florida now...its nice here...been raining today...it sounds like you will have some fun over the next few weeks...how old are you now?" and "how are you weathering the hurricane...are you safe...send me an email pic of you as well."

What the boy wrote to Foley, who is single, wasn't available. The e- mails were sent from Foley's personal account, which Foley spokesman Jason Kello says he uses to communicate with many people, including Gov. Jeb Bush.

"They have taken these e-mails out of context in order to smear a good man," said Kello, who described the exchange as "nonchalant, casual." He said Foley didn't save his e-mails or the boy's response.

Efforts to reach the boy were unsuccessful, but he told the St. Petersburg Times last November, "I thought it was very inappropriate. After the one about the picture, I decided to stop e-mailing him back." The Times didn't publish the comments until Friday.

The campaign for Mahoney, who trails Foley in the polls, said it didn't release the e-mails and wouldn't make them part of the campaign. In a statement released by Mahoney spokesman Jessica Santillo, the campaign referred to the boy as an "alleged victim."

"The seriousness of these allegations goes far beyond the tit for tat of a political campaign," Santillo said. "This is a matter for the appropriate authorities to investigate. I believe Mr. Foley deserves the benefit of the doubt until these allegations are proven true or false."

Alexander's chief of staff, Royal Alexander, didn't return several calls to his cell phone Thursday and Friday seeking comment. Alexander's press secretary, Adam Terry, didn't return an e-mail or phone messages. Alexander and Foley wouldn't talk to reporters while the House was in session Thursday and Foley didn't return calls to his cell phone.

Kello disputed the claim that the e-mails weren't distributed by the Mahoney campaign.

"They've been shopping this around to reporters for weeks now. They want a headline and that's it. It's a political smear campaign of the worst kind," Kello said.




http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/09/29/D8KENKI00.html

rule 8 post, I found this article interesting and was wondering what others thought of it?

[spacefreak]

When I first read about the emails yesterday, I wondered why they mentioned the page's gender. Then I kept reading, and the email contents didn't seem all that odd. The photo request maybe, but the particular article I read yesterday stated that photos of pages are often requested for their files.

Like a good Republican, he stepped down. Got me thinking about how Dems rarely if ever step down, even when their semen is found all over the clothes of interns, or when the FBI gets video of them accepting bribes and later find $90,000 cash sitting in the dude's freezer.

Back to Foley - he resignation leads me to believe that there's more to the story. Did NBC Dateline get him?

[Nicko]

Originally Posted by spacefreak

Like a good Republican, he stepped down. Got me thinking about how Dems rarely if ever step down, even when their semen is found all over the clothes of interns, or when the FBI gets video of them accepting bribes and later find $90,000 cash sitting in the dude's freezer.

Hehe nice one. Republicans can do no wrong, even when they do.






Please don't take me too seriously

[spacefreak]

No worries. I'm not saying that there aren't Republicans who screw up. It just seems like when they get nailed, they step down promptly. On the other hand, Dems who screw up seem to refuse to give up their power.

Just an observation.

[BRussell]

Originally Posted by NYCFarmboy

rule 8 post, I found this article interesting and was wondering what others thought of it?

Have you ever had an independent thought?

Anyway, when I saw this story I thought it was overblown. So some congressman wants pictures of people who work for him, maybe to put on his website or something. Obviously there's more to it.

Originally Posted by spacefreak

Like a good Republican, he stepped down. Got me thinking about how Dems rarely if ever step down, even when their semen is found all over the clothes of interns, or when the FBI gets video of them accepting bribes and later find $90,000 cash sitting in the dude's freezer.

Jeezus spacefreak.

[spacefreak]

I thought you'd like that.

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by Nicko

Please don't take me too seriously

Never have.

[Chuckit]

"Rule 8 post"? I think you got Rule 8 backwards…

[houstonmacbro]

or maybe he's a closet freak and was trying to get his groove on with a hot young stud... big deal. i am not republican, but did he break any laws?

[Chuckit]

If you do believe he was trying to get his groove on with a hot young stud, trying to do so with a minor is definitely illegal.

[itai195]

There must be more to this story, because that doesn't seem like enough to convince a Congressman to resign.

[BRussell]

Congressman Mark Foley, Republican from Florida, resigned today just hours after ABC news questioned him about a series of sexually explicit instant messages involving current and former underage male Congressional pages. Foley used the login name Maf54.

Maf54: Do I make you a little horny ?
Teen: A little.
Maf54: Cool.

Foley was the chairman of the house caucus on missing and exploited children and has long crusaded for tough laws against those who use the Internet for sexual exploitation of children.

[ironknee]

wow...amazing. creepy

how many is this one? (republicans in trouble)

[itai195]

huh... now that's ironic, is it not?

[itai195]

Ahh now we've got something...

They say he used the screen name Maf54 on these messages provided to ABC News.

Maf54: You in your boxers, too?
Teen: Nope, just got home. I had a college interview that went late.
Maf54: Well, strip down and get relaxed.

Another message:

Maf54: What ya wearing?
Teen: tshirt and shorts
Maf54: Love to slip them off of you.

And this one:

Maf54: Do I make you a little horny?
Teen: A little.
Maf54: Cool.

The language gets much more graphic, too graphic to be broadcast, and at one point the congressman appears to be describing Internet sex.

Federal authorities say such messages could result in Foley's prosecution, under some of the same laws he helped to enact.

This all came to a head in the last 24 hours. Yesterday, we asked the congressman about some much tamer e-mails from one page, and he said he was just being overly friendly. After we posted that story online, we began to hear from a number of other pages who sent these much more explicit, instant messages. When the congressman realized we had them, he resigned.

Here's a full transcript (probably nsfw)

Sounds like the guy is a real sleaze-ball to me. As per spacefreak's earlier thoughts, once these IMs came out I'm not sure Foley really had any choice.

[goMac]

Originally Posted by spacefreak

When I first read about the emails yesterday, I wondered why they mentioned the page's gender. Then I kept reading, and the email contents didn't seem all that odd. The photo request maybe, but the particular article I read yesterday stated that photos of pages are often requested for their files.

Like a good Republican, he stepped down. Got me thinking about how Dems rarely if ever step down, even when their semen is found all over the clothes of interns, or when the FBI gets video of them accepting bribes and later find $90,000 cash sitting in the dude's freezer.

Back to Foley - he resignation leads me to believe that there's more to the story. Did NBC Dateline get him?

Nothing at all weird about those IM's either.

[Kerrigan]

Full transcript of IMs in PDF is up on drudge. I couldn't make it past the first few lines, too creepy.

[Spliffdaddy]

Originally Posted by ironknee

wow...amazing. creepy

how many is this one? (republicans in trouble)

two.

Now let's discuss Democrats...

[hyteckit]

[QUOTE=spacefreak]
Like a good Republican, he stepped down. Got me thinking about how Dems rarely if ever step down, even when their semen is found all over the clothes of interns, or when the FBI gets video of them accepting bribes and later find $90,000 cash sitting in the dude's freezer./QUOTE]

Yeah, Folley is quite the standup guy. A child predator who won't admit to it when questioned about it. Was force by his party to resigned when the media got hold of hard evidence against him. Yeah, reall standup guy.

He must be your hero.

[spacefreak]

Who said anything abour being a hero? I just got done reading some of the transcripts, and the dude is quite the sleazeball.

The man resigned within 24 hours of the story breaking, so it's not as if he was fighting this for days, weeks, months, or years.

It's nice to liberals outraged about officials in government who sexually harass interns.

[besson3c]

*Sigh* it's futile arguing over whether Democrats or Republicans are more sleazy, it gets us nowhere.

Politicians of all shapes and sizes and beliefs are sleazy (well, many of them)... can we just leave it at that?

[spacefreak]

Leave it at that? No way. If this guy is proven to be the man in the IMs, he's gotta face justice.

On another note, it's odd that the page on the long 2003 transcript is going along with Foley's handle for quite a while, telling him about masturbation techniques, penis measurements, etc.. Very weird.

I am also curious about the transcripts. Were these obtained from AOL, and if so, do they keep logs of everyone's IM? If not, are these "saved" transcript logs from the page himself? And how do we know these are the real deal?

Seems like everytime we learn something new, more questions arise. But one thing's for sure. If indeed the one chatter is Foley, and the pages are minors, he's going to have to be arrested.

[Kerrigan]

Maybe they will get him on terror charges.

[BRussell]

One nice thing is that, as Congress's leading crusader against child predators, there are tons of quotes of him saying how tough we need to be on them.

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by spacefreak

No worries. I'm not saying that there aren't Republicans who screw up. It just seems like when they get nailed, they step down promptly. On the other hand, Dems who screw up seem to refuse to give up their power.

Yeah, I know what you mean. Bush... err, I mean Clinton should've stepped down when he lied. I mean Bush. Whatever.

[BRussell]

Uh oh. It turns out that the Republican leadership in the House has known about this for almost a year.

The page worked for Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La., who said Friday that when he learned of the e-mail exchanges 10 to 11 months ago, he called the teen's parents. Alexander told the Ruston Daily Leader, "We also notified the House leadership that there might be a potential problem," a reference to the House's Republican leaders.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert said Friday he had asked the chairman of the House's page board, Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., to investigate the page system. "We want to make sure that all our pages are safe and the page system is safe," Hastert said.

The Catholic Church sex abuse scandal wasn't just about the individual priests doing the abusing, it was also about the cover-up and protection of those priests by the upper-levels of the Church hierarchy.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by BRussell

Have you ever had an independent thought?

What the...

Get up on the wrong side of the bed?

[BRussell]

<-- (rolleyes at myself) Sorry.

[hyteckit]

Originally Posted by spacefreak

Who said anything abour being a hero? I just got done reading some of the transcripts, and the dude is quite the sleazeball.

The man resigned within 24 hours of the story breaking, so it's not as if he was fighting this for days, weeks, months, or years.

It's nice to liberals outraged about officials in government who sexually harass interns.

So you are a child predator sympathizer. I like how you turn everything into an opportunity to bash liberals.

[Nicko]

Originally Posted by BRussell

One nice thing is that, as Congress's leading crusader against child predators, there are tons of quotes of him saying how tough we need to be on them.

Its so ironic. Life is stranger than fiction.

--

Mr. Foley became the fourth Republican congressman to resign so far this year amidst scandal. Most recently, former Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio resigned after admitting to federal bribery charges. Tom DeLay of Texas, the former majority leader, resigned in the spring over ties to casino lobbyist Jack Abramoff after he was accused of campaign finance irregularities. Randy "Duke" Cunningham of California resigned and was convicted and imprisoned for bribery.

--

So, who's next?

[hyteckit]

Foley resigns from Congress over e-mails - Yahoo! News

"The statement from Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., said the House Page Board he chairs investigated the allegations late last year, but he said Foley "was not honest" in denying improper conduct with the teenager. Pages are high school students who attend classes under congressional supervision and work as messengers."


Hmm... what does spacefreak have to say now? WMD's found? Foley was being investigated since last year and has lied and denied any wrong-doing, "like a good Republican" as spacefreak has so eloquently phrased it.

Foley only resign because there was hard evidence against him and Republicans force him to resigned. Republicans don't want to drag this out through the November elections. Republicans want to swept this under the rug as soon as possible just like all their other crimes and failures.

[hyteckit]

Summarizing spacefreak:

Democrats don't resign due to allegations of misconduct - BAD

Republicans don't resign due to allegations of misconduct. Resigns only when charges of misconduct is pending - GOOD

[marden]

He doesn't represent me nor does he serve as a Republican or a Christian role model. But as a Christian if he asks for forgiveness we should not ignore what the Bible teaches. And if found guilty he should pay a debt to society.

[houstonmacbro]

Originally Posted by Chuckit

If you do believe he was trying to get his groove on with a hot young stud, trying to do so with a minor is definitely illegal.

oops.

didn't realize all pages were minors. thought many were in college?

[houstonmacbro]

Originally Posted by itai195

Ahh now we've got something...



Here's a full transcript (probably nsfw)

Sounds like the guy is a real sleaze-ball to me. As per spacefreak's earlier thoughts, once these IMs came out I'm not sure Foley really had any choice.

okay, i retract my earlier comments. this dude is not 'just a freak' he's a pervert. i honestly didn't know ALL pages were minors. i thought some were college age kids doing it on their times off...? any how,

i also didn't know that he sat on the committees that try to prevent online predators.

kinda like leaving the fox to guard to chicken coop... wow ...

it'll be interesting to see how they (right wingers) spin this...

[spacefreak]

Originally Posted by hyteckit

Hmm... what does spacefreak have to say now? WMD's found? Foley was being investigated since last year and has lied and denied any wrong-doing, "like a good Republican" as spacefreak has so eloquently phrased it.

You really lack reading comprehension skills. That's a shame.

I said he stepped down (resigned) like a good Republican.

[spacefreak]

Originally Posted by hyteckit

Summarizing spacefreak:

Democrats don't resign due to allegations of misconduct - BAD

Republicans don't resign due to allegations of misconduct. Resigns only when charges of misconduct is pending - GOOD

More reading comprehension woes I see. My reasoning was based on findings of fact, not "allegations".

Nice try.

[spacefreak]

Originally Posted by houstonmacbro

it'll be interesting to see how they (right wingers) spin this...

There's nothing to spin if these transcripts are the real deal. Arrest him and convict him.

[ebuddy]

Originally Posted by besson3c

*Sigh* it's futile arguing over whether Democrats or Republicans are more sleazy, it gets us nowhere.

Politicians of all shapes and sizes and beliefs are sleazy (well, many of them)... can we just leave it at that?

I'm content to leave it at that, but would only include; moronic. This is getting old. Sometimes I swear Republicans have lost every last one of their marbles.

It's one thing to be a liberal democrat and member of NAMBLA while attempting to exploit children. It's another thing entirely to be a religous, right-wing republican chairman of the house caucus on missing and exploited children while exploiting children. It seems both parties have now mastered the art of losing elections.

[itai195]

Originally Posted by spacefreak

I said he stepped down (resigned) like a good Republican.

Just like Nixon

[mitchell_pgh]

Originally Posted by spacefreak

There's nothing to spin if these transcripts are the real deal. Arrest him and convict him.

I agree. As a Republican, I say arrest him, have a trial, and if found guilty, throw him behind bars [aka exactly what I would do with a democrat in the same situation]

NO SPIN NEEDED!

I find it funny that the dems spin this to make it sound like the republican party supports such scum.

[spacefreak]

Who said Foley was religious, or even "right-wing"? Or are you simply assigning those designations to anyone who votes or is Republican?

Last I heard, Foley was a closeted gay, or at least those were the grumblings. He's refused numerous times to say he's not gay (which shouldn't be a problem for straight men). If that is indeed the case, your amended statement should be...

"It's another thing entirely to be a homosexual republican chairman of the house caucus on missing and exploited children while exploiting children."

In which case, was it his Republicanism that was the root of the problem, or was it his homosexuality that was the root the problem? Maybe if he was straight, this would be about minor girls instead??? I don't know... it's not so easy to flip sexual orientation around with hypotheticals.

It's odd because my former Governor (Jim McGreevey) just released a book admitting to stopping at rest areas to suck guys' cocks and get anal. Just flat-our offensive, deviant behavior for someone who is a public represntative.

[spacefreak]

Originally Posted by itai195

Just like Nixon

Yup. That was my point. When caught red-handed, these Republicans resigned. Now, I don't know if it's due to their own loyalty to the party, or if their fellow Repubs get together and force them to resign. Either way, they resign.

It's not a defense of the criminal acts. It's support of their decision to resign.

[hyteckit]

Originally Posted by spacefreak

Who said Foley was religious, or even "right-wing"? Or are you simply assigning those designations to anyone who votes or is Republican?

Last I heard, Foley was a closeted gay, or at least those were the grumblings. He's refused numerous times to say he's not gay (which shouldn't be a problem for straight men). If that is indeed the case, your amended statement should be...

"It's another thing entirely to be a homosexual republican chairman of the house caucus on missing and exploited children while exploiting children."

In which case, was it his Republicanism that was the root of the problem, or was it his homosexuality that was the root the problem? Maybe if he was straight, this would be about minor girls instead. I don't know... it's not so easy to flip sexual orientation around in hypotheticals.

Great, spin it to be a gay bashing thread. Root of his problem is his homosexuality. Of course or course. I guess the root of the problem with the Catholic Church and their sexual abuse cases must be their heterosexuality.

[TheWOAT]

Politics made him do it.

Since we are talking hypotheticals, if the page were a female, I dont think there would be as much outrage.

[houstonmacbro]

Originally Posted by ebuddy

I'm content to leave it at that, but would only include; moronic. This is getting old. Sometimes I swear Republicans have lost every last one of their marbles.

It's one thing to be a liberal democrat and member of NAMBLA while attempting to exploit children. It's another thing entirely to be a religous, right-wing republican chairman of the house caucus on missing and exploited children while exploiting children. It seems both parties have now mastered the art of losing elections.

and their minds. what has become of the the leadership of this country when you can have someone in such an undisputable leadership role, doing something as insane as that.

[houstonmacbro]

Originally Posted by hyteckit

Great, spin it to be a gay bashing thread. Root of his problem is his homosexuality. Of course or course. I guess the root of the problem with the Catholic Church and their sexual abuse cases must be their heterosexuality.

i think being gay is the least of the issue. i think him being #1) a leader who championed measures against child predators; #2) a man targeting obvious children;

those are my issues. not him being gay.

[SpaceMonkey]

Originally Posted by spacefreak

Last I heard, Foley was a closeted gay, or at least those were the grumblings.

He's also Catholic, apparently, which CNN seemed to have no problem pointing out this morning...repeatedly.

Unfortunately, I keep mishearing "Mark Foley" as "Matt Foley," and I keep picturing this, which has caused me much amusement:

[ironknee]

Originally Posted by Spliffdaddy

two.

Now let's discuss Democrats...

Bob Ney
Tom DeLay
Randy "Duke" Cunningham
Jack Abramoff+300 contacts to the white house
Mark Foley

ok what democrats?

[Spliffdaddy]

Democrat scandals?

Here's a small list:


William Jefferson Clinton- Impeached by the House of Representatives over allegations of perjury and obstruction of justice, but acquitted by the Senate. Scandals include Whitewater - Travelgate Gennifer Flowersgate - Filegate - Vince Fostergate - Whitewater Billing Recordsgate - Paula Jonesgate- Lincoln Bedroomgate - Donations from Convicted Drug and Weapons Dealersgate - Lippogate - Chinagate - The Lewinsky Affair - Perjury and Jobs for Lewinskygate - Kathleen Willeygate - Web Hubbell Prison Phone Callgate - Selling Military Technology to the Chinesegate - Jaunita Broaddrick Gate - Lootergate - Pardongate

Edward Moore Kennedy - Democrat - U. S. Senator from Massachusetts. Pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, after his car plunged off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island killing passenger Mary Jo Kopechne.

Barney Frank - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Massachusetts from 1981 to present. Admitted to having paid Stephen L. Gobie, a male prostitute, for sex and subsequently hiring Gobie as his personal assistant. Gobie used the congressman's Washington apartment for prostitution. A move to expel Frank from the House of Representatives failed and a motion to censure him failed.

DNC - The Federal Election Commission imposed $719,000 in fines against participants in the 1996 Democratic Party fundraising scandals involving contributions from China, Korea and other foreign sources. The Federal Election Commission said it decided to drop cases against contributors of more than $3 million in illegal DNC contributions because the respondents left the country or the corporations are defunct.

Sandy Berger - Democrat - National Security Advisor during the Clinton Administration. Berger became the focus of a criminal investigation after removing highly classified terrorism documents and handwritten notes from the National Archives during preparations for the Sept. 11 commission hearings.

Robert Torricelli - Democrat - Withdrew from the 2002 Senate race with less than 30 days before the election because of controversy over personal gifts he took from a major campaign donor and questions about campaign donations from 1996.

James McGreevey - Democrat - New Jersey Governor . Admitted to having a gay affair. Resigned after allegations of sexual harassment, rumors of being blackmailed on top of fundraising investigations and indictments.

Jesse Jackson - Democrat - Democratic candidate for President. Admitted to having an extramarital affair and fathering a illegitimate child.

Gary Condit - Democrat - US Democratic Congressman from California. Condit had an affair with an intern. Condit, covered up the affair and lied to police after she went missing. No charges were ever filed against Condit. Her remains were discovered in a Washington DC park..

Sowande Ajumoke Omokunde - Democrat - the son of newly elected U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, was booked on charges of criminal damage to property for allegedly slashing tires on 20 vans and cars rented by the Republican Party for use in Election Day voter turnout efforts.

Daniel David Rostenkowski - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Illinois from 1959 to 1995. Indicted on 17 felony charges- pleaded guilty to two counts of misuse of public funds and sentenced to seventeen months in federal prison.

Melvin Jay Reynolds - U.S. Representative from Illinois from 1993 to 1995. Convicted on sexual misconduct and obstruction of justice charges and sentenced to five years in prison.

Charles Coles Diggs, Jr. - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Michigan from 1955 to 1980. Convicted on eleven counts of mail fraud and filing false payroll forms- sentenced to three years in prison.

George Rogers - Democrat - Massachusetts State House of Representatives from 1965 to 1970. M000ember of Massachusetts State Senate from 1975 to 1978. Convicted of bribery in 1978 and sentenced to two years in prison.

Don Siegelman - Democrat Governor Alabama - indicted in a bid-rigging scheme involving a maternity-care program. The charges accused Siegelman and his former chief of staff of helping Tuscaloosa physician Phillip Bobo rig bids. Siegelman was accused of moving $550,000 from the state education budget to the State Fire College in Tuscaloosa so Bobo could use the money to pay off a competitor for a state contract for maternity care.

John Murtha, Jr. - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania. Implicated in the Abscam sting, in which FBI agents impersonating Arab businessmen offered bribes to political figures; Murtha was cited as an unindicted co-conspirator

Gerry Eastman Studds - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Massachusetts from 1973 to 1997. The first openly gay member of Congress. Censured by the House of Representatives for having sexual relations with a teenage House page.

James C. Green - Democrat - North Carolina State House of Representatives from 1961 to 1977. Charged with accepting a bribe from an undercover FBI agent, but was acquitted. Convicted of tax evasion in 1997.

Frederick Richmond - Democrat - U.S. Representative from New York from 1975 to 1982. Arrested in Washington, D.C., in 1978 for soliciting sex from a minor and from an undercover police officer - pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. Also - charged with tax evasion, marijuana possession, and improper payments to a federal employee - pleaded guilty.

Raymond Lederer - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania from 1977 to 1981. Implicated in the Abscam sting - convicted of bribery and sentenced to three years in prison and fined $20,000.

Harrison Arlington Williams, Jr. - Democrat - U.S. Senator from New Jersey from 1959 to 1970. Implicated in the Abscam sting. Allegedly accepted an 18% interest in a titanium mine. Convicted of nine counts of bribery, conspiracy, receiving an unlawful gratuity, conflict of interest, and interstate travel in aid of racketeering. Sentenced to three years in prison and fined $50,000.

Frank Thompson, Jr. - Democrat - U.S. Representative from New Jersey from 1955 to 1980. Implicated in the Abscam sting, convicted on bribery and conspiracy charges. Sentenced to three years in prison

Michael Joseph Myers - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania from 1976 to 1980. Implicated in the Abscam sting - convicted of bribery and conspiracy; sentenced to three years in prison and fined $20,000; expelled from the House of Representatives on October 2, 1980.

John Michael Murphy - Democrat - U.S. Representative from New York from 1963 to 1981. Implicated in the Abscam sting. Convicted of conspiracy, conflict of interest, and accepting an illegal gratuity. Sentenced to three years in prison and fined $20,000.

John Wilson Jenrette, Jr - Democrat - U.S. Representative from South Carolina from 1975 to 1980. Implicated in the Abscam sting. Convicted on bribery and conspiracy charges and sentenced to prison

Neil Goldschmidt - Democrat - Oregon governor. Admitted to having an illegal sexual relationship with a 14-year-old teenager while he was serving as Mayor of Portland.

Alcee Lamar Hastings - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Florida. Impeached and removed from office as federal judge in 1989 over bribery charges.

Marion Barry - Democrat - mayor of Washington, D.C., from 1979 to 1991 and again from 1995 to 1999. Convicted of cocaine possession after being caught on videotape smoking crack cocaine. Sentenced to six months in prison.

Mario Biaggi - Democrat - U.S. Representative from New York from 1969 to 1988. Indicted on federal charges that he had accepted bribes in return for influence on federal contracts.Convicted of obstructing justice and accepting illegal gratuities. Tried in 1988 on federal racketeering charges and convicted on 15 felony counts.

Lee Alexander - Democrat - Mayor of Syracuse, N.Y. from 1970 to 1985. Was indicted over a $1.5 million kickback scandal. Pleaded guilty to racketeering and tax evasion charges. Served six years in prison.

Bill Campbell - Democrat - Mayor of Atlanta. Indicted and charged with fraud over claims he accepted improper payments from contractors seeking city contracts.

Frank Ballance - Democrat - Congressman North Carolina. Pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering related to mishandling of money by his charitable foundation.

Hazel O'Leary - Democrat - Secretary of Energy during the Clinton Administration - O'leary took trips all over the world as Secretary with as many 50 staff members and at times rented a plane, which was used by Madonna during her concert tours.

Lafayette Thomas - Democrat - Candidate for Tennessee State House of Representatives in 1954. Sheriff of Davidson County, from 1972 to 1990. Indicted in federal court on 54 counts of abusing his power as sheriff. Pleaded guilty to theft and mail fraud; sentenced to five years in prison.

Mary Rose Oakar - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1977 to 1993. Pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges of funneling $16,000 through fake donors.

David Giles - Democrat - candidate for U.S. Representative from Washington in 1986 and 1990. Convicted in June 2000 of child rape.

Gary Siplin - Democrat state senator Florida- found guilty of third-degree grand theft of $5,000 or more, a felony, and using services of employees for his candidacy.

Edward Mezvinsky - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Iowa from 1973 to 1977. Indicted on 56 federal fraud charges.

Lena Swanson - Democrat - Member of Washington State Senate in 1997. Pleaded guilty to charges of soliciting unlawful payments from veterans and former prisoners of war.

Abraham J. Hirschfeld - Democrat - candidate in Democratic primary for U.S. Senator from New York in 1974 and 1976. Offered Paula Jones $1 million to drop her sexual harassment lawsuit against President Bill Clinton. Convicted in 2000 of trying to hire a hit man to kill his business partner.

Henry Cisneros - Democrat - U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1993 to 1997. Pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of lying to the FBI.

James A. Traficant Jr. - Member of House of Representatives from Ohio. Expelled from Congress after being convicted of corruption charges. Sentenced today to eight years in prison for accepting bribes and kickbacks.

John Doug Hays - Democrat - member of Kentucky State Senate from 1980 to 1982 Found guilty of mail fraud for submitting false campaign reports stemming from an unsuccessful run for judge. He was sentenced to six months in prison to be followed by six months of home confinement and three years of probation.

Henry J. Cianfrani - Democrat - Pennsylvania State Senate from 1967 to 1976. Convicted on federal charges of racketeering and mail fraud for padding his Senate payroll. Sentenced to five years in federal prison.

David Hall - Democrat - Governor of Oklahoma from 1971 to 1975. Indicted on extortion and conspiracy charges. Convicted and sentenced to three years in prison.

John A. Celona - Democrat - A former state senator was charged with the three counts of mail fraud. Federal prosecutors accused him of defrauding the state and collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars from CVS Corp. and others while serving in the legislature. Celona has agreed to plead guilty to taking money from the CVS pharmacy chain and other companies that had interest in legislation. Under the deal, Celona agreed to cooperate with investigators. He faces up to five years in federal prison on each of the three counts and a $250,000 fine

Allan Turner Howe - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Utah from 1975 to 1977. Arrested for soliciting a policewoman posing as a prostitute.

Jerry Cosentino - Democrat - Illinois State Treasurer. Pleaded guilty to bank fraud - fined $5,000 and sentenced to nine months home confinement.

Joseph Waggonner Jr. - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Louisiana from 1961 to 19 79. Arrested in Washington, D.C. for soliciting a policewoman posing as a prostitute

Albert G. Bustamante - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Texas from 1985 to 1993. Convicted in 1993 on racketeering and bribery charges and sentenced to prison.

Lawrence Jack Smith - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Florida from 1983 to 1993. Sentenced to three months in federal prison for tax evasion.

David Lee Walters - Democrat - Governor of Oklahoma from 1991 to 1995. Pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor election law violation.

James Guy Tucker, Jr. - Democrat - Governor of Arkansas from 1992 to 1996. Resigned in July 1996 after conviction on federal fraud charges as part of the Whitewater investigation.

Walter Rayford Tucker - Democrat - Mayor of Compton, California from 1991 to 1992; U.S. Representative from California from 1993 to 1995. Sentenced to 27 months in prison for extortion and tax evasion.

William McCuen - Democrat - Secretary of State of Arkansas from 1985 to 1995. Admitted accepting kickbacks from two supporters he gave jobs, and not paying taxes on the money. Admitted to conspiring with a political consultant to split $53,560 embezzled from the state in a sham transaction. He was indicted on corruption charges. Pleaded guilty to felony counts tax evasion and accepting a kickback. Sentenced to 17 years in prison.

Walter Fauntroy - Democrat - Delegate to U.S. Congress from the District of Columbia from 1971 to 1991. Charged in federal court with making false statements on financial disclosure forms. Pleaded guilty to one felony count and sentenced to probation.

Carroll Hubbard, Jr. - Democrat - Kentucky State Senate from 1968 to 1975 and U.S. Representative from Kentucky from 1975 to 1993. Pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the Federal Elections Commission and to theft of government property; sentenced to three years in prison.

Joseph Kolter - Democrat - member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from 1969 to 1982 and U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania from 1983 to 1993. Indicted by a Federal grand jury on five felony charges of embezzlement at the U.S. House post office. Pleaded guilty.

Webster Hubbell - Democrat - Chief Justice of Arkansas State Supreme Court in 1983. Pleaded guilty to federal mail fraud and tax evasion charges - sentenced to 21 months in prison.

Nicholas Mavroules - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Massachusetts from 1979 to 1993. Pleaded guilty to charges of tax fraud and accepting gratuities while in office.

Carl Christopher Perkins - Democrat - Kentucky State House of Representatives from 1981 to 1984 and U.S. Representative from Kentucky from 1985 to 1993. Pleaded guilty to bank fraud in connection with the House banking scandal. Perkins wrote overdrafts totaling about $300,000. Pleaded guilty to charges of filing false statements with the Federal Election Commission and false financial disclosure reports. Sentenced to 21 months in prison.

Richard Hanna - Democrat - U.S. Representative from California from 1963 to 1974. Received payments of about $200,000 from a Korean businessman in what became known as the "Koreagate" influence buying scandal. Pleaded guilty and sentenced to federal prison.

Angelo Errichetti - Democrat - New Jersey State Senator was sentenced to six years in prison and fined $40,000 for his involvement in Abscam.

Daniel Baugh Brewster - Democrat - U.S. Senator from Maryland. Indicted on charges of accepting illegal gratuity while in Senate.

Thomas Joseph Dodd - Democrat - U.S. Senator from Connecticut. Censured by the Senate for financial improprieties, having diverted $116,000 in campaign and testimonial funds to his own use

Edward Fretwell Prichard, Jr. - Democrat - Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kentucky. Convicted of vote fraud in federal court in connection with ballot-box stuffing. Served five months in prison.

Jerry Springer - Democrat - Resigned from Cincinnati City Council in 1974 after admitting to paying a prostitute with a personal check, which was found in a police raid on a massage parlor.

Guy Hamilton Jones, Sr. - Democrat -Arkansas State Senate. Convicted on federal tax charges and expelled from the Arkansas Senate.

Daniel Flood - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania from 1945 to 1947, 1949 to 1953 and 1955 to 1980. Pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge involving payoffs and sentenced to probation.

Otto Kerner, Jr - Democrat - Governor of Illinois from 1961 to 1968. While serving as Governor, he and another official made a gain of over $300,000 in a stock deal. Convicted on 17 counts of bribery, conspiracy, perjury, and related charges. Sentenced to three years in federal prison and fined $50,000.

George Crockett, Jr. - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Michigan. Served four months in federal prison for contempt of court following his defense of a Communist leader on trial for advocating the overthrow of the government.

Cornelius Edward Gallagher - Democrat - U.S. Representative from New Jersey from 1959 to 1973. Indicted on federal charges of income tax evasion, conspiracy, and perjury

Mark B. Jimenez - Democrat fundraiser - sentenced to 27 months in prison on charges of tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud the United States and commit election financing offenses.

Bobby Lee Rush - Democrat - U.S. Representative from Illinois. As a Black Panther, spent six months in prison on a weapons charge.

Bolley ''Bo'' Johnson - Democrat - Former Florida House Speaker - received a two-year term for tax evasion.

Roger L. Green - Democrat - Brooklyn Democrat Assemblyman. Pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for accepting travel reimbursement for trips he did not pay for and was sentenced to fines and probation.

Gloria Davis - Democrat - Bronx assemblywoman. Pleaded guilty to second-degree bribe-taking.