ojai news at The Ojai Post :: blog, newspaper, events in Ojai, California

Demitri - I was hoping you'd weigh in on this topic. Of course, the Mark Foley issue isn't really a "gay issue", its more about the corrupt party of which he is a member covering up his actions for years, encouraging him to run for re-election and even placing him in charge of Child Protection legislation. As bad as Foley's actions were, its Hastert, Reynolds and every other Republican complicit in the cover-up who serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive corruption in the GOP.

that is exactly what I was trying to say in a conversation this afternoon.It wouldn't have gone on for so long if they had just done their jobs.

Absolutely. If the GOP leadership can't even show a little accountability and moral backbone to protect the kids in the Page program (who are nearly uniformly sons and daughters of wealthy Beltway insiders), how could they possibly be expected to show accountability and moral backbone with regards to the war in Iraq, homeland security, warrantless wiretapping, oversight of the executive branch or any other issue in Washington?

Even though the actions taken by Mr. Foley are horrible. And the members who attempted to cover this up need to be found and punished for their actions. I am having a hard time listening to these blanket accusations.

"Its more about the corrupt party of which he is a member covering up his actions for years"

I don't see what can justify sending a blanket statement about an entire party when there where a few, selected members who attempted to cover up this horrible incident.

What about Fox news labeling Foley as a Dem?!

Demitri - as always, love your perspective!

i believe Tom has a point (before anyone jumps him).

just like there are plenty of gay republicans who are otherwise good people despite their self-repression,
just like there are plenty of socially aware republicans (yes! they exist...i call them "real" or "good" republicans) who share progressive values in silence for fear of ostracization,

i'm certain there are a majority of republicans - even at the Party level - who are not supportive of this situation. (however, where are their voices?)

that is not to say, however, that there's not a clear systemic and perhaps philosophical rot within that party, which has allowed this to happen...perhaps even encouraged it to happen. i hope i'm reading Tom right in hoping that we can simultaneously feel the challenge to our values AND an empathy for those involved, in a way that helps us discover solutions rather than put up more walls.

This is an important subject, and I'm glad you're bringing it up here, since I have not been reading about it in the press, in which I have no confidence at all as to getting to the truth. What is the core issue? I assume it is that homosexuality is a valueable and legitimate life experience, and therefore should be openly accepted and acknowledged, and not repressed, and not denied when it becomes a political issue. Regarding minors, the adult community has a responsibility to protect them from undue, premature force, and to educate them about sexual values and dangers. In other words, it is a truth issue.

Politics should be about truth, but on this lower world level, it usually reduces to power. The Republicans and the Democrats both forsake truth in their pursuit of power. The Greens and other political activists speak to certain truths, but are not powerful because they do not engage the power structure on the issue of philosophical and theological truth. Political expediency rules and truth suffers.

God willing, the Red Brown and Blue Party which I have recently founded, will command the middle ground of truth, and co-opt the Reds and the Blues. On the gay issue, we will state the truth as we see it, that homosexuality is a valueable and legitimate life experience for some souls, with all the ramifications that flow from that premise. Our party intends to speak truth to power, to the best of our ability; securing votes is not a priority for us.

evan, That is exactly what my comment is getting at. Even though there may be many reasons to believe there is corruption within this party. I think using this case, in particular, doesn't seem like a justified accusation towards this party.

I cannot see how comments like this are creating any sort of joining of people and or parties. Our country is divided enough right now. Let us try to create unification not more division. Especially on topics such as these that disgrace and disgust us all Republican, Democrat, Independent, Green, Red Brown and Blue, etc.

Tom - Thanks for your thoughts, and I agree with the sentiment, if not with the facts before us.

First, regarding division: this administration in power has played politics to the extreme and polarized the American public. When W. had 90% approval ratings post-9/11, they systematically attacked any dissenters, calling them appeasers, traitors and worse. That has not changed. The political climate starts from the very top, and trickles down through all levels of government, our traditional media and grassroots media.

Regarding this particular issue, it speaks to much larger systemic issues within the Republican party. There is corruption and cronyism to the core. I'll follow with a partial list of examples from the last three years. Its a few months old, so I am sure we could add to it:

# Vice President Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff Scooter Libby resigns after being indicted on felony charges of obstruction of justice, perjury and making false statements in the CIA leak investigation

# President Bush severely criticized for his role in the domestic NSA wire tap program; Close advisor Karl Rove deeply involved in the same investigation that indicted Scooter Libby; Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has been severely criticized for his role in the torture memos.

# Jack Abramoff has been ordered to report to prison by June 29th, 2006. There are two separate prosecutions against Jack Abramoff.

The first is focused on Abramoff's defrauding of investors in his purchase, along with Adam Kidan, of SunCruz, a fleet of casino boats. That investigation is being handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Florida. Abramoff was indicted for his involvement in the SunCruz fraud case August 11th, 2005 and pled guilty January 4th, 2006 to two counts (Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Wire Fraud). He, along with Kidan, was sentenced March 29th to five years, 10 months in prison. Abramoff's yet to be sentenced in the other case.

The other case relates to bribing public officials and defrauding his Indian clients - it's being led by Justice Department prosecutors and is proceeding in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Jack Abramoff pled guilty January 3rd, 2006 to three counts (Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, Mail Fraud, and Tax Evasion). A status conference is scheduled for June 6th.

# Tom DeLay, former GOP House Majority Leader already under indictment in Texas, suddenly resigned from Congress Tuesday under a swirling dark cloud of corruption speculation after two of his former senior aids copped pleas and a third may be about to follow suit.

# Senate Republican Majority Leader Bill Frist is under investigation for possible securities violations regarding his stock in the company his family founded.

# Michael Brown was the unqualified FEMA director who was appointed by George W. Bush and resigned September 2005. Before joining FEMA, Brown was the Judges and Stewards Commissioner for a Horse Association.

# Leading Bush 2000 Campaign contributor and personal friend to the President, Ken Lay, currently being tried for his alleged role in the Enron debacle while he was CEO. According to Conspiracy of Fools, Lay was nearly chosen to be Secretary of the Treasury shortly after Bush's victory in 2000.

# Ohio Republican (And Bush Pioneer) Tom Noe indicted on 2/13/06 on 53 counts, including forgery, money laundering, and theft, related to Coingate. By some reports, Noe was on the verge of being put in charge of the U. S. Mint in some senior level capacity.

# Republican Congressman Randall (Duke) Cunningham sentenced to eight years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges of accepting over two million dollars in bribes from a defense contractor while we were at war.

# Grover Norquist is a top Republican advisor for George W. Bush and friend of Jack Abramoff, he worked for Abramoff in college and in later years he had Republican fundraising events with Abramoff.

# Presidential Domestic Policy Advisor and self proclaimed Christian conservative Claude Allen arrested for shoplifting over $5,000 worth of items from Target stores.

# In August of 2005 Republican Gov. Bob Taft pleaded no contest to four criminal ethics charges for his failure to disclose golf outings paid for by lobbyists, as well as undisclosed gifts worth $5,800, he was fined $4,000 plus court costs.

# In September of 2005 Republican Ernie Fletcher fired 9 of his own staffers for a crony hiring scandal, all of whom he had recently pardoned. Among them was Richard Murgatroyd, Fletcher's deputy chief of staff.

# Department of Homeland Security Assistant Press Secretary Brian Doyle facing arrest on 23 charges related to soliciting sex from a 14 year-old minor in a police sting operation.

# Ed Buckham, former chief of staff to Tom DeLay and later Chairman of the lobbying firm Alexander Strategy Group, appeared in Tony Rudy's guilty plea as "Lobbyist B." According to the plea, Buckham helped in routing $50,000 in payments to Rudy's wife's consulting firm - the money was to bribe Rudy for his help defeating a bill on behalf of Jack Abramoff's client. Tony Rudy is another former staffer to Tom Delay, who has also plead guilty to charges in the Abramoff lobbyist scandal.

# John Colyandro was Executive Director of Tom DeLay's PAC Texans for a Republican Majority. He, along with Jim Ellis, was indicted for Money Laundering in 2004 alleging an illegal money swap with the Republican National State Elections Committee, an arm of the Republican National Committee. Colyandro also faces a charge for Unlawful Acceptance of a Contribution from a Corporation.

# Jim Ellis was Executive Director of DeLay's PAC Americans for a Republican Majority. He, along with John Colyandro, was indicted for Money Laundering in 2004 alleging an illegal money swap with the Republican National State Elections Committee, an arm of the Republican National Committee.

# Shaun Hansen, co-owner of Mylo Enterprises, was indicted March 8th on charges of conspiring to commit and aiding the commission of telephone harassment. He is set to stand trial on May 2nd.

Hansen's firm was hired by Allen Raymond's consulting firm, GOP Marketplace, to jam the phone lines of Democratic get-out-the-vote efforts on Election Day, November 5, 2002. Raymond was hired by Chuck McGee, executive director of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee, based on a referral by James Tobin, New England Regional Political Director for the Republican National Committee. Both McGee and Raymond pled guilty and testified against Tobin, who was convicted.

# Chuck McGee, the former Executive Director of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee, pled guilty July 28th, 2004 to one count: Conspiracy to engage in interstate telephone communications with the intent to annoy or harass. On March 11th, 2005, he was sentenced to 7 months in prison, which he began serving April 26th, 2005. He served his time and has been released.

# Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) is being investigated for accepting bribes from Jack Abramoff and Michael Scanlon. He was named as a coconspirator ("Representative #1") in Abramoff's plea and ("Legislator #1") in Scanlon's plea and (Representative #1) in Tony Rudy's plea.

# Allen Raymond, president of GOP Marketplace, pled guilty June 30th, 2004 to one count: Conspiracy to engage in interstate telephone communications with the intent to annoy or harass. On February 8th, 2005, he was sentenced to 5 months in prison. He made a motion to reduce his sentence; on February 2nd, he was sentenced to 3 months in prison, even though the prosecution only asked for house arrest.

# Warren RoBold was a fundraiser for Tom DeLay's PACs (TRMPAC and ARMPAC) and was indicted in 2004 for taking illegal corporate money for TRMPAC - nine counts of Unlawful Acceptance of a Political Contribution from a Corporation. RoBold is charged with nine separate third-degree felonies, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

# Tony Rudy pled guilty March 31 to one count of Conspiracy. He was a former aide to Tom DeLay, a colleague of Jack Abramoff's and then a lobbyist at Alexander Strategy Group. He was named ("Staffer A") as a coconspirator in Abramoff's plea.

# David Safavian was indicted October 5th, 2005 for Obstruction of Proceedings before an Agency and Making False Statements. He is accused of lying to investigators about his dealings with Jack Abramoff while he was chief of staff for the General Services Administration. He went on to be the government's top procurement officer in the Office of Management and Budget until he had to step down because of the investigation.

# On November 21st, 2005, Michael Scanlon, Jack Abramoff's partner in the Indian fraud and bribery schemes, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud the United States.

# James Tobin, the former New England Regional Political Director for the Republian National Committee, was found guilty December 15th, 2005 of two counts: Conspiracy to commit the commission of interstate telephone harassment and Aiding and abetting the commission of interstate telephone harassment. He was acquitted of a third count, Conspiracy against voters' rights.

# Neil Volz, a former aide to Bob Ney and member of Team Abramoff, was named ("Staffer B") as a coconspirator in Abramoff's plea.

# Mitchell Wade, President of the defense contracting firm MZM, Inc., pled guilty on February 24th, 2006 to one count of conspiring both to bribe Congressman Randall "Duke" Cunningham and to tax evasion; one count of Use of Interstate Facilities to Promote Bribery; one count of conspiring to deprive the Defense Department of the honest services of its employees; and one count of election fraud.

# Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger involved in ethics probe for accepting salary from two men’s fitness magazines while governor, possible kickback from American Media publisher to Schwarzenegger charity and silence money to a woman who had an extramarital affair with Schwarzenegger. This probe may go criminal.

# Republican George Ryan was the Governor of Illinois from 1999 until 2003. Ryan's term in office was marked by a scandal involving the illegal sale of government licenses, contracts and leases by state employees during his prior service as Secretary of State; in the wake of numerous convictions of former aides, he chose not to run for reelection in 2002. In December 2003 he was indicted on 18 federal racketeering, fraud and conspiracy charges. His trial got underway in September 2005.

# Bob Livingston (R-Louisiana) was about to replace Newt Gingrich as Speaker of the House until he resigned in disgrace when it was revealed that he admitted to had been involved in several adulterous affairs, (while attempting to crucify Democratic President Clinton for having done much less).

# Religious right Republican Ralph Reed, candidate for Lt. Gov. in Georgia. Under investigation for involvement in Abramoff, Kidan, DeLay Indian casino money laundering scandal.

# Republican Congressman, Bill Janklow, who has been elected by his Republican supporters for years either as Governor, Attorney General or Congressman. Janklow has a long series of charges against him, including a dozen speeding charges, the most recent of which involved driving some 70 miles over the speed limit (i.e. through a stop sign) and killing another motorist.

# John Roland, Connecticut's Republican governor was forced to resign and went to Federal prison for corruption.

# Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels under investigation for soliciting campaign donations in return for INDOT (Indiana Dept. of Transportation contracts).

# Former Republican Illinois House Leader Rep. Lee Daniels is under Federal investigation for misuse of state employees for political activity and state contract kickbacks.

# Republican Chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Kenneth Tomlinson, investigated for violating the Public Broadcasting Act, resigned after the results of the investigation were published.

# Republican Adam Taff, a 2004 congressional candidate from Kansas was indicted for campaign violations and wire fraud.

# Lawrence Novak, Vice Chair, state GOP, Arrested by FBI for drug money laundering.

Tyler,

Thanks for your long list of abuses of truth and justice. The good news is that there are people who are bringing these law corruptors to truth and justice. Truth implies a standard, and value judgements of right and wrong, which runs counter to our permissive, post-modern age, where many want to feel good without paying the stiff price for doing so. God help us, if we ever lose our first amendment rights to speak the truth as we see it. The Ojai Post is a fine example of a local free press.

Tyler,

Thanks for your comments and information.

Division in the Nation: I completely agree with you on this one. One thing I would like to point out. While W. has done a very good job of dividing this nation. Lets not play into his hands and continue that trend. My father used to say "If your not part of the solution, you are part of the problem." I would like to make sure we are not being part of the problem by considering an entire political party corrupt because of some of its members being corrupt.

I would also like to thank you for this long list of items of corruption within this party. But I would also like to point one thing out. Many of these items are accusations. There are not a whole lot of convictions here (probably because money = freedom). None the less, lets not make these persons guilty before proven innocent. Lets not make the same mistake W. has in Iraq and lets get all the information in before we decide.

Tyler,

That was great! Add to that list that the entire Bush administration (All Republicans) can be tried for War Crimes, and will be if there's any hope of averting WWIII. Iraq is an illegal war started through the willful use of deceit. I'd say that all pretty much makes the ENTIRE REPUBLICAN PARTY corrupt.

Tom -

re: division - trying to be bipartisan and aim for a center ground has gotten the Democrats nowhere. I respectfully disagree that now is the time for reconciliation. The Republicans need to go, and it needs to happen with a tidal wave of support for the Democrats this November.

And I think the entire political party IS corrupt. Look, one of the biggest jobs of Congress is oversight of the executive branch. This Congress, controlled by Republicans, has completely abrogated their responsibility to the American people, in holding executive power in check. They have given Bush a blank check on Iraq, and they have turned a blind eye to any number of issues such as bullshit "unitary executive" signing statements that essentially render Congress obsolete, the suspension of habaeus corpus, condoning and institutionalizing torture, warrantless wiretapping, a disastrous energy policy and on and on. Not to mention the culture that has enabled cronyism, and resulted in gross incompetence at FEMA, the Dept of Defense, over in Iraq and everywhere else where a Bush Pioneer has gotten a sweet government job. Their incompetence and cronyism is costing American lives, and that is unacceptable.

I think the facts speak for themselves - this is a corrupt administration that is enabled by a corrupt congress led by Republicans. There is no one else to blame. They collectively are an unmitigated disaster, and I am tired of speaking reasonably and trying to find middle ground.

Thanks, though, for continuing the conversation!

What I think is interesting is how the subject has changed on this story. It was first revealed that Foley was making sexual advances towards underage pages. That was the shocking story to me. Once the story exploded… the revelation of Homosexuality. Now the conversation has completely changed. The story is no longer about a leader, using his position, authority and age, to pressure underage minors into illegal encounters. Now it's about homosexuality and how terrible it is. Homosexuals are not pedophiles, heterosexuals are, and the dialogue has radically changed to allow vilification, once again, of a person's right to choose their own sexual preferences. We, on the left, have to stop playing into these distractions and keep the subject focused. This man was abusing his power and he hurt our children. Others, in the party, covered it up. Religious republican leaders are all over TV, talk radio, and on editorial pages making excuses for this man and what he did. The children involved are being blamed. We in the liberal community have an obligation not to make this a republican/democrat issue, or a gay/straight issue. We simply have to protect our children and behave in a way that is right!

The Democrats are screaming for an investigation into the dispicable Foley actions, and demanding that the Speaker of the House resign, they seem to have forgotten their own past. They seem to have forgotten how, when Gerry Studds was read the censure by the then speaker, Tim O'Neill, Studds upon turning his back to the House to show his distain, received a standing ovation from his fellow Democrats.
And Nancy Pelosi seems to have forgotten that it was she who voted five times to make Studds a committee chairman.
Gerry Studds, who didn't just make off-color comments to a page, but committed what is now known as date rape as he plied the 17 year old page with alcohol and took advantage of the page's drunkeness.

Coleen - I completely agree with you. Esspecially with the aspect of people blaming the boys. I was watching Bill Maher (A liberal talk show host one HBO) the other night and he too said these boys are not innocent because they where 15-16 and they knew what they where doing.

Lets not try to find scapegoats. We need to find the people who where directly involved in the cover up and act accordingly.

first, i want to reconnect with Demitri's original post, which was articulate and emotional...i loved it.

now i have a few words in regard to Brian's post above: i'm not certain what your point is. it would seem as though you're trying to say "the Democrats, without a squeaky-clean record of their own, have no credibility to call for investigation and resignation". if that were the litmus test for calling for action, we'd be frozen solid forever. nobody's got a perfect record, but that shouldn't prevent anyone from doing the right thing NOW.

I agree with evan, Brian. So you condone Mark Foley's actions and the resulting cover-up?

And the Democrats aren't screaming for much of anything on this one. The Republicans are in a circular firing squad, throwing out lies and misdirection at every opportunity, and trying to take each other down because there is so much at stake and so much more to hide.

Thick and thin, Brian, you'll hang with your party to the bitter end. I guess you go to Washington with the pedophiles and cronies you have, not the ones you want.

I was simply pointing out the hypocracy of the democratic party. When one of your guys does something far worst than Foley did he gets a standing ovation and gets elected to a chairmanship. Foley was forced out and resigned, as he should be end of story. The democrates have nothing to offer in the way of leadership so the only thing left is to divert attention from important issues that face our country. Curious that this came out with in weeks of the election, democratic operatives were possibly sitting on this instead of bringing it to the forefront when it was discovered, if that is true they are guilty too. Why didn't Gerry Studds resign or be forced out?

Brian, you have clearly forgotten the impeachment of a President for diddling with an intern. Yet no impeachment of a President for diddling with an entire country? There's some hypocracy for ya!

Brian - this is a Republican scandal top to bottom. Media Matters and other publications have addressed the misinformation you are clearly a part of spreading.

Regarding the myth that Democrats were involved in leaking the information: FALSE
http://mediamatters.org/items/200610110009#1

Regarding the myth that Foley was "forced out" - FALSE.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200610110009#5

More on the myth that Foley was "forced out" - FALSE. In fact, news today shows Rove himself convinced Foley to stay in the election.
http://www.tnr.com/blog/theplank?pid=47854
"According to the source, Foley said he was being pressured by "the White House and Rove gang," who insisted that Foley run. If he didn't, Foley was told, it might impact his lobbying career."

I find great amusement that the GOP considers themselves the party of personal responsibility when the reality is anything but. And you are part of this, Brian, justifying the actions of a sexual predator and the top GOP leadership that not only looked the other way but encouraged him the retain his seat.

You cite a case from 20+ years ago, in which the Democrats in power may not have operated with moral clarity. And they would be rightly condemned for behaving in that manner. Now with Mark Foley, the Republicans are far more interested in staying in power and justifying their indefensible actions, than looking out for the kids that work for them.

And clearly, your partisan view that the Democrats don't have anything to offer in terms of leadership is merely that - partisanship. In fact, let's review Nancy Pelosi's first 100 hours after the Democrats take control of the House:

Day One: Put new rules in place to "break the link between lobbyists and legislation."

Day Two: Enact all the recommendations made by the commission that investigated the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Time remaining until 100 hours: Raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, maybe in one step. Cut the interest rate on student loans in half. Allow the government to negotiate directly with the pharmaceutical companies for lower drug prices for Medicare patients.

Broaden the types of stem cell research allowed with federal funds - "I hope with a veto-proof majority," she added in an Associated Press interview Thursday.

All the days after that: "Pay as you go," meaning no increasing the deficit, whether the issue is middle class tax relief, health care or some other priority.

To do that, she said, Bush-era tax cuts would have to be rolled back for those above "a certain level." She mentioned annual incomes of $250,000 or $300,000 a year and higher, and said tax rates for those individuals might revert to those of the Clinton era.

I am in no way justifying what this character Foley did.

But you are justifying the cover-up, which is even worse - it points to the systemic corruption in the GOP leadership, not the personal and moral failings of one member of Congress. And that's why this is a Republican scandal with legs.

If your GOP leadership had investigated and tossed out Foley years ago when they were first warned about him, then this scandal would never have blown up. But the arrogance, hubris, corruption and deceit of the GOP leaders, and their assumption that they could control the issue and retain his seat and fundraising ability, is what has led to the scandal as it exists now.

Score:

Tyler: 10
Reblicans: -3

Did I mention Cave of the Yellow Dog is tonight...and it's free? Let's go chill out and let the big screen absorb us for a couple hours, hmm?

How do we move beyond the polarity, the us and them?: compassion. Everything starts at home, parenting, we have sociopathic children running many aspects of the government. I have compassion for those who have not moved beyond the fear that causes them to act out onto others. May their children meet the mentors that will help them heal and have regard for life. From life takers to life givers. In the meantime, as individuals, we can live by example and look in the mirror and be honest if we like the person we see.