Mark Foley
Mark Adam Foley (born September 8 1954) is an American politician, and has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1995, representing the 16th District of Florida (map).
Early years and initial career
Foley was born in Newton, Massachusetts. When he was three years old, his family moved to Lake Worth, Florida. Foley is a 1973 graduate of Lake Worth High School. Foley continued his education at Palm Beach Junior College, and was a business owner in downtown Lake Worth.
At the age of 23, Foley was appointed to the Lake Worth City Council. He was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1990 and to the Florida Senate in 1992. He has served as chairman of Gulfstream Goodwill Industries and Palm Beach Regional Hospital. Foley also is a past president of the Central County Council of Realtors and the Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce.
Congressional career
Foley was elected to the U.S. House in 1994 with 58 percent of the vote, defeating Democrat John Comerford. He was re-elected in 1996 with 64 percent of the vote against Democrat Jim Stuber, and again in 1998 this time without opposition. He was re-elected in 2000 with 60 percent of the vote against Democrat Jean Elliott and Reform Party candidate John McGuire. Constitution Party candidate Jack McLain was his only opponent in 2002. He was re-elected in 2002 with 79 percent of the vote and in 2004 with 68 percent of the vote.
Foley is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee. He is a moderate/liberal Republican, a member of Christine Todd Whitman's Its My Party Too and The Republican Main Street Partnership.
Political Opportunities
In late 2000, Foley played a large role in aiding George W. Bush during the Presidential election recount controversy in Florida.
In 2003, Foley was widely considered the Republican frontrunner for Bob Graham's Senate seat, especially after Graham had announced his retirement. However, longstanding rumors surfaced that Foley was either gay or bisexual and was in a longterm relationship with another man.[4] Initially published only in the gay press, the New Times broke the story in the mainstream press; other papers, including the New York Press, then addressed the topic. Foley held a press conference to denounce the "revolting" rumors and stated that his sexual orientation was unimportant. A few weeks later, he withdrew his candidacy, saying his father's battle with cancer had caused him to reassess his perspective on life (the seat was later won by Republican Mel Martinez). Foley had raised $3 million in campaign contributions before withdrawing.
In 2006, as Republican division over the candidacy of Katherine Harris grew, Foley's name was mentioned as a contender for the race against Democratic Senator Bill Nelson, but he did not file by the May deadline.
Same-sex sexual harrassment controversy
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On September 28, 2006, ABC News reported that Foley had sent email messages, from his personal AOL account, to a then-16-year-old Congressional page asking the page to send a photo of himself to Foley, among other things.[1] Foley's office confirmed Foley sent the messages but responds that it has a practice of asking for photos of individuals who may ask for recommendations and that the page had requested a recommendation.
The page forwarded the messages to other Congressional staffers with the commentaries: "Maybe it is just me being paranoid, but seriously. This freaked me out," and "sick sick sick sick sick."
Foley's emails stated, in part: "did you have fun at your conference...what do you want for your birthday coming up....what stuff do you like to do"[5] and "how are you weathering the hurricane....are you safe…send me an email pic of you as well...."[6]
Actions in Congress
Against Child Pornography and Sexual Offenses
Foley has been one of the foremoest critics in the House of child pornography.[2] Foley introduced a bill in 2002 to outlaw websites featuring controversial images of nude preteen children, saying that "these websites are nothing more than a fix for pedophiles."[3]
Foley's legislation to change federal sex offender laws was supported by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, America's Most Wanted host John Walsh, and a number of victims' rights groups. President George W. Bush signed it into law as part of the Adam Walsh Child Safety and Protection Act of 2006.
Foley has also succeeded in getting a law passed that allows volunteer youth-serving organizations like the Boy Scouts of America and Boys and Girls Clubs to have access to FBI fingerprint background checks to help protect children.
Social Issues Stances
Foley's stances on many social issues, such as abortion and gay rights, differ from his party's. A Roman Catholic, Foley is pro-choice (a member of The Republican Majority For Choice) but has advocated alternatives such as adoption and abstinence.
Trade, Environmental, and Criminal Issues
In 2001, he was one of only 23 Republicans who voted against giving President Bush a stronger hand in negotiating international trade agreements. He did offer last-minute support to the Central American Free Trade Agreement, saying that the measure, which passed the House 217-215, would not harm U.S. sugar interests in the long run.
Foley helped secure the first-ever financial commitment from Congress for the preservation of Florida's Everglades; helped pass legislation that expedites the deportation of non-violent criminal aliens serving their sentences in federal prisons; and he helped eliminate federal prohibitions on notifying a campus community when a student commits a violent crime.
Insurance Industry and International Concerns
Foley also successfully sought a solution for the surviving heirs of Holocaust victims who have been unable to collect on life insurance policies owed to them.
References
- ^ Sixteen-Year-Old Who Worked as Capitol Hill Page Concerned About E-mail Exchange with Congressman, ABC News The Blotter, September 28, 2006 [1]
- ^ [2]Declan McCullagh, Too Broad a Ban on Child Models?, Wired News, May 9, 2002
- ^ [3]Declan McCullagh, Too Broad a Ban on Child Models?, Wired News, May 9, 2002
External links
- Official House website
- Associated Press profile
- Official campaign website
- 2004 article on Foley gay controversy
- Being gay in the GOP: Congressman Mark Foley: A model of political hypocrisy and personal cowardice
- U.S. Rep. Mark Foley calls press to say he won’t talk about his sexual orientation
- Liberace Candidate: Mark Foley’s glass closet. By Michelangelo Signorile
- Nude summer youth camps alarm lawmaker
- Too Broad a Ban on Child Models?
- Voting record maintained by the Washington Post