Democrats Knew About Foley E-Mails Before They Said They Didn’t
We have more evidence that Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi’s and Rep. Rahm Emmanuel’s “Culture of Corruption” campaign was smoke and mirrors. It was a gimmick used only to further enrage an angry electorate. Glen Greenwald found in the House Ethics Report [PDF] on the Mark Foley scandal that “The communications directors for both the House Democratic Caucus and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee also had copies of the e-mails in the fall of 2005″ (p. 76). Greenwald points out Emmanuel did his best Clintonian spin by denying he ever saw Foley’s inappropriate e-mails; e-mails the investigating subcommittee said were “inappropriate communications” (p. 74).
The report damns both parties saying, “There is some evidence that political considerations played a role in decisions that were made by persons in both parties” (p. 71). With an impending election at the time no one should be shocked. Still we should be very disappointed with how our leaders put political considerations above the well-being of House pages entrusted to their care.
Under the command of Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who hasn’t formally been giving control of the House we’ve had:
- Abscam-challenged Rep. John Murtha endorsed by Pelosi for Majority Leader.
- Impeached judge Rep. Alcee Hastings almost chairing the House Intelligence Committee.
- Rep. Alan Mollohan, under investigation by the FBI could take control of the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Science, State, Justice, Commerce and Related Agencies which deals with *surprise* the FBI.
- Rep. William Jefferson re-elected in Louisiana.
New slogan: “Democrats lied, Promises Slide.”
” Did Rahm Emanuel Lie about his Knowledge of Mark Foley? Yes.”
“Greenwald Pounds EmanueL” [via memeorandum]
“The Culture Of Corruption Redux”
UPDATE: Wizbang’s Jay Tea asks,
Will Mr. Jefferson be welcomed back with open arms, his seniority and committee seats restored? Or will he be treated as a pariah, an outcast, a stain on the party that campaigned so vigorously against corruption? He has been publicly championed by the Congressional Black Caucus, the same group that fought so futilely to get impeached former federal judge Alcee Hastings named chairman of the House Select Committee on Intelligence. (Apparently to the CBC, race trumps character in pretty much every case.)
Brian at Iowa Voice writes,
So what does it say (again) about Democrats when they re-elect a notoriously corrupt Congressman, one who was found to have $90,000 in his freezer? One who misused the National Guard during Katrina to retrieve his personal belongings? What does that say about the people who vote for guys like this?
I’ll tell you what it says: it says they don’t care if the man is corrupt, they’ve come to expect it from their Democratic candidates. Jefferson is simply the latest to be caught in deals like this, but he’s certainly not the first Democrat to do it, and he sure as heck won’t be the last.
Suitably Flip “discovered” Rep. Jefferson’s favorite brand of plastic bag. [via FullosseousFlap via Michelle Malkin]
UPDATE: Allahpundit informs us, “Well and good, but let’s not kid ourselves — Greenwald isn’t exactly typing through tears here, Emanuel having been on the nutroots hit list for awhile now thanks to his moderate leanings.”
And here’s some video:
[via NewsBusters]
Foley Wrap Up…
A good while back Michael and I spent a bit of time pointing out that the Foley scandal was bi-partisan in nature and that its implications spread far beyond the impulses of one congressman. None of that means the scandal was very important other than …