What Did Burns Know About Foley

& When Did He Know It?

Months After GOP Knew of Foley’s Behavior, Burns and Foley Joined Forces to Introduce the Regrettably Named “Internet Safety Act.”

Burns sponsored the Senate version of Foley’s Internet SAFETY Act.

Months after Republicans were alerted to Rep. Mark Foley’s behavior, a provision originally introduced as stand-alone legislation by Sen. Hatch and cosponsored by Sen. Burns (S. 1086), the "Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act", was also included in the package. [Burns Press Release, 7/20/06]

Foley Applauded the Passage of Burns’ Legislation in the Senate.

Foley, Co-chairman of the Missing and Exploited Children Caucus, applauded Senate passage of legislation he and Burns authored and introduced together overhauling the nation's sex offender registration and notification laws. "For too long our nation has tracked library books better than it has sex offenders. That day is coming to an end," said Foley. “We are closing loopholes that sex offenders and pedophiles have used to prey on children." [Rep. Foley Press Release, 7/21/06]

 

Burns Claimed Their Bill Would Shut Down Sexual Predators and Ensure Enablers Would Also Pay a Significant Price.

Burns Said He and Foley’s Bill Will Shut Down Child Sexual Predators and Their Enablers Who Use the Internet to Exploit Children.

Sen. Burns said, "Child sexual predators and their enablers have long used the internet to exploit children and this bill will go a long way toward shutting that down. This common-sense legislation provides our law enforcement with more tools to catch and track these offenders, and stiffens penalties for first time and repeat offenders." [Burns Press Release, 7/20/06]

Sen. Burns said, "Child sexual predators have long used the internet for their sick perversions. This bill will go a long way toward shutting that down. Not only do those who commit these horrific acts need to be punished severely, people and businesses that facilitate the acts of these evil predators need to pay a significant price as well. The fear of real prison terms and financial penalties is exactly what is needed in dealing with those who would otherwise bury their heads in the sand when it comes to what they are really doing and making money off of." [Burns Press Release, 6/13/06]

Scandal Breaks, Days Pass; No Word From Burns.

Burns Stays Silent After Six Days.

Sen. Burns has put out six press releases since the Foley story broke, and not one has mentioned Mark Foley. A full six days have passed since the Foley news broke with no public statement from Burns. [Burns Senate Website]

Republican Leaders Knew About Foley and Did Nothing…

In the Fall of 2005, Speaker Hastert Was Informed of Emails Sent by Rep. Foley to Pages.

In the fall of 2005, House Speaker Dennis Hastert's office was apprised that Foley (R-Fla.) had sent "over-friendly" e-mail to a 16-year-old Louisiana boy, whose parents had complained. The congressman had asked for a photo of the boy and spoke of another boy being "in great shape." This caused the House clerk and the House member in charge of the page program to speak to Foley and instruct him to cease contact. And that was that, with no further curiosity or action deemed necessary. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Editorial, 10/3/06]

In Early 2006, Rep. Alexander Told the NRCC Chair, the House Majority Leader and the Speaker Of the Incident.

Earlier this year, Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-La.), who had sponsored the Louisiana boy as a page, also told Rep. Thomas Reynolds (R-N.Y.) of the incident. Reynolds chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee, to which Foley has given $100,000 this summer. Reynolds reportedly told House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) of the incident. Reynolds said he also told Hastert (R-Ill.), who said he had no recollection of the discussion. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Editorial, 10/3/06]

Foley, Burns-Abramoff Scandals Unraveling Party

Chris Matthews Compared the Burns and Foley Scandals Wondering If “People Don’t Get One Bad Smell Out of This Whole Thing.”

CHRIS MATTHEWS, MSNBC ANCHOR: Mark Foley, caught on the web, joins Duke Cunningham, booted for bribery, Bill Jefferson, caught with cold cash in his fridge, Bob Ney and Conrad Burns, buddies of Abramoff, Republican leader Tom DeLay and Sen. George Allen in deep macaca. Will this magnificent seven drive voters to rebel…That’s why I stacked it together, because I wonder whether the people don’t get one big bad smell out of this whole thing. They see Abramoff guy, who’s certainly not part of the moral majority, playing around with people like Bob Ney and Conrad Burns. [MSNBC, Hardball, 10/2/06]