Florida fool

You would think that a person elected to Congress would be a person who has some common sense. You would think that a person with oversight of Internet predators and exploited/missing children would himself be someone who stood up for children. You would think someone in a position of authority would be worthy of respect and admiration. If you thought those things about Mark Foley, who until Friday represented the 16th District of Florida in Congress, you'd have been wrong.

Turns out former Rep. Foley is a creepy, dirty old man. He resigned Friday when it became apparent that the reports of his online messages to a former male page in his office would become public. Pages are always juniors in high school, and it's not a good idea, let alone legal, for a Congressman to be contacting the youngster and making lewd comments in online chat. This kid was 16 at the time of the online chat!

Slate has the text of the instant messages, via ABC News.

So now, Foley's gone and there is the fallout. Turns out the Republican House leadership knew about the situation for months and sat on the info and perhaps tried to cover it up. This just has not been a good Congressional term for the GOP. Three Republican Congressmen were indicted this term: Tom DeLay of Texas, Bob Ney of Ohio and Randy "Duke" Cunningham of California.

The Foley vacancy also means the Democrats have a chance at picking up the seat that was considered a solid win for the Republicans. Foley's name stays on the already-printed ballots, but any votes for him would go to his as-yet-unnamed replacement. Still, if I think it would be hard for even a die-hard Republican to bring him- or herself to mark the bubble next to the creep's name.

Is it any wonder that increasingly people want a change in control of Congress?

-- Wenatchee, Wash.