What to do with Mark Foley's money

Before he resigned his seat in disgrace, Rep. Mark Foley had $2.7 million in his campaign warchest. The NRCC, which is strapped for cash this year, wants to get its hands on that money:

Carl Forti, the communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said Sunday that the committee would gladly accept Mr. Foley’s money or part of it to devote to House races. Mr. Foley already gave $100,000 to the committee in July, campaign records show, as part of the party’s Battleground Program, to which members are asked to contribute.

“The money is in the control of Mr. Foley,” Mr. Forti said. “Whatever he decides to do with it is up to him.”

Link via Josh Marshall. And let's remember why the NRCC wants that money, as Kos says:

Foley represented a moderately conservative district, FL-16. In 2000, Bush beat Gore 53-47. In 2004, Bush beat Kerry 54-46. It was a district which Foley had represented since 1994, with his worst showing his first election with a 58% victory. In 2002 he won with 79%, in 2004 with 68%. This was a safe Republican district. Foley also raised a lot of money, and as the recent $100K gift from Foley to the NRCC attests, the party needed his fundraising skills.

Then 2006 rolls around. The GOP is facing a tough reelection with history, Bush, and their own incompetence weighing down their chances. The DCCC has had a banner fundraising and candidate recruitment year. And suddenly, Foley faces the GOP's worst nightmare in Tim Mahoney -- a Democratic challenger who 1) was a former Republican, and 2) is worth $8 gazillion and can self-fund his race. Mahoney announced his candidacy October 12, 2005, right around the time the House leadership was trying to figure out what to do about Foley's predatory practices.

Without Foley on the ticket, not only would the GOP suddenly face a competitive contest in a relatively safe district, but it would cost them $2-3 million to defend -- money that they no longer have available.

So they made a decision. They were going to look the other way despite knowing about Foley's predatory actions against the House's pages, and in return, Foley would keep them one seat closer to the majority and save them millions.

Forget about Foley. He's done. What's incredible about this scandal is the lengths this Republican Party will go to maintain their majorities. We already knew that power trumped everything for these guys. But coddling a child predator merely to save some cash and protect a single House seat.

They should've been protecting the kids working the House instead.

What should be done with Mark Foley's money? Nick Lampson, who founded and chaired the the Congressional Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children before being redistricted out of his seat in 2004, has the right answer:

Today, I sent a letter to my opponent asking her to join me in calling for the resignation of any member of the Congressional Leadership who had knowledge of inappropriate email and instant messenger communications between shamed Congressman Mark Foley and underage pages working at the House of Representatives. I urged my opponent to donate the funds she recently received from Congressman Tom Reynolds -- who has admitted he knew of the situation and did nothing about it -- and from any others in congressional leadership who had prior knowledge of Mr. Foley's actions to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Now, we find out that the national Republicans are quick to condemn Congressman Foley, but are willing to accept the $2.7 million campaign war chest Mr. Foley has amassed. On Sunday, Carl Forti, the communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said "that the committee would gladly accept Mr. Foley's money or part of it to devote to House races." [New York Times, 10/2/06]

That's despicable.

Please join me in calling on Mr. Foley and the NRCC to donate his $2.7 million campaign war chest to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

http://ga3.org/campaign/donate_foley_money

I founded the Congressional Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children. This caucus helped create the National Amber Alert and the Customs Cyber Crimes Unit. Last week, we discovered that Congressman Foley hypocritically joined the caucus and even rose to be chair of the organization. Because of my involvement in that caucus, I feel utterly betrayed by these revelations. This is simply disgusting, and the fact that Congressional leaders knew about the allegations and actively worked to cover them up is an outrage. Any member of the Congressional Leadership who knew about these allegations and failed to act should resign from Congress immediately.

These emails and instant messages and the cover up that followed are worse than political corruption. Sitting members of Congress did nothing while a sexual predator preyed on minors working in the Capitol. This is a level of cynicism I never thought I'd see in government. It's enough to make one ill.

And now, the NRCC is publicly courting Mr. Foley's campaign funds in the New York Times. It's outrageous, and it's politics at its lowest.

Email the NRCC and Mr. Foley today! Demand that they donate his campaign funds to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

http://ga3.org/campaign/donate_foley_money

I can only hope congressional leaders in Washington do the right thing. Thank you for taking the time.

Sincerely,

Nick Lampson

The ball is in your court, Shelley. So far I haven't heard a peep from any local Republican Congressfolk or Congressional candidates regarding this matter. Even the Washington Times has called for Speaker Hastert to resign. What do you think needs to be done here, Shelley? John? Mike? Ted? Ron? Kevin?

Posted by Charles Kuffner on October 03, 2006 to Scandalized! | TrackBack