Foley's parting gift to the Republicans

Former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Republican) gave his Republican colleagues a gift on his way out of town. News stories out there now are saying that Foley wants people to know he was sexually abused as a teenager himself and he wanted to publicly announce that he is a homosexual.

The last part that he announced is not relevant to his scandal at all, but I'm willing to bet his Republican colleagues in the House pressed him to add that part. It was well known on Capitol Hill when I was there that Foley was gay. He did not need to announce that now except for the fact that his Republican colleagues are desperate to be able to pin this scandal on anything other than themselves.

Having Foley announcing he is gay lets part of the Republican base that hates homosexuals excuse this whole episode in their mind. A number of state have gay marriage and civil union amendments on the ballot this fall and this announcement will feed into the sick thinking in some minds that equates homosexuality with pedophilia.

Foley's action are not because he is a homosexual, but the Republicans are hoping his announcement yesterday that he a homosexual will let many believe that they are linked.