Foley’s money

October 2, 2006

Given the circumstances of the [tag]Mark Foley[/tag] scandal, I naively assumed Republicans would want literally nothing to do with him for the rest of their lives. But then this tidbit from the New York Times caught my eye.

Mr. Foley, who served on the House Ways and Means Committee, was a prolific fund-raiser. His campaign account had a balance of $2.7 million at the end of August, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

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.

Talk about ill-gotten gains. A sexual predator, whose conduct GOP leaders may have helped cover up, has $2.7 million in his campaign coffers — and the NRCC, which may have played a key role in the cover-up, now wants the money for themselves?

I have to assume Republicans haven’t thought this one through. In New Mexico, for example, Rep. Heather Wilson (R) and state Attorney General Patricia Madrid (D) are engaged in one of the most closely-watched House races in the country. Yesterday, after Madrid noted that Wilson had accepted $8,000 in campaign contributions from Foley, Wilson quickly announced that she would donate the money to charity. That’s the right move, but it’s hard to see why Republicans would want to see the same scenario played out in other districts.

If, by chance, Foley does decide to cut the NRCC a $2.7 million check, and that money starts working its way around the key House races nationwide, do the Republicans really want Dems to start talking about these candidates benefiting from money donated by a sexual [tag]predator[/tag]?

Dems are already anxious to bring this scandal to the front door of every Republican in Congress. I’m sure the NRCC would like nothing more than a last-minute infusion of $2.7 million, but if the campaign committee thinks it’ll use that money consequence-free, the NRCC just isn’t paying attention.

I bet Ken Mehlman would love this money.

  • Of course, the RNCC would love to have the money, and of course they would use it. Once they have Foley’s money, it is no longer Foley’s, but theirs, and any contributions they make to local Republican campaigns come from the RNCC, not Foley. In case anyone is looking for a simple description of this, it is called “money laundering”. Lest anyone forget, it is what Tom Delay is awaiting trial for engaging in. It should also be rremembered that Republicans have loudly proclaimed Delay did nothing wrong and charging him was merely an attempt to “criminalize” politics.

    I am not for a moment suggesting that the RNCC taking Foley’s money would be illegal; there is nothing to suggest that it would be illegal. However, they never seem to have heard of the word ethical.

  • Perhaps this money should go to a fund to compensate predator’s victims. If the GOP diverts it to campaigns, they should be on the hook for a big chunk of the settlements that will eventually happen, now that this has come to light.
    Oh, sorry, we’re talking GOP here. That would be doing the right thing, so never mind.

  • Guys, it’s not Foley’s money either. He got if from (conservative ?) donors who might well be surprised to find out the kind of conduct this guy engages in.

    He should give it back to the donors and let them pass it on. Assuming they don’t feel rather burned by the GOP (Gay Old Pedophiles).

    The NRCC taking it straight from him, now that would be a scandel.

    Interesting that this guy is such a good money raiser. Makes you wonder about the caliber of his donors too, doesn’t it?

  • If Republicans decide not to take money from Foley, Democrats could still take advantage of his past donations to the RNCC. He’s donated $315,000 to the GOP in the last 3 years. Some of that money must have made its way to close Congressional races this year. Time for Democrats to step up and suggest that their opponents while criticizing the actions of a pedophile in public are quite happy to accept his money quietly.

    Fight dirty. Go for the jugular. Don’t think about it. Democrats can dither about whether such tactics are conscionable and factually correct after the election.

  • “He’s donated $315,000 to the GOP in the last 3 years.”

    So, basically Foley has not been living off his salary?

    GOP, party of rich predators of all strips.

  • I would really love to see a list of this guys donors. Do they mostly know his proclivities and fund him despite them…

    … or because of them.

    Burrr!!!!!

  • “Do the right thing for once in your lives and give it to charity as BuzzMon suggested @ 6” – koreyel

    I don’t know why people think charities deserve money that donors gave to promote political views. These people are supposed to have records where the money came from. It’s like the Native-American money that came through Abramoff. Rather than giving it back to the tribes (who probably really needed it) it went to the congressmen’s favorite charities.

    Give it back I say! Don’t try to put lipstick on that pig by giving it to charity.

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