Darkside Rainbow

No, we’re not taking a trip back to kindergarten. But l-o-o-p-h-o-l-e spells loophole, and I smell a loophole in the investigation into Representative Mark Foley’s online activities with teenage boys.

Florida Probe Into Foley Page Scandal Hits Brick Wall - 365gay.com

(West Palm Beach, Florida) Florida’s top police agency said Wednesday its investigation into former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley’s lurid Internet communications with teenage boys has been hindered because neither Foley nor the House will let investigators examine his congressional computers.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement says it hopes to conclude its investigation next week. Foley, a Florida Republican, resigned from Congress on Sept. 29 after being confronted with the computer messages he sent to male teenage pages who had worked on Capitol Hill.

“We have requested to review federally owned computers that Mr. Foley used during his time as a representative, but the U.S. House of Representatives … cited case law restrictions that prohibited them from releasing those computers,” said Heather Smith, an FDLE spokeswoman.

Smith said that the House claims the computers are considered congressional work papers, and that only Foley can release them for review.

So basically…Foley is in possession of evidence that could incriminate him, and the House of Representativess say that the police can’t use that evidence, or even look at that evidence, unless Foley gives them permission. Now, would you give someone permission to probe through your illicit activities, looking for something they can use to convict you?

This is just an illustration of something that really bothers me about the procedures of criminal justice in this country. Politicians can always find a way to worm out of a conviction, and even find a way to make it legal. Cite national security, brandish a few documents, highlight some obscure legalese, and suddenly everything’s classified, closed-file, sorry, you can’t look at that. Not so much that it’s sensitive information, but it just might get someone in trouble.

Possibly because they deserve to be in trouble. I can’t help but think back to Vice President Cheney having the nerve to say that his office isn’t subject to the system of checks and balances.

Funny how those elected to make and uphold the laws seem to think they don’t have to abide by them.

On an off-topic closing note for the weekend, I’m just about to go send off my first query letter submitting my novel to a prospective agent (as soon as I can get over my jitters and actually push the send button on the e-mail). Wish me luck, folks.

I’ll see you Monday.

florida representative mark foley, page scandal