Shimkus and Hastert should resign
Foley cover up requires resignations

Because of the suspected cover-up of the Rep Foley Scandal, and the subsequent revelations of who knew what, WeDemocrats.com are advocating an immediate resignation of both John Shimkus from his IL-19 position, and the resignation of Speaker of the US House Dennis Hastert. Both knew better, but put political concerns above the law.

The time has come to set things right.

Ron McBride
CEO www.USLINX.com
Exec Dir www.WeDemocrats.com

I hate request for contributions from Candidates, but the time has come for all of us to stand up and be counted. To support Danny Stover in IL-19.

Its been said that “$400,000, just to do a couple of radio ads and a couple district-wide mailings," spending on everything from political consultants to parades and T-shirts, buying new signs, bumper stickers, letterhead and other items cost even more.

Fundraising is one of the two biggest ticket items, along with overhead, on most Candidates’ expense lists. Running a campaign is like running a business, and there are "customers" you have to cultivate: financial donors, campaign volunteers and loyal constituents, but you can’t do that unless you are a multi-millionaire.

Danny isn’t, he is a former college professor who is giving his all to this campaign, and deserves our support, not only in the blogs, or on the ground, which we do, but with our money, to help him win this seat.

As you know in an informal poll conducted by WeDemocrats.com, we predicted a Stover victory in November with a 4,000 vote margin, you can help insure this by supporting him NOW, with only 5 weeks left we can’t wait.

Ron McBride
CEO www.USLINX.com
Exec Dir www.WeDemocrats.com

Shame on Shimkus!

Now with the scandal involving alleged pedophile Rep. Mark Foley, R-FL, Shimkus shows his true colors, charged with leadership and as chairman of the House Page Board, he failed to follow up with his investigation, instead he says he interviewed Foley and accepted his version of the story… The only Democrat on the Board, Rep. Dale Kildee of Michigan who was intentionally kept out of the loop, wasn’t even advised of the complaint, although other House Republicans and the leadership of the NRCC were. Now that’s moral leadership!

Eleven Months, that’s right 11 months, Shimkus has known about this and failed to do anything about it. Why wasn’t it reported to the authorities as it should have been, to the Ethics Committee, to the FBI, or even the Capitol Police?

I will tell you why, it was a scandal in the making, one of the multitude that has surfaced involving Republicans, both in and out of the Bush Administration, and the Republican Congress.

Shimkus claims to have told Foley to stop having contact with the page, what about the dozens of other pages? Where is the paper trail of this issued order?

We voters need answers to questions, such as who knew what about this criminal activity, who covered it up, who should be held responsible, why did the Republican lead Congress attempt to adjourn instead of bringing it up in session as it should have been, why was it swept under the rug until they hoped after the election.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Trib’s Washington bureau is furiously asking why Foley was allowed to remain the chairman of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children when the GOP leadership knew he was having “inappropriate contact” with teen boys.

Duh. Because he’s an expert in the field!

For proof, read some of the emails that are posted here: http://americablog.blogspot.com/2006/09/house-gop-leadership-knew-about-foley.html

Just heard, that the Bush FBI knew about this two months ago and did nothing, Why?

The Republicans are scrambling to cover up the cover up, Democrats are laughing across the country at their excuses. The only thing everyone can agree on. Is that Foley has $2.8 million in his campaign war chest; he should donate the entire amount to charity. Foley's House website has been taken down, so you can't contact him that way, but I bet his AOL email account is still active: MAF54@aol.com

Drop him a line, why don't you? But you might want to use one of your alternative email addresses, or you never know what you might get back from him. Wow, enter at your own risk.

But that still doesn’t answer the question about Shimkus, why did he cover this up, why sweep it under the rug? We voters want to know.
Can you think of a better reason to "DUMP SHIMKUS"? If we don't Shame on us.

'No one's above the law'
April 18, 2006
Peoria Journal-Star
(Shimkus, Talking about George Ryan, convicted criminal and former Governor of Illinois)

"I'm saddened for him. I'm saddened for the family. But this just highlights our system: No one's above the law," he said.
Shimkus said he considers Ryan a friend.

"Anyone who's been in Republican politics . . . everyone had contact with George Ryan, either as secretary of state or as speaker of the House or as governor," Shimkus said. "He was a very huge person in Illinois politics and cared about governing and cared about the party."
Shimkus, who was first elected to Congress in 1996, said he still appreciates "everything that George Ryan did for me in the past and his support." (End of Shimkus Quote)

John if no one is above the law, then why didn’t you report this crime, why didn’t you inform the entire board, why didn’t you advise the FBI or police, why?

Ron McBride
CEO www.USLINX.com
Exec Dir www.WeDemocrats.com

Shimkus has known about this problem for 11 mos. I don't care how he spins
this. He's just as much to blame. ------->
===== 2 articles =============
Congressman quits after messages to teens found
From CNN's Dana Bash
CNN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican Rep. Mark Foley resigned Friday from the House
after sexually explicit instant message conversations with teenage
congressional pages attributed to him surfaced.

The instant message conversations were published on ABCNews.com and other
Internet blogs.

According to ABCNews.com, someone using the screen name "Maf54," which ABC
identified as Foley, communicated with congressional pages.

ABCNews.com posted these instant message exchanges:

Maf54: You in your boxers, too?
Teen: Nope, just got home. I had a college interview that went late.
Maf54: Well, strip down and get relaxed.

ABCNews.com also cited this exchange:

Maf54: What ya wearing?
Teen: tshirt and shorts
Maf54: Love to slip them off of you.

A third example from ABCNews.com:

Maf54: Do I make you a little horny?
Teen: A little.
Maf54: Cool

E-mail exchange questioned

Earlier Friday, a former congressional page questioned e-mails Foley had sent
to him, describing it as "sick." Foley, a Florida representative, apparently
sent the e-mails in August 2005, when the male page was 16 years old.

In the e-mails, which were obtained by the Washington-based Citizens for
Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Foley discussed a second page, saying
"I just emailed [him]... hes such a nice guy... acts much older than his age...
hes in great shape... i am just finished riding my bike on a 25 mile journey
now heading to the gym... whats school like for you this year?"

Foley then asked the page for a picture.

The young man, who forwarded the e-mails to another congressional staffer,
called the e-mails "sick, sick, sick."

"Maybe it is just me being paranoid, but seriously. This freaks me out," the
page wrote in the e-mails obtained by CREW.

A spokesman for Foley told CNN the congressman acknowledged he had an e-mail
exchange with the former page but flatly denied that it was anything
inappropriate.
Florida Republican 'deeply sorry'

In his letter to Florida Gov. Jeb Bush resigning his position, Foley apologized
for letting down his family and his constituents.

"Today I have delivered a letter to the speaker of the House informing him of
my decision to resign from the U.S. House of Representatives, effective today.
I thank the people of Florida's 16th Congressional District for giving me the
opportunity to serve them for the last twelve years; it has been an honor,"
Foley said in a written statement.

"I am deeply sorry and I apologize for letting down my family and the people of
Florida I have had the privilege to represent."

Foley was part of the Republican leadership, holding the post of deputy whip.
He also chaired the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus and
was a member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.

Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois said he supported Foley's resignation.

"He's done, as of now; he's done the right thing," Hastert said. "I've asked
John Shimkus, who is the head of the Page board, to look into this issue
regarding Congressman Foley. We want to make sure that all of our pages are
safe, and the page system is safe."

"None of us are very happy about it," Hastert said
Election foe calls for investigation

According to GOP sources, Foley is concerned there may be other potential
politically damaging e-mails or information out there and has concluded it's
best not to run again for office.

Foley, who is considered a moderate, has been in office for six-terms.

His Democratic opponent in the race, Tim Mahoney, called Thursday for an
investigation into the matter. Mahoney's campaign denied having anything to do
with the information becoming public.

Before the questions about the e-mails surfaced, Foley was expected to win
re-election in November by a wide margin.

The resignation comes within six weeks of the midterm elections in which
control of Congress could come down to a handful of seats. The Democrats need
15 seats to end over a decade of Republican control of the House.

The Foley scandal may re-enforce the already negative opinion the public has of
Congress and Washington, which could hurt Republicans this fall.

Florida Republicans could name a replacement candidate for Foley as soon as
Monday. Foley's name will appear on the midterm ballots and cannot be changed,
but any votes for Foley will count toward the party's choice.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/09/29/congressman.e.mails/index.html?section=cnn_topstories

The Associated Press
September 30, 2006 Saturday 2:57 AM GMT
SECTION: WASHINGTON DATELINE
LENGTH: 625 words

HEADLINE: Foley resigns from Congress amid questions about e-mails to former
male page
BYLINE: By DAVID ESPO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON

BODY:
Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., abruptly resigned from Congress on Friday in the wake
of questions about e-mails he wrote a former teenage male page.

"I am deeply sorry and I apologize for letting down my family and the people of
Florida I have had the privilege to represent," he said in a statement issued
by his office.

Six hours after Foley's resignation letter was read to the House by a clerk,
the chairman of a panel that oversees the page program issued a one-page
written statement that deflected any blame from House leaders.

The statement from Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., said the House Page Board he
chairs investigated the allegations late last year, but Foley "was not honest"
when he denied any improper conduct with the teenager.

His departure sent Republicans scrambling for a replacement candidate less than
six weeks before midterm elections in which Democrats are making a strong bid
to gain control of the House.

Foley's two-sentence statement gave no reason for Foley's decision to abandon a
flourishing career in Congress. But several officials said the resignation had
been prompted by the e-mails, and he took his action as fresh details emerged
about electronic messages he had sent.

Foley, 52, had been a shoo-in for a new term until the e-mail correspondence
surfaced in recent days.

His resignation further complicates the political landscape for Republicans,
who are fighting to retain control of Congress. Democrats need to win a net of
15 Republican seats to regain the power they lost in 1994.

Florida Republicans planned to meet as soon as Monday to name a replacement in
Foley's district, which President Bush won with 55 percent in 2004 and is now
in play for November. Though Florida ballots have already been printed with
Foley's name and cannot be changed, any votes for Foley will count toward the
party's choice.

Campaign aides had previously acknowledged that the Republican congressman
e-mailed the former Capitol page five times, but had said there was nothing
inappropriate about the exchange. The page was 16 at the time of the e-mail
correspondence.

Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-La., who sponsored the page from his district, told
reporters that he learned of the e-mails from a reporter some months ago and
passed on the information to Rep. Thomas Reynolds, R-N.Y., chairman of the
House Republican campaign organization.

Alexander said he did not pursue the matter further because "his parents said
they didn't want me to do anything."

Carl Forti, a spokesman for the GOP campaign organization, said Reynolds
learned from Alexander that the parents did not want to pursue the matter.
Forti said, however, that the matter did go before the House Page Board the
three lawmakers and two House officials who oversee the pages.

Shimkus, who avoided reporters for hours, worked out his statement with Speaker
Dennis Hastert's office. He said he promptly investigated what he thought were
non-explicit message exchanges.

"It has become clear to me today, based on information I only now have learned,
that Congressman Foley was not honest about his conduct," Shimkus said.

Shimkus said that in late 2005 he learned through information passed along by
Alexander's office about an e-mail exchange in which Foley asked about the
youngster's well-being after Hurricane Katrina, and requested a photograph.

"Congressman Foley told the (House) clerk and me that he was simply acting as a
mentor ... and that nothing inappropriate had occurred," Shimkus said.

Foley was ordered to cease all contact with the former page and assured Shimkus
he would do so, the statement said. He also was advised to watch his conduct
with current and former House pages, and gave assurance he would do so, Shimkus
said.

He added there were no further complaints.

LOAD-DATE: September 29, 2006

Shame on you John Shimkus, instead of investigating, you take the word of the very one you are investigating? And allow our children to be exploited by deviates such as this.

We need change in Washington, Vote Danny Stover for IL-19 on Nov 7.

Ron McBride
www.WeDemocrats.com

An explosive report on the still-classified National Intelligence Estimate states that the "invasion and occupation of Iraq has helped spawn a new generation of Islamic radicalism and that the overall terrorist threat has grown since the Sept. 11 attacks".

Republicans are trying to cover it up. The administration is selectively declassifying portions of the report to muddy the waters and the right-wing propaganda machine is in damage-control mode. There's even a second briefing that they still refuse to discuss.

So as the Republican congress tried to skip town, our Democratic leader in the House, Nancy Pelosi, went on the offense. She and her Democratic colleagues offered a motion to send the House into secret session to go over the full report in detail to get to the bottom of it.

But the Republicans wouldn't let it happen. Their "no" votes are the starkest admission yet that they just don't want to know what's really happening on the ground in Iraq, in Afghanistan, or anywhere else.

Leader Pelosi said that enough is enough -- and that when Democrats take back the House we will hold this administration accountable for making us less safe.

Ron McBride
www.WeDemocrats.com
www.USLINX.com