Congress has an ability to create scripts that cannot be written by the greatest screenwriters or thought up by the most imaginative individuals. The real life situations displayed through our governing body make movies less interesting, books more boring, and TV more of a pass time. Why engulf yourself in these forms of fictional entertainment when they cannot compare to the real life scenarios that come from our cornerstone of decision making, our expression of the Democratic process, and the people we elected through due process? Why bother when the true stories from Congress are far more entertaining? It is truly amazing when a comedian doesn’t even have to embellish the truth to get a good joke! It is amazing when they can get a laugh simply from telling the truth! Who would have thought the co-chair of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children’s Caucus was soliciting a minor and trying to exploit a Congressional Page?

Webster’s dictionary has a definition of irony that I feel relates best to this situation. It describes irony as “a technique of indicating, as through character or plot development, an intention or attitude opposite to that which is actually or ostensibly stated.” A character, the Republican Congressman from Florida, was over a committee designed to protect children from being exploited. The plot developed when the Congressman tried to engage in an improper relationship with a high school intern, also known as a “Page.” He was “fighting” for more stringent regulations to protect children, yet his behavior was completly opposite to his propositions in Congress. Not only is this irony, it is also hypocrisy!

It is even more interesting that he did not step down, nor was asked to by Republican leadership, until the story was leaked and about to go public. According to CNN.com, Rep. John Shimkus, a Republican from Illinois, said that he learned about Foley’s e-mails in late 2005 and “took immediate action to investigate the matter.” Shimkus is the lawmaker that oversees the Page program. Rep. Rodney Alexander, from Louisiana, knew about the inappropriate contact too, but did not adamantly pursue the issue “because of the wishes of the boy’s parents.” Both parties claim there was no sense of urgency concerning the matter, now that the media has control of it, because Foley “lied” about his involvement with the teen. I always thought an investigation meant that you find out every fact before you draw a conclusion or negate an allegation! Shimkus said, “We ordered Congressman Foley to cease all contact with this former House page to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.” Translation: “We slapped him on the wrist.”

The very ideal that he was contacting the teen more frequently than required was suspect from the beginning. Since Foley has been exposed in the public eye, Shimkus now says he is working to “fully review this incident and determine what actions need to be taken.” Translation: “The things that I tried to hide before I will share now.” Foley claimed he was acting as a mentor, but in emails released by ABC news his conversations are clearly inappropriate. A blind man on crack could have drawn the same conclusion from the emails!

Members of the Republican leadership are now racing to the nearest aid and publicist to create a statement that covers up their prior knowledge of the impropriety with current indictments on Foley. What are friends for? Rep. Tom Reynolds from New York, the Ohio Republican Boehner, and the Louisiana Republican Alexander all admit to learning about the incident last year eventhough none of them will admit they chose politics over the protection of a teenager. Even if the parents did not want to pursue the matter, it does not excuse Foley’s behavior and actions. Since the story broke on ABC news, Foley’s congressional website has already been changed to reflect his position as vacant. If only Congress would take social actions as seriously as political actions!

The smoke screens continue as politics are placed above proper policy. Boehner blocked a vote Friday on a resolution offered by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi asking the House Ethics Committee to begin a preliminary investigation into Foley’s conduct and the GOP leadership’s response to it according to CNN.com. The California Democrat’s resolution would have started an investigation of “when the Republican leadership was notified and what corrective action was taken,” according to her statement. According to AOL news, Foley came out in a statement today, through his attorney, saying that although his actions were wrong, he was “abused by a clergyman around the age of 17.” Once again irony comes into play. Foley conveniently launches this media strategy and defense of abuse at the absolute time he is being accused of impropriety with a minor. This is the stuff comedians thrive on! It appears the co-chair of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children’s Caucus was not an active participant in the very things he was “fighting” for. I have a new definition of irony for Webster’s dictionary…I introduce to you Congressman Mark Foley from Florida!