View source for Mark Foley

{{short description|American politician (born 1954)}}
{{for-multi|the Irish hurlers|Mark Foley (Limerick hurler)|and|Mark Foley (Cork hurler)}}
{{use American English|date=August 2023}}
{{use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Mark Foley
| image               = Mark Foley, official 109th Congress photo.jpg
| state               = [[Florida]]
| district            = {{ushr|FL|16|16th}}
| term_start          = January 3, 1995
| term_end            = September 29, 2006
| predecessor         = [[Tom Lewis (American politician)|Tom Lewis]]
| successor           = [[Tim Mahoney]]
| state_senate1       = Florida
| district1           = 35th
| term_start1         = November 1992
| term_end1           = November 1994
| predecessor1        = [[Jack D. Gordon]]
| successor1          = [[Tom Rossin]]
| state_house2        = Florida
| district2           = 85th
| term_start2         = November 1990
| term_end2           = November 1992
| predecessor2        = [[Frank S. Messersmith]]
| successor2          = Mimi McAndrews
| birth_name          = Mark Adam Foley
| birth_date          = {{nowrap|{{birth date and age|1954|9|8}}}}
| birth_place         = [[Newton, Massachusetts]], U.S.
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| partner             = {{marriage|Layne Nisenbaum|1984|2012|end=died}}
| education           = [[Palm Beach State College]]
| caption             = Foley {{circa|2005}}
}}
'''Mark Adam Foley''' (born September 8, 1954) is an American former politician who served as a member of the [[United States House of Representatives]]. He served from 1995 until 2006, representing the [[Florida's 16th congressional district|16th District of Florida]] as a member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]], before resigning due to revelations that he had sent sexually explicit messages to teenaged boys who had served as [[congressional pages]] in what came to be known as the [[Mark Foley scandal]].

Foley resigned from Congress on September 29, 2006, acting on a request by the Republican leadership after [[Mark Foley scandal|allegations surfaced]] that he had sent suggestive emails, as well as sexually explicit [[Instant messaging|instant messages]],<ref name="threemore">{{cite news |url=http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/10/three_more_form.html |work=ABC News |title=Three More Former Pages Accuse Foley of Online Sexual Approaches |date=October 5, 2006 |access-date=2006-10-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061011091337/http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/10/three_more_form.html |archive-date=October 11, 2006 }}</ref> to teenage boys who had formerly served and were at that time serving as [[United States House of Representatives Page|Congressional pages]].<ref name="bloomberg">{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=awMK6Ha3Yas4&refer=home|title=Florida Republican Foley Resigns From U.S. House Seat|access-date=2006-09-29|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.|date=September 29, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Foley's Exchange With Underage Page| website=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |url=https://abcnews.go.com/WNT/BrianRoss/story?id=2509586&page=1}}</ref> As a result of the disclosures, the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI) and the [[Florida Department of Law Enforcement]] conducted investigations of the messages to find possible criminal charges.<ref>{{cite news|title=FBI to Examine Foley's E-Mails|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/01/AR2006100100644.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |first1=Charles |last1=Babington |first2=Jonathan |last2=Weisman |date=October 2, 2006 |access-date=May 12, 2010}}</ref> Each ended with no criminal finding. In the case of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, FDLE commissioner Gerald Bailey with the closure of the case stated that the "FDLE conducted as thorough and comprehensive investigation as possible considering Congress and Mr. Foley denied us access to critical data."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Content/News/September-2008/Denied-Access-to-Critical-Data,-FDLE-Concludes-Inv.aspx |title=Foley Investigations Summary, October 2, 2007 |publisher=Fdle.state.fl.us |date=2008-09-19 |access-date=2011-09-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927101525/http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Content/News/September-2008/Denied-Access-to-Critical-Data%2C-FDLE-Concludes-Inv.aspx |archive-date=September 27, 2011 }}</ref> The [[House Ethics Committee]] also conducted an investigation into the response of the House Republican leadership and their staff to possible earlier warnings of Foley's conduct.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/11/AR2006101101639.html|title=Hastert Aides Interest Ethics Panel: Staff Members' Knowledge of Foley's Actions With Former Pages in Question|newspaper=Washington Post|date=2006-10-12|access-date=2006-10-12 |first=Jonathan |last=Weisman}}</ref>

==Early career==
Foley was born in [[Newton, Massachusetts]], the son of Frances and Edward Joseph Foley Jr., a teacher and civic activist.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2006-11-16/news/0611160031_1_mr-foley-edward-foley-mark-foley|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723044403/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2006-11-16/news/0611160031_1_mr-foley-edward-foley-mark-foley|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 23, 2013|title=Edward Foley, father of ex-legislator, dies|work=tribunedigital-sunsentinel|access-date=2018-07-26|language=en}}</ref> Foley served in the [[Florida House of Representatives]] 1990–1992 and then in the [[Florida State Senate]] 1993–1994.<ref>{{cite web|author=Lawrence Kestenbaum |url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/fogleson-folse.html |title=Database |publisher=Politicalgraveyard.com |access-date=2013-12-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=219559 |title=Our Campaigns - FL State Senate 35 Race - Nov 03, 1992}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=217207 |title=Our Campaigns - FL State House 85 Race - Nov 06, 1990}}</ref>

==Congressional career==

===Early House career===
Foley was elected to the U.S. House in 1994 with 58 percent of the vote, defeating [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] John Comerford. He was re-elected in 1996 with 64 percent of the vote against Democrat Jim Stuber and again in 1998 (this time without opposition). He was re-elected in 2000 with 60 percent of the vote against Democrat Jean Elliott Brown and [[Reform Party of the United States of America|Reform Party]] candidate John McGuire. [[Constitution Party (United States)|Constitution Party]] candidate Jack McLain was his only opponent in 2002. He was re-elected in 2002 with 79 percent of the vote and in 2004 with 68 percent of the vote.

Foley was a [[Rockefeller Republican|moderate Republican]]. He spent most of his tenure in Congress as a member of the powerful House [[United States House Committee on Ways and Means|Ways and Means Committee]]. He was also the first public figure to imply that Vice President [[Al Gore]] claimed to have invented the [[Internet]]. On March 12, 1999, [[Reuters]] reported Foley as saying, "The Vice President is mistaken. The only thing he has ever invented is another tax. He did not invent the Internet but he sure did tax it."<ref>''Hotline'': "GORE: GOP GUFFAWS OVER HIS CLAIM HE CREATED INTERNET." March 12, 1999. (Subscription only).</ref>
[[File:Congressman and former Florida State Senator Mark A. Foley addressing members of the 1994 Legislative Session.jpg|thumb|Foley in 1994]]
In late 2000, Foley played a large role in aiding [[George W. Bush]] during the [[Florida recount|Presidential election recount controversy]] in [[Florida]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Media's recount in Broward draws ire of Republicans|url=http://archive.democrats.com/view.cfm?id=838}}</ref>

In 2006, Foley was a member of the Republican House leadership, serving as [[whip (politics)|deputy whip]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/30/AR2006093001177.html | title=Foley Built Career as Protector of Children | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=October 1, 2006 | access-date=August 5, 2012 | author=Smith, R. Jeffrey}}</ref>

===Senate campaign===
In 2003, Foley was widely considered the Republican front-runner for [[Bob Graham]]'s Senate seat, especially after Graham had announced his [[retirement]]. However, longstanding rumors surfaced that Foley was either homosexual or [[bisexuality|bisexual]] and was in a long-term homosexual relationship. The story was initially published only in local and gay press;<ref name="bostonphoenix">[http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/editorial/documents/02919063.htm "Being gay in the GOP: Congressman Mark Foley: A model of political hypocrisy and personal cowardice"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051126113758/http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/editorial/documents/02919063.htm |date=2005-11-26 }}, ''Boston Phoenix'', May 30, 2003</ref><ref>Mark Meenan, [http://www.gaycitynews.com/gcn222/ishegay.html “Is He Gay or Not? U.S. Rep. Mark Foley calls press to say he won't talk about his sexual preference”] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051215193730/http://gaycitynews.com/gcn222/ishegay.html |date=2005-12-15 }}, ''Gay City News'', May 30, 2003.</ref> then the ''[[New Times Media|New Times]]'' broke the story in the mainstream press. Other alternative press rivals, including the ''[[New York Press]]'',<ref>Michelangelo Signorile, [http://www.nypress.com/16/22/news&columns/signorile.cfm “Liberace Candidate: Mark Foley’s glass closet”] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061206012729/http://www.nypress.com/16/22/news%26columns/signorile.cfm |date=2006-12-06 }}, ''New York Press'', May 28, 2003.</ref> then addressed the topic. Foley held a press conference to denounce the "revolting" rumors and stated that his sexual orientation was unimportant, but did not specifically deny the rumors. A few weeks later, he withdrew his candidacy, saying his father's battle with [[cancer]] had caused him to reassess his perspective on life (the seat was later won by Republican [[Mel Martinez]]). Foley had raised $3 million in campaign contributions before withdrawing.<ref>[http://www.washblade.com/2004/7-9/news/localnews/outed.cfm 2004 “Outed Hill staffer condemns campaign: Mikulski and Foley become newest congressional targets as FMA vote nears”] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051030035313/http://www.washblade.com/2004/7-9/news/localnews/outed.cfm |date=2005-10-30 }}, ''Washington Blade'' (District of Columbia), July 9, 2004.</ref>

===Actions in Congress===

====Legislation regarding pornography and sexual offenses====
In the House, Foley was one of the foremost opponents of [[child pornography]]. Foley had served as chairman of the [[House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children]]. He introduced a bill, coined the "Child Modeling Exploitation Prevention Act of 2002" to outlaw websites featuring sexually suggestive images of preteen children, saying that "these websites are nothing more than a fix for [[pedophile]]s." As it was written, the bill would have prohibited commercial photography of children and it failed due to the unmanageable burden it would have presented to the legitimate entertainment industry.<ref>Declan McCullagh, [https://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,52379-0.html "Too Broad a Ban on Child Models?"], ''Wired'', May 9, 2002.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crstudent.com/School/Preteen.htm |title=Webe Web Fashion Models (A Cultural Analysis of Preteen Models at CSM Child Super Models) |publisher=CR Student.com |last=Thorne |first=Samuel |date=Summer 2004 |access-date=2006-10-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060902003230/http://www.crstudent.com/School/Preteen.htm |archive-date=2006-09-02 }}</ref> In June 2003 he wrote letters to the governor and attorney general of Florida, asking them to review the legality of a program for teenagers of a Lake Como [[nudist resort]] in [[Land o' Lakes, Florida]].<ref>James Thorner, [http://www.sptimes.com/2003/06/19/State/Nude_summer_youth_cam.shtml "Nude summer youth camps alarm lawmaker"], ''St. Petersburg Times'' (Florida), June 19, 2003.</ref>

Foley's legislation to change federal [[sex offender]] laws was supported by the [[National Center for Missing and Exploited Children]], ''[[America's Most Wanted]]'' host [[John Walsh (television host)|John Walsh]] and a number of victims' rights groups. President Bush signed it into law as part of the [[Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act]] of 2006.

Foley also succeeded in getting a law passed that allows volunteer youth-serving organizations like the [[Boy Scouts of America]] and [[Boys & Girls Clubs of America|Boys and Girls Clubs]] to have access to [[FBI]] fingerprint background checks.

===Other social issues===
Foley's stances on many social issues differ from his party's leadership. Although he professes to be [[Roman Catholic]] Foley was a member of The Republican Majority For Choice which does not believe there should be any restriction on abortion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gopchoice.org/about_us.asp |publisher=GopChoice |title=About Us |access-date=2006-09-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060525225952/http://www.gopchoice.org/about_us.asp |archive-date=2006-05-25 }}</ref> He has, however, advocated alternatives such as [[adoption]] and [[sexual abstinence]]. He also supported the [[Patriot Act]], the [[death penalty]] and strict sentencing for [[hate crime]]s.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://ontheissues.org/FL/Mark_Foley.htm|publisher=ontheissues.org| title=Foley, Mark| access-date=2006-10-04}}</ref> Foley was a member of [[Christine Todd Whitman]]'s It's My Party Too and the [[Republican Main Street Partnership]]. According to the ''[[National Journal]]'''s calculations, in 2005, Foley's voting record on [[social policy]] issues was moderate.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Journal – Liberal on Social Policy |url=http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_detail.php?sig_id=004124M |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061213220032/http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_detail.php?sig_id=004124M |archive-date=2006-12-13 }}</ref>

====Other domestic issues====
Foley helped secure the first-ever financial commitment from Congress for the preservation of Florida's [[Everglades]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.artmarshall.org/directors2.htm |title=Arthur R. Marshall Foundation – board of directors |access-date=2006-10-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070515192102/http://www.artmarshall.org/directors2.htm |archive-date=2007-05-15 |url-status=usurped }}</ref>

Foley helped pass legislation that expedites the [[deportation]] of non-violent criminal aliens serving their sentences in federal prisons;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d104:HR00668:@@@L&summ2=m&amendments|title=THOMAS (Library of Congress – H.R.668 (H.AMDT.142))|access-date=2006-10-04|archive-date=2015-10-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018234546/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d104:HR00668:@@@L&summ2=m&amendments|url-status=dead}}</ref> and helped eliminate federal prohibitions on notifying a campus community when a student commits a violent crime.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d105:HZ00603:|title=THOMAS (Library of Congress – H.AMDT.603 amending H.R. 6)|access-date=2006-10-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018234546/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d105:HZ00603:|archive-date=2015-10-18|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Foley worked to pass legislation to help surviving heirs of [[the Holocaust|Holocaust]] victims who have been unable to collect on [[life insurance]] policies owed to them.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ujc.org/content_display.html?ArticleID=84105 |title=Congress Introduces Legislation To Address Unresolved Holocaust-Era Insurance Claims |access-date=2006-09-29 |publisher=[[United Jewish Communities]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061019110628/http://www.ujc.org/content_display.html?ArticleID=84105 |archive-date=2006-10-19 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Banking Committee Passes Foley Amendment to Help Holocaust Victims Recover Losses |publisher=Congressman Mark Foley |date=1998-06-04 |url=http://financialservices.house.gov/banking/6498fol.htm |access-date=2006-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060927115129/http://financialservices.house.gov/banking/6498fol.htm |archive-date=2006-09-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Scandal and resignation ==
{{Main|Mark Foley scandal}}

On September 28, 2006, [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] Chief Investigative Correspondent [[Brian Ross (journalist)|Brian Ross]] reported that in 2005, Foley had sent email messages from his personal [[AOL]] account to a former Congressional page, asking the page to send a photo of himself to Foley, among other things.<ref name="ABC28">{{cite news |url=http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/09/sixteenyearold_.html |title=Sixteen-Year-Old Who Worked as Capitol Hill Page Concerned About E-mail Exchange with Congressman |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |date=September 28, 2006 |access-date=2006-09-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061004124649/http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/09/sixteenyearold_.html |archive-date=October 4, 2006 }}</ref> Foley's office confirmed that Foley had sent the messages but said it has a practice of asking for photos of individuals who may ask for recommendations and that the page had requested a recommendation.

The original news report prompted another page to come forward and on September 29, 2006, ABC News reported that it had seen excerpts of sexually explicit instant messages allegedly sent by Foley.<ref>{{cite news|title=Foley To Resign Over Sexually Explicit Messages to Minors|publisher=ABC News The Blotter|last=Ross|first=Brian|author-link=Brian Ross (journalist)|author2=Sauer, Maddy|date=2006-09-29|access-date=2006-09-29|url=http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/09/foley_resigns_o.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060930231243/http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/09/foley_resigns_o.html|archive-date=2006-09-30}}</ref> The instant messages made repeated references to sexual organs and acts.

[[Kirk Fordham]], chief of staff to [[Thomas M. Reynolds|Tom Reynolds]] (chairman of the fundraising [[National Republican Congressional Committee]]) and former chief of staff to Foley, said that he was with Foley on September 29, 2006, when ABC confronted him with the explicit messages <!-- specifically AOL Instant Messages (IM) --> before they were publicized.<ref name="FordhamIMs">{{cite news |title=Onetime Loyal Aide Now Stands to Undermine GOP |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-oct-05-na-fordham5-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times |date=2006-10-07 |access-date=August 5, 2012 |first1=Peter |last1=Wallsten |first2=Tom |last2=Hamburger}}</ref> Fordham then informed Reynolds and [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|Speaker of the House]] [[Dennis Hastert]]; he returned with a one-sentence resignation letter that Foley signed. Hastert and Reynolds made it clear that if Foley didn't resign, he would be expelled from the House. That same day, Foley tendered his resignation to Hastert as well as Florida Governor [[Jeb Bush]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15178112/site/newsweek |title=How Foley Scandal Could Cost Bush Congress |date=October 9, 2006 |publisher=Newsweek |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061009221920/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15178112/site/newsweek/ |archive-date=October 9, 2006 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/09/29/congressman.e.mails.ap/index.html "Congressman resigns after e-mails questioned"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061004171419/http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/09/29/congressman.e.mails.ap/index.html |date=October 4, 2006 }}</ref> Foley said in a 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."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-09-29-congressman-resigns_x.htm|title=Florida congressman quits following disclosure of e-mails to male page|date=September 29, 2006|work=USA Today}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/images/US/Foley_Statement.pdf |title=Statement from Mark Foley|work=ABC News|access-date=2013-12-05}}</ref> Once the news report became more widely known, Foley's chances of retaining his seat in Congress were limited. Hastert said in an October 2 press conference that he would have demanded Foley's expulsion from the House had he tried to stay in office.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/02/AR2006100200660.html|title=Comments from Speaker Dennis Hastert on Congressman Mark Foley Matter|date=October 2, 2006 |publisher=Office of the Speaker of the House |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=May 12, 2010}}</ref> (Ironically, Hastert himself was described by a [[Federal District Court]] judge as a "serial child molester"<ref>{{cite news|last1=Davey|first1=Monica|last2=Bosman|first2=Julie|last3=Smith|first3=Mitch|title=Dennis Hastert Is Sentenced to 15 Months, and Apologizes for Sex Abuse|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/28/us/dennis-hastert-sentencing.html?_r=0|access-date=August 30, 2016|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 28, 2016|page=A1}}</ref> and jailed in 2016 for illegally structuring bank withdrawals in an attempt to hide his own sexual abuse of four high school boys during his pre-Congressional career <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/09/us/dennis-hastert-molested-at-least-four-boys-prosecutors-say.html|title=Hastert Molested at Least Four Boys, Prosecutors Say|work=New York Times|author=Monica Davey and Mitch Smith|date=April 8, 2016|access-date=August 30, 2017}}</ref>). Even if Foley had tried to get his seat back, polls showed him losing badly to his Democratic opponent, [[Tim Mahoney]].

More pages came forward, alleging a history of inappropriate conduct by Foley dating back at least 10 years. Foley had been warned about the matter in 2005 by another House Republican and the House Clerk. Through his lawyer, Foley insisted he was not a [[pedophile]] and asserted that he had not "had contact" with a minor.<ref name=ephebophile>{{cite news|first=David|last=Tuller|title=What To Call Foley|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/hey_wait_a_minute/2006/10/what_to_call_foley.html|work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|publisher=[[The Slate Group]]|location=San Francisco, California|date=October 4, 2006|access-date=May 6, 2015|quote='Any suggestion that Mark Foley is a pedophile is false,' the former congressman's lawyer, David Roth, said Tuesday at a news conference in West Palm Beach, Fla.}}</ref>

Foley also explained that he had a [[alcoholism|drinking problem]] and had made the communications while intoxicated.<ref>{{cite news|first=Maria|last=Newman|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/03/us/politics/04foleycnd.html|title=Bush Says He Is 'Shocked' by Scandal|work=[[The New York Times]]|location=New York City|date=October 3, 2006|access-date=April 19, 2018}}</ref> He checked himself into a [[drug rehabilitation|rehab]] clinic on October 2, 2006.<ref name="AP1">{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/09/29/national/w123452D40.DTL&type=politics |title=Sixteen-Year-Old Who Worked as Capitol Hill Page Concerned About E-mail Exchange with Congressman |agency=Associated Press |date=September 28, 2006 |access-date=September 29, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061021180930/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fn%2Fa%2F2006%2F09%2F29%2Fnational%2Fw123452D40.DTL&type=politics |archive-date=2006-10-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=May 2015}} His lawyer revealed that Foley claimed he was molested by a clergyman when he was between the ages of 13 and 15 adding that "Mark Foley wants you to know he is a gay man."<ref name="CNNx">{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/10/03/foley.scandal/index.html| title=Foley lawyer makes statement |publisher=CNN |date=October 2, 2006|access-date=2006-10-04}}</ref> Federal authorities said the explicit messages could result in Foley's prosecution, under some of the same laws he helped to enact.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/09/exclusive_the_s.html| title=Exclusive: The Sexually Explicit Internet Messages That Led to Fla. Rep. Foley's Resignation| date=September 29, 2006| first=Brian| last=Ross| author-link=Brian Ross (journalist)| author2=Rhonda Schwartz| author3=Maddy Sauer| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061004125029/http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/09/exclusive_the_s.html| archive-date=October 4, 2006}}</ref>

Foley resigned from the US Congress on Friday, September 29, 2006.<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Congressman quits after messages to teens found by CNN's Dana Bash, CNN Washington Bureau, September 30, 2006, [http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/09/29/congressman.e.mails/index.html?eref=yahoo]</ref>

There was widespread criticism of Republican leaders for their response to earlier warnings and inconsistencies in their statements. In particular, many called for Hastert to resign, including some [[conservative]] voices such as the editorial page of ''[[The Washington Times]]''.<ref name="WTresign">{{cite news|url=http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20061002-102008-9058r.htm|title=Resign, Mr. Speaker |date=2006-10-03 |access-date=2006-10-10|work=The Washington Times}}</ref>

On October 19, 2006, the ''[[Sarasota Herald-Tribune]]'' stated that a disgraced abusive homosexual Catholic priest named Anthony Mercieca<ref>{{cite web |title=Anthony Mercieca—Assignment Record |url=http://www.bishop-accountability.org/assign/Mercieca_Anthony.htm |website=Bishop Accountability |access-date=12 November 2019}}</ref> told the newspaper about an intimate two-year relationship he had with Foley when the congressman was a teenage altar boy living in [[Lake Worth, Florida]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20061019%2FNEWS%2F610190725| title=Priest tells of Foley relationship| date=October 19, 2006| access-date=October 19, 2006| archive-date=November 7, 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107131847/https://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20061019%2FNEWS%2F610190725| url-status=dead}}</ref> The priest is retired and living in [[Malta]]. He acknowledged getting naked in saunas and possible "light touching", but denied contact of a sexual nature.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/19/AR2006101900533.html?nav=hcmodule "Retired Priest Admits Encounters With Foley"], ''The Washington Post'', October 20, 2006.</ref>

Florida officials closed the investigation of Foley, stating they found "insufficient evidence" to file criminal charges since the page was over the age of consent (16).<ref>''Chicago Tribune'', September 20, 2008 Section 1, page 4, 'Nation Briefing'.</ref>

==November 2006 election==
Shortly after Foley resigned, the Republican Party of Florida named State Representative [[Joe Negron]] to run as the Republican replacement candidate to face Mahoney.<ref name=miamiherald-100206>Caputo, Marc and Long, Phil, {{cite news|publisher=[[Miami Herald]] |url=http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15661992.htm |title=GOP taps Negron to run for Foley's seat |date=October 2, 2006 }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In accordance with Florida election law, Foley's name remained on the ballot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/vote2006/FL/2006-11-07-FL-US-house_x.htm|title=Democrat Tim Mahoney wins race to replace Mark Foley|publisher=USA Today |date=2006-11-08|access-date=2015-02-12}}</ref> Votes cast for Foley in the November election counted towards Negron's total.<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aXfoFjVMcIrU&refer=home “Florida Republican Foley resigns from U.S. House Seat”], ''Bloomberg'', September 29, 2006.</ref> Mahoney called for a full investigation of Foley's actions.<ref name="SP">{{cite news | url=http://www.sptimes.com/2006/09/28/Worldandnation/Candidate_wants_inves.shtml | title=Candidate wants investigation in e-mail exchange | publisher=[[St Petersburg Times]] | date=September 28, 2006 | first=Adam | last=Smith|access-date= 2006-09-28}}</ref> Foley's district had been held by Republicans since its creation in 1973 (it was the 10th District until 1983 and the 12th District until 1993.) In an effort to use the scandal to his benefit, Negron used the slogan "Punch Foley for Joe!", instructing voters to "punch" Foley's name on the ballot to chastise him and support Negron.<ref>{{cite web|title=Florida's 16th District: Tim Mahoney (D)|url=https://election.nationaljournal.com/2006/profiles/fl16_mahoney.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930181227/https://election.nationaljournal.com/2006/profiles/fl16_mahoney.htm|archive-date=2007-09-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=November 7, 2006 Washington Monthly Election Day Blog|url=http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/showdown06/archives/individual/2006_11/010093.php|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605170212/http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/showdown06/archives/individual/2006_11/010093.php|archive-date=June 5, 2011}}</ref>

Negron narrowly lost the election to [[Tim Mahoney]]. Negron had 47.7 percent and Mahoney had 49.5 percent.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://election.dos.state.fl.us/elections/resultsarchive/Index.asp?ElectionDate=11/7/2006&DATAMODE |title=Florida Department of State – Election Results |access-date=2013-12-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206215031/http://election.dos.state.fl.us/elections/resultsarchive/Index.asp?ElectionDate=11%2F7%2F2006&DATAMODE |archive-date=2012-02-06 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The seat fell back into Republican hands in the 111th Congress with the 2008 election of [[Tom Rooney (Florida politician)|Tom Rooney]].

==Post-congressional life==
After leaving Congress, Foley entered the real estate business in [[Palm Beach, Florida]].<ref>Walter, Vic and Krista Kjellman. [https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4143280&page=1 "Speaker Pelosi Won't Help Foley Investigators"], [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]], 16 January 2008.</ref> He also [[Coming out|came out]] publicly and was in a relationship with Palm Beach dermatologist Layne Nisenbaum until Nisenbaum's death in 2012.<ref>{{cite news|author=[[Jennifer Bendery]]|first1=Jennifer|title=Mark Foley's Longtime Partner Dies: Report|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/23/mark-foley-partner-dies_n_1375959.html|access-date=12 April 2016|publisher=Huffington Post|date=March 23, 2012}}</ref> On September 22, 2009, Foley debuted as host of his own radio show, "Foley on Politics", on [[WSVU|Seaview AM 960]] in [[North Palm Beach, Florida]].<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/21/foley-tries-comeback-returns-public-life-florida-radio/?test=latestnews Down-and-Out Ex-D.C. Figures Find Second Life on Talk Radio] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925140314/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/21/foley-tries-comeback-returns-public-life-florida-radio/?test=latestnews |date=2009-09-25 }} [[Fox News]], Monday, September 21, 2009.</ref>

After several years removed from the public eye, Foley resurfaced as a supporter of [[Donald Trump]] during the 2016 presidential election, appearing behind him in a crowd at one of his rallies.<ref>{{cite web|title=Disgraced ex-congressman sits behind Trump at rally|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/10/politics/donald-trump-mark-foley-campaign-rally/|website=CNN|date=11 August 2016}}</ref>

==Electoral history==
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em; font-size:95%;"
|+ {{ushr|Florida|16|}}: Results 1994–2006<ref name="clerkresults">{{cite web|url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/index.html |title=Election Statistics |access-date=2007-08-08 |publisher=Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080730201058/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/index.html |archive-date=2008-07-30 }}</ref>
! style="width:3em;"| Year
! style="width:10em;"| Democrat
! style="width:3em;"| Votes
! style="width:3em;"| %
! style="width:10em;"| Republican
! style="width:3em;"| Votes
! style="width:3em;"| %
! style="width:10em;"| Third party
! style="width:5em;"| Party
! style="width:3em;"| Votes
! style="width:3em;"| %
|-
![[U.S. House election, 1994|1994]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |{{nowrap|John Comerford}}
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |88,653
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |42%
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |'''Mark Foley'''
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |122,760
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |58%
|rowspan="3" colspan="4" style="background:grey;" |
|-
![[U.S. House election, 1996|1996]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Jim Stuber]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |98,827
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |36%
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |'''Mark Foley'''
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |175,714
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |64%
|-
![[U.S. House election, 1998|1998]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |''(no candidate)''
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |'''Mark Foley'''<sup>1</sup>
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |
|-
![[U.S. House election, 2000|2000]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |{{nowrap|[[Jean Elliott Brown]]}}
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |108,782
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |37%
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |'''Mark Foley'''
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |176,153
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |60%
|{{Party shading/ReformUSA}} |John McGuire<sup>2</sup>
|{{Party shading/ReformUSA}} |[[Reform Party of the United States of America|Reform]]
|{{Party shading/ReformUSA}} align="right" |7,556
|{{Party shading/ReformUSA}} align="right" |3%
|-
![[U.S. House election, 2002|2002]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |''(no candidate)''
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |'''Mark Foley'''
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |176,171
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |79%
|{{Party shading/ConstitutionUSA}} |Jack McLain
|{{Party shading/ConstitutionUSA}} |[[Constitution Party (United States)|Constitution]]
|{{Party shading/ConstitutionUSA}} align="right" |47,169
|{{Party shading/ConstitutionUSA}} align="right" |21%
|-
![[U.S. House election, 2004|2004]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Jeff Fisher (politician)|Jeff Fisher]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |101,247
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |32%
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |'''Mark Foley'''
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |215,563
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |68%
|colspan="4" style="background:grey;" |
|-
![[U.S. House election, 2006|2006]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |'''[[Tim Mahoney]]'''
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |115,832
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |50%
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |[[Joe Negron]]<sup>3</sup>
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |111,415
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |48%
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |Emmie Ross
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |None
|{{Party shading/Independent}} align="right" |6,526
|{{Party shading/Independent}} align="right" |3%
|}
<sup>1</sup>According to Florida law, the names of those with no opposition are not printed on the ballot and no totals need be submitted.<br>
<sup>2</sup>Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 2000, write-ins received 9 votes.<br>
<sup>3</sup>Mark Foley's name was the one on the ballot, however, as noted above.

==See also==
* [[Ego-dystonic sexual orientation]]
* [[List of federal political sex scandals in the United States]]
* [[List of federal political scandals in the United States]]
* [[List of LGBT members of the United States Congress]]

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{CongLinks|congbio=f000238}}
* {{C-SPAN|37058}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Tom Lewis (American politician)|Tom Lewis]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States representatives from Florida|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br>from [[Florida's 16th congressional district]]|years=1995–2006}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Tim Mahoney]]}}
|-
{{s-prec|usa}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Karen Thurman]]|as=Former U.S. Representative}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[United States order of precedence|Order of precedence of the United States]]<br>''{{small|as Former U.S. Representative}}''|years=}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Jim Davis (Florida politician)|Jim Davis]]|as=Former U.S. Representative}}
{{s-end}}

{{U.S. Florida Representatives}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Foley, Mark}}
[[Category:1954 births]]
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