On capitol carnality.(Mark Foley's political drama)

MARK FOLEY is a grotesque guy as far as I'm concerned. The disgraced former congressman indisputably hit on teenagers he met as congressional pages. It was an outrageous breach of trust. And investigations are underway to see what else he did. Given the political climate, it should surprise no one if these investigations take on the odor of a witch-hunt or moral panic. It should also surprise no one that the Democrats are seizing on an October surprise with considerable glee.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Foley's sudden resignation was announced on a Friday. By that Monday Democrats were shouting "cover-up" and, in races across the country, denouncing their GOP opponents for taking money from Foley, as if taking such contributions in good faith and complete ignorance were, in and of itself, evidence of softness on congressional pederasty.

Forgive me if I'm incapable of taking Democratic outrage too seriously. This was, after all, the party that made defending Bill Clinton's baron-and-the-milkmaid act with an intern into its signature issue. Before that, there was Democratic congressman Gerry Studds (a name fit for gay porn if ever there was one), who, it was revealed in 1983, had an affair with a 17-year-old page. Mr. Studds was censured by the Congress for his behavior, but he wore the condemnation as a badge of honor, literally turning his back on his putatively homophobic colleagues as they read the censure. He immediately gave a press conference at which he proclaimed he did nothing wrong. Studds ran for reelection, and his solidly Democratic district reelected him five more times.

That same year a Republican, Dan Crane of Illinois, was rebuked for his affair with a 17-year-old female page. Crane openly wept during an ...