Pedophiles Have a Friend in John Shimkus

Rep. John Shimkus is chairman of the House Page Board. One of his fellow Republicans, Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., has enjoyed an e-mail relationship with a former teenage male page over the past several months. Now the world is abuzz about the lastest scandal on The Hill.

CNN has some of the message traffic that appeared on the website for The Blotter from ABC News:

They say he used the screen name Maf54 on these messages provided to ABC News.

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.

Another message:

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

And this one:

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

The language gets much more graphic, too graphic to be broadcast, and at one point the congressman appears to be describing Internet sex.

Federal authorities say such messages could result in Foley's prosecution, under some of the same laws he helped to enact.

Adds up to soliciting underage children for sex, said Brad Garrett, a former FBI agent and now an ABC News consultant. And what it amounts to is serious both state and federal violations that could potentially get you a number of years.

And John Shimkus just let this happen. He has known about this for 11 months according to his interview with David Espo from the Associated Press published September 30, 2006, at 0257 GMT:

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.

[. . .] 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.

Too little. Too late. Typical John Shimkus. It is normal, routine, business as usual, for him to aid and protect crooks. The Abramoff Scandal was not that long ago. The Abramoff Investigation Resolution, H. Res. 746, was a simple tabling motion. It passed. Congressional investigations never happened. Rep. John M. Shimkus voted YES. No big surprise that he voted to table this resolution. He protects Republican crooks at any costs. He is a really nice guy!

Maybe he and his staffers should come out of the closet now -- before someone else does it for him.

Maybe the real question from the chairman of the House Page Board should be boxers or briefs?