The recent news about Representative Mark Foley has caused people around the country to ask whether or not this inappropriate and dangerous behavior could have been avoided. As the emails and instant message conversations with a young congressional page come to light, it is frightening to see how easily the Republican Party could have stopped the harassment of the young boy.

Republican staff members and party leaders had known about Foley,s behavior for a long time. According to ABC News, "A Republican staff member warned Congressional pages five years ago to watch out for Congressman Mark Foley, according to a former page. Matthew Loraditch, a page in the 2001-2002 class, told ABC News he and other pages were warned about Foley by a supervisor. Loraditch, the president of the Page Alumni Association, said the pages were told 'don't get too wrapped up in him being too nice to you and all that kind of stuff.," [10/1/06].

Members of the Republican leadership were also in on protecting Foley. "House Majority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) told The Washington Post last night that he had learned this spring of inappropriate 'contact, between Foley and a 16-year-old page. Boehner said he then told House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.). Boehner later contacted The Post and said he could not remember whether he talked to Hastert." [Washington Post, 9/30/06].

The most alarming part of the entire saga is that the Republican Party did nothing to protect the pages and address this known situation with Foley. By keeping this hidden for so long, the Republican Party is throwing family values out the window in order to protect a seat in the House of Representatives. Where is the Republican Party when a child needs protection?

It seems the "moral values party" values protecting a Congressional seat by covering up for a sexual predator more than it values protecting kids.

As the Republican party continues to point fingers and stalemate on investigations, it is up to the voters to judge where the Republican Party stands on such important issues.