GOP leaders must pay for inaction on Foley

Re “Foley Case Shakes GOP,” Oct. 4

The Times reported that “Republicans have been plunged into a wrenching debate about whether heads need to roll in order to convince voters that they are taking the case of former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) ... seriously.” I was struck that nothing was said about any personal moral conflict or sense of guilt on the part of the Republicans who allowed such an atrocity to continue. The politicians’ only concern was how this might affect their image as the defenders of morality, and consequently their standing with the voters.

Loyal Republicans might argue that The Times was biased in its reporting, but if so, how can they explain that every Republican in the House of Representatives, from Speaker J. Dennis Hastert on down, has been silent about Foley’s behavior even though it was common knowledge in Washington?

ERNEST MASLER

Malibu

*

Foley knew he was wrong to have sent the e-mail messages in question to the page. If this were not so, he would not have resigned as abruptly as he did. The fact that the cognizant Republican leadership did not immediately intervene on behalf of the page makes them complicit, and they also should be subject to investigation and required to answer for their negligence. Members of Congress should be the leaders and example-setters they are perceived to be, not the very ones who victimize the children they are elected to protect.

LAMAR PITTMAN

Los Angeles

*

All of the Republican leadership knew about this and did nothing. They should all resign. The GOP and the Christian right are trying to make a gay issue out of Foley’s deeds. This is a criminal issue and should be handled as such.

JOHN TOWNSEND

Los Angeles