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  Foley Tells Archdiocese Name of Priest

By Brian Skoloff
Forbes [Florida]
October 17, 2006

http://www.forbes.com/business/businesstech/feeds/ap/2006/10/17/ap3098967.html

Disgraced former U.S. Congressman Mark Foley has revealed to the Archdiocese of Miami the name of the Roman Catholic clergyman he says abused him as a teenager, a close friend of Foley's said Tuesday.

The name was not made public and it was not immediately clear whether the person was still active in the church or is alive.

Foley's civil attorney Gerald Richman was to make the announcement at a news conference Tuesday evening, the friend told The Associated Press, on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about the case.

According to the source, the church offered Foley counseling in the matter, which Foley accepted. He plans to begin that counseling after completing treatment for alcoholism.

The archdiocese declined immediate comment.

Foley, 52, a Florida Republican, resigned last month after he was confronted with sexually explicit electronic messages he had sent teenage male pages. He has since entered an alcohol rehabilitation program at an undisclosed location. Through his lawyer, he has said he is gay but denied any sexual contact with minors.

His abrupt departure left behind an Internet-age sex scandal that shook Republican confidence - and poll numbers - little more than a month before elections at which their control of the House will be tested.

It also threw the spotlight on House Speaker Dennis Hastert regarding conflicting claims about what senior lawmakers knew, when they learned it and what they did about it.

Before the scandal, Foley was a popular incumbent who was easily expected to defeat Democrat Tim Mahoney. Now Mahoney is the favorite in the race.

Foley's name will remain on the ballot, but votes for him will count for state Rep. Joe Negron.

 
 

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