Underwear and a scare

Pop Quiz: The pair of boxer shorts with a picture of former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) and a quote from his now- infamous online chat with a congressional page is: a) a piece of evidence in the House ethics committee probe of the lawmaker; or b) one of over a hundred Foley-related articles that you can buy on the Internet.

Pop Quiz:

The pair of boxer shorts with a picture of former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) and a quote from his now- infamous online chat with a congressional page is:

a) a piece of evidence in the House ethics committee probe of the lawmaker; or

b) one of over a hundred Foley-related articles that you can buy on the Internet.

While not privy to what evidence is presented to the ethics panel, we know that Foley garb is apparently in demand.

The folks at cafepress.com offer a choice of dozens of designs related to Foleygate. Many feature a picture of the former lawmaker (screen name maf54) and excerpts from his chat with a former page.

Among the more tame designs (and those that are fit to print on this page) are slogans such as “Save a page, vote Democrat.”

While not all designs are pro-Democrat — one motif notes that “Foley resigned, Clinton denied” — there is a decidedly anti-Republican bent to the merchandise.

Several T-shirts and bumper stickers take aim at the GOP and at Republican leaders now criticized for not taking steps to address the scandal sooner.

Just in time for Halloween, one shirt says, “Boo! I’m a Florida Republican! Scared yet?”

 
Never give up! Never give up! Ahh, forget it.

As the votes were being tallied during her primary and subsequent runoff against Hank Johnson (D) this summer, Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.) raised major concerns about voting machines, implying that the fix was in.

Johnson crushed McKinney in the runoff by more than 11,000 votes, but that didn’t stop the congresswoman from posting a “Refuse to Lose” hotline that is still prominently displayed on her campaign website.

But alas, it now appears that McKinney has thrown in the towel. The hotline has been disconnected.

 Did we mention we want a raise?

A New York-based media company that tracks broadcast footage in order to find out when its clients’ names or brands are mentioned on television might have gotten more than it bargained for when it accepted the business of former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.). According to Federal Election Commission reports, Foley paid Critical Mention Inc. $1,650 at the end of August, presumably to track his name in the media.

Less than two months and a full-blown scandal later, that money was hard earned. A search in the Critical Mention platform shows that Foley’s name was used in newscasts more than 26,000 times since Sept. 29.

Not to worry, said Doug DeSimone, the company’s senior vice president for operations. The TV clipping service, which is also used by other lawmakers’ campaigns such as those of Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), is web-based and nobody had to burn the midnight oil to keep up with the fallout from the Foley scandal.

 
Buying booze as scandal unfolds

Sniffing out free booze is a vital skill of every Capitol Hill denizen’s armory, but cocktail receptions and lobbyists’ parties don’t happen every night. So, there’s good news for the enterprising moocher who isn’t above a little breaking and entering.

A mother lode of liquor might await the desperate and unscrupulous treasure hunter who dares forage through the D Street S.E. home of ex-Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.).

The same day that ABC News reported on a career-ending e-mail exchange between Foley and a former page, someone working for his campaign spent a hefty $174.83 at Congressional Liquors on First Street S.E., according to Federal Election Commission paperwork filed last week by the lawmaker’s now-dead campaign.

A person who answered the phone at the shop refused to comment about the sizable purchase or to field questions about the identity of the thirsty shopper, but it’s worth noting that Congressional Liquors is a mere 269 feet from Foley’s home, according to Google Maps. Google also states that distance can be traversed by a car in just seven seconds, which is even less time than it takes your average House member to catch a ride from the Rayburn building to the Capitol for a vote.

Foley lawyer David Roth has said Foley is an alcoholic. Some of Foley’s former colleagues question this diagnosis.

Roth has claimed that Foley never drank in public, but sources and a photo that ran in The Hill last week reveal that the ex-congressman (and a former member of the Wine Caucus) did drink alcohol in public.