Mark Foley, the
disgraced Florida congressman whose political career
abruptly ended amid allegations that he sent sexually
explicit instant messages and e-mails to teenage boys,
sometimes even while the House of Representatives was
in session, will not face criminal charges in the
state of Florida, investigators told ABC News Friday.
The announcement
brings the investigation to a close almost two years to
the day after ABC News questioned the Florida congressman
about instant messages sent to former congressional
pages. Foley resigned hours later, on September 29,
2006.
The Florida
Department of Law Enforcement said in a statement Friday
that investigators had determined there was
"insufficient evidence to pursue criminal
charges."
Investigators
faced an uphill battle in pursuing such charges. The House
of Representatives denied requests from Florida
officials "to review any computer
equipment or e-mails that Foley used while in
office."
Foley also denied
investigators access to his personal computers, so
investigators were unable to obtain original copies of
e-mails and instant messages.
"FDLE conducted
as thorough and comprehensive investigation as
possible considering Congress and Mr. Foley denied us access
to critical data," said the
department's commissioner, Gerald Bailey, in a
statement released with the report. "Should additional
information arise which is pertinent to this case, we
will ensure it is appropriately investigated."
Florida law
enforcement officials began their investigation in November
2006. What some consider the best chance for charges -- an
instant message reportedly sent to a 17-year-old boy
while Foley was in Pensacola, Fla. in 2003 -- law
enforcement officials agree would have been nearly
impossible to prosecute. (The Advocate)
