Demagogue

Mark Roth, who is Foley's attorney, seems to be citing Foley's alleged alcoholism as the reason why the former congressman wrote lurid and flirtatious emails to a congressional page. (I wrote "alleged alcoholism" because the New York Times reports today that a "former aide and other associates said in interviews that they did not believe Mr. Foley had a drinking problem.") According to the Associated Press, Roth said:

“He is emotionally devastated. He feels he let everyone down – his constituents, his family, his loved ones, his party and the people he hurt,” Roth said.

... Roth also told CNN that Foley is “absolutely positively not a pedophile” and “has never ever had an inappropriate sexual contact with a minor in his life.”

If Roth is trying to use alcoholism as a defense for Foley, it's a shameful ploy. I'm not an expert on alcoholism, but I've never heard anyone ascribe this kind of behavior to a drinking problem.

As for Roth's statement that Foley "has never ever had an inappropriate sexual contact with a minor in his life," it isn't for lack of trying. A source has informed me that during a congressional trip several years ago, Foley entered a gay bar where he flirted with a boy from Missouri whom the congressman knew to be only 17-years-old.