From Pollster.com

New York 26 -- Leans Dem
(Avg of Last 5 Polls)
Jack Davis (D) -- 49
Tom Reynolds (R)* -- 43
_

The first thing people in NY's 26th district should remember when entering election booths next week is that Republican Rep. Tom Reynolds subordinated the need to protect America's children in favor of ensuring a safe GOP seat in Florida's 16th district.

Reynolds' Pedophile Protection Policy was in full swing when he persuaded GOP Rep. Mark Foley to run yet again for his Florida congressional seat despite the fact that Reynolds and other Republican leaders had been made aware of Foley's 'inappropriate' e-mails to a teenage congressional page by the page's congressional sponsor, Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-La.).

The second thing you should know is that this is not the only time that Tom Reynolds has abused his privileged position as the congressional representative for Western NY.

Former Congressman Mark Foley age 52(L), Reverend Fred Phelps age 75(R)


Lake Worth, FL (APE) - In a stunning announcement from an undisclosed rehab facility, disgraced Florida Congressman Mark Foley today allowed his personal lawyer to reveal the identity of his childhood abuser. Reading from a brief statement, Foley's lawyer claimed that Foley had been sexually molested on three separate occasions during a Lake Worth Catholic summer camp by the now 75-year-old Reverend Fred Phelps, who, at the time, was serving as a camp counselor during a summer break from his brief studies at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina.

This week's round-up of things religious right from the Greater Blogosphere is a few days late, but not at all short of remarkable and significant posts.

The Daily Kos

Writing specifically about the religious right seems to be becoming a trend at The Daily Kos.

The American Prophet suggests that there is political gold in old Christian Coalition voter guides. He notes that Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) who resigned in disgrace at the first sign his long career of soliciting sex with Congressional pages was about to be exposed -- recieved an 84% rating from the Christian Coalition; Disgraced former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) 92% and Rep. Randy "Duke"Cunningham, who is in jail for bribery, 100%.

Remember when I said this in reference to Democratic Candidate (NY-26) Jack Davis' surging poll numbers:

...the Survey USA polls have Reynolds' totals unchanged from one poll to the next. Davis, on the other hand, has shown a seven-point increase over the course of the week - almost exactly the amount that chose the Green candidate prior to the party's removal from the ballot.

To me, that seems to imply that the effects, if any, of the Reynolds-Pedophile scandal have yet to filter down to the likely voters. That could mean that there are further gains to be had by Davis AND that Reynolds is in DEEP TROUBLE.

Well, now it looks like we're starting to see some of those 'further gains' I was talking about:

Democrat Jack Davis has opened a significant lead over Republican incumbent Thomas M. Reynolds in a congressional contest fueled by Reynolds' association with the Mark Foley sex scandal.

Davis leads Reynolds 48 percent to 33 percent in a new Zogby International poll conducted for The Buffalo News, prompting pollster John Zogby to conclude that Davis poses a genuine threat to the longtime powerhouse from Clarence.

"There is no other way to look at these numbers except to say Tom Reynolds is in trouble," the Utica-based Zogby said.

No, "Reynolds is in DEEP TROUBLE!!!!"

Rep Tom Reynolds (R-NY): I did what most people would do in a work place. I heard something, I took it to my supervisor.

Jon Stewart: "I took it to my supervisor?" Tom Reynolds...Congressman? or Assistant Manager at Applebees?

 -- The Daily Show as Jon Stewart lambastes Rep Reynolds for his cowardice in the GOP-Pedophile Scandal

Will we soon be saying 'Buh-Bye!' to The head of the NRCC? Let's take a look...

Prior to incumbent Republican Rep Tom Reynolds' forfeiture of integrity - brought upon by his protective stance over disgraced Republican pedophile Mark Foley, Reynolds held a slim lead over his opponent, Democrat Jack Davis.

A poll released back on September 28th, by Survey USA, shows Tom Reynolds leading Jack Davis by a margin of 45% to 43% with the Green party candidate receiving 8% support and 4% undecided. Note: the Green Party has since been stricken from the ballot.

Along comes a spider (Foley)...

And Voila! Now, a Dem poll has come along (conducted October 3-4) that shows Davis leading Reynolds by Eight points, 50% to 42%.

Even better, a new (nonpartisan) Survey USA poll showed Davis leading Reynolds by Five points. That's a 50% to 45%. That's a seven-point pickup for Davis since their last poll only one week ago.

So is it Reynolds' Foley-bumbling that put him in the red?

Could be. But notice that the USA Today polls have Reynolds' totals unchanged from one poll to the next. Davis, on the other hand, has shown a seven-point increase over the course of the week - almost exactly the amount that chose the Green candidate prior to the party's removal from the ballot.

To me, that seems to imply that the effects, if any, of the Reynolds-Pedophile scandal have yet to filter down to the likely voters. That could mean that there are further gains to be had by Davis AND that Reynolds is in DEEP TROUBLE.

First, let's get one thing straight. Gays, media, and Democrats are to blame for Mark Foley's and the GOP leadership's reprehensible behavior.

Well... that's the argument being foisted upon the public by 'personal responsibility' Republicans.

And they're probably right.

Clearly it was the media that forced GOP Congressman Mark Foley to spend all those years repeatedly seeking sexual fulfillment with children.

Clearly it was gays who strong-armed the Republican leadership into ignoring the initial evidence of lurid impropriety in order to preserve their majority status in the House.

Clearly it was the Democrats who used their well-known mind-control techniques to thwart the Republican leadership's efforts to come clean with the GOPedophile scandal at a less politically sensitive time way back when GOP leaders first learned about it.

Clearly it was gays, the media and the Democrats who caused Republicans' to do the wrong thing, embrace power, and protect their favorite pedophile at the expense of their honor, integrity, and dignity.

Dems, gays, and Media should be ashamed.

Via DailyKos, we have the latest on the Foley-Reynolds-Hastert-Boeh ner-Shimkus-Alexander-Page Scandal from the subscription-only email newsletter Evans-Novak Political Report:

1. Will the Foley affair affect individual Republican members of Congress and Republican challengers? The immediate answer is that it already has. The President's aggressive campaign on national security and terrorism was a benefit to Republicans. Its sudden termination because of the Foley affair is a negative. The national conversation has already changed, blunting all the momentum Republicans were supposed to have nationally as Congress adjourned and the October campaign season began. Instead of discussing terrorism, Republican House leaders are defending themselves against charges that they covered up Foley's activities. The more complicated answer follows further below.

2. Blunted momentum is only the beginning of the GOP's problems. As of this writing, there does not appear to be any smoking gun suggesting a cover-up of illegal activity, but things still look bad simply because House Republican leaders did know something, and the public will be unhappy with the fact that they did not cut Foley loose immediately, even though they had no evidence of illegal activity.
The fact is, Foley was reluctant to run for re-election because of pressure over his homosexuality. He was reportedly considering two private-sector jobs already, after the White House had panned him as a Florida Senate candidate, reasoning that he could not win statewide. But National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Tom Reynolds (R-N.Y.) talked a reluctant Foley into staying. Naturally, Reynolds, as the campaign chairman, wants all incumbents to stay in the House and to minimize open seats. Foley filed as a candidate in Florida on May 8 of this year, after Reynolds and other Republican leaders had been made aware of the e-mails by the page's congressional sponsor, Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-La.), in April. It would have been a good time to ease Foley out, because his district is solidly Republican enough that another candidate could have carried it easily.

As a result of recent ugly revelations reverberating through the offices of NRCC Chairman Tom Reynolds (R-NY-26) and the rest of the Republican House leadership, Tom Reynolds' Chief of Staff, Kirk Fordham has been forced to resign.

According to a senior Republican official in Washington, Fordham, in the spring of 2006, promised both Rep. John Shimkus, the chairman of the page board as well as a staff member in Speaker Dennis Hastert's office, that he would make sure Foley kept his nose clean. Fordham had spent ten years as Foley's chief of staff and is one of his closest friends. He was acting here in two capacities: as a representative of Reynolds, the chair of the campaign committee, and as a friend to Foley.

His assurances were enough to prevent Hastert's staff from recommending any further action. Shimkus decided not to inform the full page board in part because of Fordham's intercession, according to these sources.

But as you might suspect, the BUCK DOES NOT STOP THERE... Developing...

"[Tom Reynolds' opponent ]Jack Davis is interested in protecting the jobs, families and values of western New York. Tom Reynolds is interested in protecting his power and position in Washington."

-- Davis spokesman Curtis Ellis

A poll released on September 28th, by Survey USA, shows Tom Reynolds leading Jack Davis by a margin of 45% to 43% with the Green party candidate receiving 8% support and 4% undecided. However, a court has just ruled that the Green party did not submit enough valid signatures, so their candidate will be stricken from the ballot.

I bet you can see where I'm going with this;)

The machinery is failing. The gears are exposed. The rust is gathering.

NRCC Chairman Tom Reynolds (NY-26), Speaker Dennis Hastert (IL-14), Majority Leader John Boehner (OH-08), John Shimkus (IL-19), Rodney Alexander (LA-05)  -- the Cover-up Kings -- are fighting for their political lives -- with each other.

These are battles that could mean the effective end to the GOP in NY, IL, and OH -- states where the party already struggles as a shell of an age now passed.

And these won't help...

Update [2006-10-3 13:32:28 by Tom Ball]: Though this entry is satire, this part about Limbaugh is certainly NOT: Limbaugh Joins in: Democrats "set Foley up ... it's all coordinated" by the Democrats. Limbaugh also stated that "the orgy and the orgasm that has been taking place in the media since Friday and with the Democrats is ... all coordinated, and it's ... all oriented toward the election." Holy nutjobs Batman!!! This guy is off his freakin' rocker... yet still able to squeak out one bit of truth...

"[Rep Mark Foley]... You truely (sic) represent the greatest goals of the Republicans"

 -- Right-wing blogger inadvertently speaking truth to power

If ever there was an icon for Republican insanity, this guy is it -- delusional, conspiratorial, blind-faith driven and full to the brim of good ol' fashion conservative, hate-filled quackery!

For your reading hilarity, I've reproduced his post (below the fold) THANKING child-predator Foley for 'taking one for the team' (Apparently all republicans wish to be kiddie-chasing pervs?). I've including all the freeject's spelling errors for that authentic right-wing blog feel.