Timeline: How Foley scandal unfolded

Adjust font size:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The events leading up to former Rep. Mark Foley's resignation from his Florida Republican post began about a year ago.

Fall 2005: A 16-year-old former congressional page forwards e-mails he says he received from Foley to another party, who has a House e-mail address.

The e-mails include a request for the teen's picture. In another exchange, Foley purportedly asked the teen what he wanted for his birthday and "what stuff do you like to do?" And in another, the congressman is quoted as making comments about another former page, saying he "acts much older than his age" and "he's in really great shape."

In his forwarding message, the former page comments that he found the request for his picture "sick."

The teen's family contacts the office of Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-Louisiana, the page's sponsor and hometown representative, about e-mails to the boy from Foley.

Alexander's staff contacts House Speaker Dennis Hastert's office, which refers the matter to the House clerk. According to a statement issued Friday by the House speaker's office, the clerk asks to see the text of the e-mail, but Alexander's office declines because of concerns about the family's privacy. (Watch Foley timeline -- 2:05)

"The clerk asked if the e-mail exchange was of a sexual nature and was assured it was not. Congressman Alexander's chief of staff characterized the e-mail exchange as over friendly," the Hastert statement continues.

The clerk refers the matter to the chairman of the Page Board, Rep. John Shimkus, R-Illinois.

Shimkus tells Foley to "immediately cease any communication with the young man." He recalls later that Foley assured him and the clerk of the House that the e-mails would stop.

Spring 2006: Alexander discusses the e-mails with his colleague, Congressman Tom Reynolds, who leads the National Republican Congressional Committee. Reynolds says later that he shared this information with Speaker Hastert. Hastert says he doesn't explicitly recall their conversation but does not dispute Reynolds' account.

Thursday, September 28: ABC News reports on the e-mail exchange. Foley's office tells ABC the e-mails were innocent and appropriate.

Friday, September 29: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a left-leaning watchdog group, sends a letter to the House Ethics Committee asking for an investigation of Foley. The group posts some of the e-mails.

Foley abruptly resigns and apologizes to his family and the people of Florida, without mentioning the e-mails.

ABC News reports details of three exchanges of instant messages sent between teenage male pages and someone using the screen name Maf54, whom ABC identified as Foley. (The congressman's initials are M.A.F., and he was born in 1954.) In one of those exchanges, Maf54 advises the teen to "strip down." In another, when the teen says he's wearing a T-shirt and shorts, Maf54 replies, "Love to slip them off of you." And in a third, Maf54 asks, "Do I make you a little horny?"

The House of Representatives votes to launch an investigation of Foley's dealings with pages.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, the House Democratic leader, presses the House Ethics Committee to begin investigating and make a preliminary report within 10 days, The Associated Press reports.

Saturday, September 30: House Republican leaders issue a joint statement calling Foley's communications with pages "an obscene breach of trust" and recommend the House Page Board conduct a full review.

Sunday, October 1: Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate suggest a GOP election year cover-up.

Speaker Hastert's office releases letters he's written to Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez and Florida Governor Jeb Bush asking them to conduct an investigation to determine if Foley's actions violated federal or state law.

An FBI spokesman says the agency is looking into whether any federal laws have been violated in the matter.

Monday, October 2: The Florida Department of Law Enforcement confirms it is launching its own investigation into the allegations.

Foley tells a Florida television station that he is being treated for alcoholism and is in a treatment facility.

Tools:
Save |
Print |
E-mail |
Most Popular |

Next story in Politics

Politics

What are E-mail Alerts? | Manage Alerts | Create Your Own

Get up-to-the minute news from CNN

CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.