It's been more than two years since Mark Foley garnered notoriety for sending salacious emails to congressional pages.

The Floridian Congressman has since resigned, come out and been cleared of any illegal wrong-doing, which means it's a perfect time for right-leaning journalist James Kirchick to come out and blast the left for addressing Foley's misdeeds in the first place.

Though he describes Foley's online activities as "reprehensible," Kirchick wags a righteous finger at "democratic operatives" and other liberal activists who, he says, simply used Foley as a political pawn.

The Congressman didn't deserve such malicious attention - rather, he needs our sympathy and understanding. Or something.

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The United States seems obsessed with cruising these days. Senator Larry Craig and Representative Bob Allen's respective arrests this year have catapulted public sex into the public eye. What a perfect time, then, for Deseret News to feature Pride Counseling's Healthy Self-Expressions program.

Sponsored in part by the Salt Lake County Criminal Justice Services, this five-week course educates men on the dangers and implications of cruising. As we've already seen, many cruisers identify as straight, yet continually find themselves drawn to anonymous homosexual encounters: a confusing internal conflict, to say the least. Pride Counseling's Jerrie Buie explains:

There are so many layers to this issues. It really goes beyond a bunch of men looking for sex. People in this kind of culture really struggle with a sense of orientation.

Please tell us he's making a bad pun…

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The 23/6 kids are up to their satirical tricks once again, offering this interesting and totally fabricated thesis on the ever-important denial:

Recent studies by researchers from USC and MIT show that the tactics people use to ignore their problems are essential for coping, handling everyday dishonesties and betrayals, and can even build a foundation for forgiveness.

In other words, if you have huge problems you're not dealing with, don't stress out and make a big deal about it. These people don't keep it real, and they're doing just fine…

We're a little confused about former Republican politico Bob Allen's inclusion: if he's denying he loves cock, why would his wife's coital terror be an "advantage"?

Now that toilet troll Bob Allen has resigned his Floridian Republican seat, it's up to voters to find an appropriate replacement. And they're going to pay the price:

It could cost taxpayers more than $400,000 to elect a replacement to serve the remainder of Rep. Bob Allen's term in the Florida House.

But state Republican leaders and colleagues, who pressured the disgraced seven-year lawmaker to resign, and potential candidates hoping to replace him said Monday that it will be money well-spent.

"It's certainly unfortunate that the cost is what it is," said Erin VanSickle, a spokeswoman for state GOP Chairman Jim Greer. "But the voters in that district deserve a voice in the House of Representatives and shouldn't have to wait."

Bob Allen should have to pay that. Or maybe the Republican party. They did, after all, try to push him out.

That sex solicitation guilty verdict knocked some sense into Floridian Republican Bob Allen. The legislator and champion of family values resigned late Friday after being sentenced to community service, std class and fines for offering an undercover cop $20 and a blowjob:

Allen's letter to House Speaker Mario Rubio said he would resign on Feb. 15, 2008, or earlier if a replacement election can be held.
…
In his letter, Allen citied "the requirements of my family and my private life, and in order to seek justice in the upcoming appeal process" as reasons for his decision.

Jim Greer, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, released this statement after Allen's resignation announcement: "Last week I encouraged Representative Allen to resign his position in the Florida House, and I am pleased that he has decided to do so. Floridians in House District 32 deserve a strong voice to represent them in the Florida House, and I am encouraged that they will now have that opportunity."

Allen had no comment, of course. Nor did his staff: they've been replaced by an answering redirecting calls to hell. Okay, that last bit's not true, but there are machines telling callers the line isn't accepting messages.

Floridian Republican Bob Allen got off relatively easy yesterday.

The Floridian Representative received 6 months probation and a $250 fine for soliciting a male police officer earlier this year. In addition to the fine, poor Allen must pay the Titusville Police Department $245 for their investigation into his confirmed toilet trolling, attend an HIV awareness class and get an STD test.
Offering a cop $20 and a blowjob apparently indicates Allen's a dirty birdy.

Things could have been far more grim for Allen. Says the Palm Beach Post:

Allen co-sponsored a bill months before his arrest that would have increased public sex charges from a misdemeanor to a felony. The proposed bill addressed "unnatural and lascivious acts or exposure or exhibition of sexual organs" within 1,000 feet of a park, school or child care facility.

Perhaps the most tragic aspect of his sentencing, however, came when the judge forbade Allen from returning to Space View Park, where the incident took place. Now alientated Allen will never know the joy of retracing his final steps as a respected politicians. Tear, tear.

Bob Allen's gay sex solicitation guilty verdict certainly isn't winning him any friends - but it is influencing people. Florida's House Speaker Marco Rubio called for the disgraced Republican to resign. Says the state's GOP chairman, Jim Greer: "I am confident that Speaker Rubio and the House of Representatives will take steps to uphold the integrity of the office, which may include Rep. Allen's resignation or other available options."

Allen ain't getting any love from the public, either. The politico's campaign funds haven't seen a single contribution since July 13th, two days after his arrest for offering a cop $20 and a blowjob.

Despite the verdict, Allen still maintains his innocence: "I am innocent. I have done nothing wrong. My family, my God and my constituents know that and we're not going to stop until we get that justice." Sounds like someone has Larry Craig syndrome: stupidity. Sheesh, why can't more Republicans be like Richard Curtis, who managed to retain a shred of dignity when he resigned.

• Floridian Republican Bob Allen has been found guilty of soliciting a male police officer for sex. May face $500 fine and 60 days in jail. TGIF!

• Jossip hit up The Atlantic's 150th anniversary bash/voyeuristic adventure. Watch for special appearances from Moby, Andrew Sullivan, Patti Smith and some other familiar faces.

• Who's your favorite fictional gay?

• RIP AIDS activist and Bill Clinton ally Dr. R. Scott Hitt.

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Arianna Huffington's new comedy website, 23/6 launched on a decidedly lavender note today. First came an uproarious imagined instant message between Rudy Giuliani and new pal Pat Robertson.

And then they unveiled the Richard Curtis-inspired Great American Beard-Off, a who's who of more-than-just trophy wives. The 23/6 staffers don't have a picture of Mrs. Curtis, but they place her beard rating at "Osama Bin Laden" because she knew what she allegedly knew about Curtis' unsavory sexual habits.

Oh, Dina McGreevey got a shout-out, too. And, as hard as it is to believe, she comes out looking good.

Bob Allen's sex solicitation trial started off on a scandalous note yesterday.

Despite an extensive jury selection, the judge heard troubling news that a juror leaked a predetermined guilty verdict to a blogger friend. Displeased to say the least, the judge pulled the jury aside to ensure a fair trial for Floridian politician Allen, who stands accused of offering a cop $20 and a blowjob.

One of the cops present that fateful day - Leamon Jackson - took the stand yesterday and recalled how Allen "checked" him out before heading to the loo. Allen's lawyer attempted to defuse Jackson's testimony.

It blew up in his face…

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Floridian politico Bob Allen's trial begins today. As you no doubt know, the Republican state representative got nabbed earlier this year for allegedly offering an undercover cop $20 and a blow-job. Though jury selection began a few weeks ago, defense attorneys delayed the trial for a few hours this morning to sift through potentially unbiased candidates:

Jury selection in the sex-solicitation trial of state Rep. Bob Allen was delayed for nearly two hours today as prosecutors and defense attorneys argued over several last-minute motions.

The first 14 potential jurors entered the courtroom shortly before 11 a. m. Brevard County Judge Oscar Hotusing agreed to let Allen's attorney question them separately about the impact of pre-trial publicity surrounding the case.

Allen got a bit of a gift last month when the presiding judge dismissed some of his arresting statement: "I don't suppose it would help if I said I was a state legislature, would it."

Of the trial, which will no doubt be a media circus, Allen's wife remarked, "Nothing will surprise me. Everything pertaining to this case has been very shocking". Not least of all the fact that her husband likes cock…

A Floridian judge isn't wasting any time in getting toilet trolling legislature Bob Allen under oath:

Judge Oscar Hotusing had unexpectedly ordered jury selection to begin today in Titusville after Allen's attorney filed a notice late Thursday indicating that the 90-day speedy trial period had expired. The notice asked that the charge of soliciting prostitution be dismissed if Allen wasn't tried within the next 15 days.

Hotusing obviously wants to make sure Allen gets what's coming to him. The Republican faces up to a year in jail if convicted. He also may have to pay a fine of $500: far more than the $20 and blowjob he allegedly offered an undercover cop.