We've been had!

Drudge is breaking the news now. The entire Foleygate scandal is a HOAX! Full text of the Drudge report below

According to two people close to former congressional page Jordan Edmund, the now famous lurid AOL Instant Message exchanges that led to the resignation of Mark Foley were part of an online prank that by mistake got into the hands of enemy political operatives, the DRUDGE REPORT can reveal.

According to one Oklahoma source who knows the former page very well, Edmund, a conservative Republican, goaded Foley to type embarrassing comments that were then shared with a small group of young Hill politicos. The prank went awry when the saved IM sessions got into the hands of political operatives favorable to Democrats. This source, an ally of Edmund, also adamantly proclaims that the former page is not a homosexual. The prank scenario was confirmed by a second associate of Edmund.

The news come on the heels that former FBI Chief Louis Freeh has been named to investigate the mess.

Developing...

One wonders just exactly HOW these IM logs got into the hands of Dem Operatives. What one does NOT wonder is why they didn't FACT CHECK the IMs with the original owners, as the screen names were on the IM logs.

As reported by Passionate American and The Oklahoman, it wasn't difficult to find out who the screen names were. Obviously the Dems were salivating at the chance for an October Surprise. (As they are being absolutely crushed on every other item of any importance in the upcoming Elections.) Apparently they wanted their October Surprise so badly they they were willing to (Shock!) ignore the facts and bend the truth to their desires to try and gain some votes.

Somehow I think it's going to bite them on the butt HARD come election day. I don't know about you, but I'll be listening for the collective Democrat yelp when that happens.

I can't wait!

----------------------------

Update: Drudge has updated the text on his site with further information. Here is the text:

According to two people close to former congressional page Jordan Edmund, the now famous lurid AOL Instant Message exchanges that led to the resignation of Mark Foley were part of an online prank that by mistake got into the hands of enemy political operatives, the DRUDGE REPORT can reveal.

According to one Oklahoma source who knows the former page very well, Edmund, a conservative Republican, goaded an unwitting Foley to type embarrassing comments that were then shared with a small group of young Hill politicos. The prank went awry when the saved IM sessions got into the hands of political operatives favorable to Democrats.

The primary source, an ally of Edmund, adamantly proclaims that the former page is not a homosexual. The prank scenario was confirmed by a second associate of Edmund. Both are fearful that their political careers will be affected if they are publicly brought into the matter.

The news come on the heels that Edmund has hired former Timothy McVeigh attorney, Stephen Jones.

I will continue to update this until all the facts are known. But it's looking more and more like a nasty prank gone awry. I'd say some former pages are going to be spending time in court, and MANY MANY Democrats will be in need of towels to wipe the egg off thier faces.

Update: Drudge has added the following to his report:

The prank scenario only applies to the Edmund IM sessions and does not necessarily apply to any other exchanges between the former congressman and others.

Of course, what happened in the IM exchanges is really the crux of the entire scandal anyway. As it has already been determined that the e-mail content, while creepily over-frendly, did not violate any ethics rules or laws. The big smoking gun here seems to be turning into a Looney Tunes-esque BANG-flag gun.

This is a Smoking Gun?

More details as they are available.

Update: ABC News suddenly gets three anonymous tips from alleged pages, one of who's comments seem directly aimed at Drudge...

"This was no prank," said one of the three former pages who talked to ABC News today about his experience with the congressman.

Maybe I'm getting a tad jaded, but this revelation seems suspiciously timed. The fact that it came in via an "anonymous tip line" isn't exactly points in it's favor. Somehow I think that the three "Pages" will turn out to be three misguided KOS Kidz trying to prevent the Drudge bombshell from having any effect. Unfortunately I suspect that ABC won't do it's homework and it will once again fall to the conservative blogoshpere to do the background checks.

Of course, if they turn out to be for real, The question needs to be asked why they didn't come forward and speak to the house Ethics committee rather than ABC News? I have a deep suspicion of "victims" that don't go to the authorities when they are victimized, but go to the press. They almost always turn out to be either liars or complicit in some way. We shall see.

More updates as they become available.

Update: Michelle Malkin has coverage as well.