.- Mark Foley, the Florida Republican that resigned last month after he was confronted with sexually explicit e-mails sent to teenage pages, plans to reveal the name of a clergyman he says abused him as a teenager after being urged to do so by the Archdiocese of Miami.
Foley has been in seclusion at an alcohol rehabilitation facility at an undisclosed location, since the news of his improprieties surfaced. Gerald Richman, Foley's civil attorney, said yesterday that the congressman is, "dealing with this issue, but it's going to take a lot of time."
Immediately after Foley announced he was abused by a clergyman from the Archdiocese of Miami, but refused to provide the name, the Archdiocese's spokeswoman, Mary Ross Agosta urged the congressman to identify his accuser.
"He's coming forward in baby steps and there's nothing much we can do until we have it clearly identified," said Agosta. "Without the name of the priest, there is little the church can do and the healing process will not begin," she added.
Criminal charges against the soon to be accused priest cannot be filed because the statute of limitations on the sexual assault expired long ago, since the events happened 36 to 38 years ago.
According to Richman, "this is all part of the healing process for Mark Foley. He thinks it's important to go ahead and bring this information out and hope and encourage other people who have been similarly abused to go ahead and come forward."
Richman also said that, although he doesn't know the name of the priest, he knows is still alive and lives in Florida.
Foley to reveal name of alleged abuser at urging of Archdiocese
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