It's all beginning to make sense.

Last year, right before the election, you may recall a young Republican congressman from my home state going on the attack when it came to light that Mark Foley (R-Skeeze) was soliciting male pages for a little game of after-hours stun the muffin.

That's him over there, Patrick McHenry, and you can see him in furious and righteous indignation here.

I wondered at the time why McHenry rushed to cover the considerable backside of Speaker Denny Hastert (R-Biscuitville) in the Foley scandal. Now we may have an answer.

But first, let's talk a bit about voter fraud, the crime that had Karl Rove's knickers in such a twist that the reluctance of some US Attorneys to pursue specious cases of this heinous crime led to their being fired by AG Alberto Gonzales. But, it's funny. No US Attorney got the pink slip for overlooking what appears to be voter fraud involving a College Republican, Michael Aaron Lay.

Michael Lay spent a great many nights at Patrick McHenry's house being tutored, no doubt, on the fine art of ducking your military obligations while still supporting the war.

He spent so many nights enjoying Representaive McHenry's hospitality that Mr. Lay voted in McHenry's district, even though his home of record was in Tennessee.

Now I see why McHenry was in high dudgeon over the sleezy inferences being made about Mark Foly's relationships with male pages. Just because a Congressman is unmarried and spends long evenings with young men does not mean he's doing anything that might upset his very conservative constituents. After all, he's already come out in favor of The Sanctity of Marriage, and what better heterosexual bona fides does an unmarried Congressman need?

Let me be clear. I don't care who a politician romps naked around the Tidal Basin with. I didn't care when Clinton was dallying with the fat chick, I didn't care when Newt Gingrich was playing introduce the amendment with an aide, and I don't care about the rumor that George Bush is sleeping with Secretary Rice. Hell, Bush could be as gay as organza and I wouldn't care except for the whole incompetence thing.

But voter fraud? Where is Karl Rove when you need him?

Editor's note: The colorful picture from the gay parade is taken completely out of context and has absolutely no relevance to Representative McHenry's sexual orientation. Not that there's anything wrong with that.