PRESS RELEASES

  - October 10, 2024 -       Press Release         -For Immediate Release -   

2006 Independent Democratic Congressional Candidate
Karen Hartley-Nagle
Challenges Her Opponents: Castle, Berg and Spivak
To Sign The “War On Child Predators” Pledge
To Protect Our Children Now

Contact: Karen M. Hartley-Nagle – Telephone: (302) 465-1365,
E-mail: Justice44childde@aol.com, Web Site: hartley-nagle.com

Delaware – In the wake of the Rep. Mark Foley scandal, we need to take action now to ensure that crimes involving child predators and child porn do not continue to be under funded, understaffed and lack accountability measures at both the state and federal level.  I contacted Camille Cooper, Legislative Director of the nonpartisan National Association to Protect Children (www.protect.org) to find out what I could do to help and have taken their “War on Child Predators Pledge”.  Ms. Cooper has since contacted the offices of Congressman Castle, Michael Berg and Dennis Spivak.  MILLIONS OF CHILDREN are in danger from online predators and child pornography traffickers.  The Republican Congressman Mark Foley scandal is a tragic example that child predators can be anyone – even your Congressman – and the Republican leadership's energetic efforts to shove it under the carpet further highlights the culture of corruption that rules Washington.  Protecting our children is a priority for me, an issue that I take very seriously and will boldly combat when elected to Congress. 


I am challenging my Congressional opponents – Congressman Castle (R), Michael Berg (G) and Dennis Spivak (D) – to take National Association to Protect Children’s, “War on Child Predators Pledge”.  This child advocacy group has seized on the House page controversy and is urging Congress to approve $1 billion extra per year to mount an effective “war” on child porn and sexual predators; a move I strongly support and is desperately needed.  The National Association to Protect Children is on target and is taking action.  They know, “Child pornography and online predators have declared war on American children.  Yet Congress has refused to earnestly act. Our nation's law enforcement is overwhelmed and under-funded. Each day, the men and women investigating these crimes see children in unthinkable pain that they cannot rescue… because they simply don’t have the resources.  This simple, bipartisan agenda promises the five things our federal law enforcement officers urgently need: federal agents, state and local investigators, crime labs, prosecutors and more government accountability…Since 2024, the House and Senate have held at least 27 hearings on this exploding crisis.”


All members of Congress and their challengers are being asked by this group to back the $1 billion in addition to the current dedicated funding level of roughly less than $100 million a year.  Talks with federal agencies and members of Congress showed there are not enough crime labs, federal, state and local law enforcement experts and prosecutors focused on sexual abuse of children, the whereabouts of convicted sex offenders and ways to shut down child porn Web sites.  The $1 billion a year would pay for 2,000 new federal agents, 1,000 new state and local agents, 20 new crime labs and 279 new prosecutors all dedicated to battling those involved in sexual abuse of children.  The association will be sending pledge forms to all members of Congress and their challengers.  Those who sign or don't sign in the next three weeks or so will be identified in a publicized report card before the Nov. 7 election so voters will know those who “signed up” to protect their children and the ones who decided to stick their heads back into the sand.

Moreover, President Bush has insisted that Americans must vote Republican for the safety of the United States, and yet, Congress cannot even ensure the safety of the teenage pages under its care.  How can we trust the Republican-led Congress to keep the United States safe when they cannot even be trusted not to prey on our children?  Paid for the Committee to Elect Karen Hartley-Nagle