Hartford, CT— After yesterday’s gubernatorial debate, Tom Foley lied—yet again—about his arrest history during his media availability.

It’s been reported by the Hartford Courant and other outlets that, during Foley’s background check to be Ambassador to Ireland, he indicated to federal authorities he had never been charged for anything more than “a minor traffic offense”.

That, of course, is not true. He has been charged twice—once for a felony assault for ramming another vehicle at speeds of up to 50 M.P.H. and a second time in an altercation involving his car and his wife.

Yet during his background check, when asked if he had ever been investigated, arrested, or charged by any law enforcement authority, Foley answered “No” on his national security clearance form. We know that to be untrue.

Yet, during Foley’s availability yesterday, he denied that he had ever lied about his arrest history to authorities.

Question: “Can you comment on his accusation where you didn’t disclose your arrest?”

Foley: “That’s absolutely false.”

Question: “Completely false?”

Foley: “False. Am I clear about that?”

The exchange can be found here.

Background:

Foley Said Neither Arrest Came Up In His Confirmation Hearings And “I’m Sure They Were Aware Of Both The Incidents, And It Was Not A Problem For Them.” According to the CT Mirror, “In a telephone interview with The Mirror, Foley said neither incident came up during his interview by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, when President George W. Bush nominated him as ambassador to Ireland in 2006. He said he did not make a point of disclosing the two arrests, but he was subject to a detailed FBI background investigation. ‘To be an ambassador, you have to have a top-secret clearance,’ said Foley, who also was a Bush administration appointee to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq in 2003, overseeing the nation’s state-owned businesses. ‘I’m sure they were aware of both the incidents, and it was not a problem for them.'” [CT Mirror, 6/25/10]

Foley Wrote On Background Check Forms That He Had Never Been Charged With Anything More Than A “Minor Traffic Offense.” According to the Hartford Courant, “Another form that Foley filled out asked: ‘Have you ever been investigated, arrested or charged or held by any federal, state or other law enforcement authority for violation of any federal, state, county or municipal law, regulation or ordinance other than a minor traffic offense?’ Foley said he again answered “no” because he considered both the 1981 and a 1993 breach-of-peace charge – which involved his attempt to block his then-estranged wife’s car from leaving his driveway with their young son, and then following her for a short time – to both be ‘minor’ and ‘traffic-related.'” [Hartford Courant, 7/30/10]

Foley Answered “No” On His National Security Clearance Form And U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Form On The Question Of Whether He Had Ever Been “Investigated, Arrested, Or Charged Or Held By Any Federal, State Or Other Law Enforcement Authority.”According to the Hartford Courant, “He filled out two kinds of questionnaires: the national-security clearance form that asked about any felony arrests, and one for the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s approval of his ambassador’s nomination that asked a broader question: ‘Have you ever been investigated, arrested or charged or held by any federal, state or other law enforcement authority for violation of any federal, state county or municipal law, regulation or ordinance other than a minor traffic offense?’ Again, Foley said he answered ‘no.'” [Hartford Courant, 7/23/10]

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