Tom Foley Dies At Age 84

Former House Speaker Tom Foley has died at the age of 84.

Foley, also a former U.S. ambassador to Japan in the Clinton administration, had been in hospice care at his home in the nation's capital. He represented eastern Washington state in the U.S. House of Representatives for 15 terms, from 1965 to 1995. "With his passing, the House loses one of its most devoted servants and the country loses a great statement," House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said. Foley's defeat in 1994 was historic: He was the first House speaker to lose re-election to his congressional seat since the Civil War. Known for his ability to strike compromise, Foley was the highest-profile Democrat turned out of office as voters swept Newt Gingrich and a Republican majority into power. It was the first time in four decades that Republicans controlled the House, and voters kept the GOP in control until Democrats regained power in the 2006 elections.

RELATED: You might recall that Newt Gingrich's henchmen (with help from Lee Atwater) started a whisper campaign that Foley was gay.

As Foley was about to become House speaker, in 1989, some Republicans began a whisper campaign that Tom Foley was gay. One GOP operative went so far as to send out a release under the title: "Foley -- Out of the liberal closet." House Republican Whip Newt Gingrich walked up to Foley on the House floor, and earnestly disclaimed any responsibility. "I don't fight that way," Gingrich told Foley. Foley knew full well that a senior Gingrich aide was spreading the rumors. He stayed silent. Still, Foley related later, the lie from Gingrich was so brazen that he felt the tingling of blood leaving his face."

The rumors ended when Barney Frank threatened to out every gay Republican that he knew about.