Republican nominee for governor Charlie Crist calls the Mark Foley scandal "tragic and terrible. What can you say?"

Crist said Monday he has directed his child predator cyber crime unit in Jacksonville to "offer any assistance" that may help the FBI and FDLE in their criminal investigation of Foley and his sexually-charged e-mails to teenage male pages on Capitol Hill.

As for what role his agency will have in the Foley case, "That really will be up to the FBI," Crist said. "The last thing I want to do is get in the way of an ongoing investigation, but I want to offer any appropriate support that I can."

Asked if he personally knew anything about Foley's behavior before it became a public sensation last Thursday, Crist said: "No. Only what I've read in news accounts."

Crist has been aggressive in publicizing Internet predator cases handled by his agency. He testified before a Congressional subcommittee last year on the need for better inter-agency coordination at all levels of government to track online pedophilia. His web site still carries a June 7, 2005 release about his testimony -- including praise for three Florida members of Congress "for their dedication to finding workable solutions on this important issue." They are Reps. Ginny Brown-Waite, Katherine Harris and Foley.