On Wednesday, we reported police in Moore, Oklahoma were investigating why state Sen. Ralph Shortey was hanging out in a hotel room last Thursday with a teenage boy.
According to The Oklahoman, a text exchange between Shortey and the teen are central to the investigation.
Police were first tipped off by concerned relatives of the unnamed teen.
The NY Daily News reports Shortey — who was “a leader in President Trump’s Oklahoma primary campaign” — is now being charged with “soliciting a minor for prostitution, prostitution within 1000 feet of a church and transporting someone for prostitution.”
On Tuesday, Cleveland County District Attorney Greg Mashburn acknowledged he’d received a initial police briefing and is awaiting a final report before deciding whether to press criminal charges.
It’s still unclear exactly how old the boy is. Authorities are referring to him as a juvenile, although the age of consent in Oklahoma is 16.
According to the NY Daily News:
The Oklahoma State Senate punished Shortey on Wednesday afternoon, stripping his committee memberships, kicking him out of his capitol office and making him return his state computer.
Related: Antigay Senator/Prostitute Patron David Vitter Gets Trolled On Twitter
35-year-old Shortey was questioned Monday by police.
First elected in 2010, Shortey (R-Oklahoma City) has been married to his high school sweetheart since ’02.
On Tuesday, Lt. Kyle Dudley to The Oklahoman:
“On March 9 … officers of the Moore Police Department were contacted in reference to a welfare check at a local hotel.”
“Responding officers found a juvenile male in a hotel room which was also occupied by an adult male. The circumstances surrounding this incident are currently under investigation and no additional information can be released at this time.”
Shortey has proven to be a controversial figure during his time in Senate. Most recently, he infuriated voters by proposing that approved drug laws be undone at the polls in November.
Related: A Brief History Of Antigay Politicians Caught Doing Very Gay Things In Public Restrooms
Earlier this year, he advised former state Rep. Dan Kirby, R-Tulsa while embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal at the Capitol. Kirby later resigned after a House investigative committee “commended his expulsion.”
Juanjo
The police report is available online and offers some more details. He did the perp walk this morning.
https://htv-prod-media.s3.amazonaws.com/files/moore-police-report-pdf-1489617751.pdf
Giancarlo85
Man…this guy is trashy. Has President Dumpster offered him a cabinet position yet?
omacdonald
Lots of these Republicans and Evangelicals want us to just go away, they want to convert us, deprive us of marrying the person we love, stone us, bash us, and if they had their way, herd us into ovens. But they do not seem to have any problems with having sex with us. Damn them and their hypocrisy.
GayEGO
Bwahahahahahahahahaha! Always a Republican, pretending to be righteous and sneaking around to commit sexual molestation!
JackieOMG
Don’t you just know Ms. Widey Shortey nearly had a heart attack when the knock came on the door accompanied by the cry, “Police.” Probably pooped her panties a bit, as well. Schadenfreude done got hold of me.
scotty
well bless his heart./sarc off
Dakotahgeo
JACKASININE REPUBLICAN ‘STR8’ christians! Hang the bastard!