Governor pardons Dem lawmaker convicted of having a relationship with underage girl
Outgoing Virginia Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam gave a farewell present to a fellow Democrat last week by pardoning a Democratic state legislator who had an illicit relationship with an underage girl.
State Sen. Joe Morrissey was convicted in 2014 on a misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, he’d entered an Alford plea to the charge — not admitting guilt but acknowledging that the state had evidence that would likely result in a conviction.
The charge focused on a relationship Morrissey had with a 17-year-old assistant at the law firm where he worked. Morrissey was a 57-year-old state delegate at the time, according to Times-Dispatch.
Virginia’s outgoing governor has pardoned a state senator who was jailed after a sex scandal that involved a 17-year-old receptionist at his law firm. https://t.co/e0bdNVwLKX
— WUSA9 (@wusa9) January 15, 2022
The pardon came through on Thursday, according to the Times-Dispatch. Northam’s last full day in office was Friday. On Saturday, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin took the oath of office. – READ MORE
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