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A state lawmaker in Virginia who got in trouble for having an affair with a 17-year-old girl is running for the seat of a deceased congressman in a special election. According to documents filed by the Federal Election Commission, the candidate is seeking to replace the late Republican Congressman John Allen.
Joe Morrissey, a state senator from Virginia, announced his intention to run to succeed Don McEachin, who is running for governor. His entry has raised eyebrows in the state, where Democrats have been criticized for their soft stance toward sexualized children.
In 2014, a state lawmaker named Joe Morrissey was indicted on various charges after he was accused of having an affair with a staff member. At the time of his indictment, he was in his 50s. According to reports, he faced multiple charges, such as child pornography possession and distribution.
According to an outlet, the girl, who worked as a part-time employee in his law firm, had listed her age as 22 when she applied for a job. However, prosecutors believed that she was older when they had sex, which led to her getting pregnant and getting married to him. Under a plea deal, he was sentenced to six months in jail and a misdemeanor conviction.
Aside from his legal troubles, his conservative political outlook has also raised concerns for some parents. In 2020, he co-sponsored a bill that would have made it illegal for parents to adopt children if they did not support their child's transgender identity. This new law aimed to redefine the term "neglect or abuse" to include a child who has suffered from mental injury due to their parent's sexual orientation or gender identity.
This year, Elizabeth Guzman, the sponsor of the bill, revealed that she would like to reintroduce the legislation. According to her, it would make it a crime to not support a person's gender identity.
Political consultant David Gordon noted that the controversy surrounding Joe Morrissey's past could prove to be a positive for Democrats. He said that it shows that child exploitation is not an issue for the party.
According to Gordon, he was surprised by how Joe had supported the child abduction bill, especially since he had a history of sexual exploitation.
If he were to win the congressional seat in Virginia, it would be his second victory in a special election. Following his conviction, he resigned from his position as a state delegate. He then ran as an independent and won the election.
After winning the election in 2019, he became a state senator for the Democrats. According to the Richmond Free Press, he has been instrumental in introducing criminal justice reform legislation. In January, it was reported that former governor Ralph Northam pardoned him.
The preceding is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Daily Wire.
