Amid allegations that he sexually assaulted another man, the chair of the Young Republicans National Federation and the Clark County, Indiana, GOP chair, Glenn Murphy, has stepped down from his position. He says it's all because he got this sweet contract, but, well, when he was just sworn in less than three weeks ago, it's kinda hard to believe that it doesn't have anything to do with the sexual assault that's being investigated, the investigation of which started this past weekend. Also, as JMG reports, Murphy's already been pulled from the YRNF website and Wikipedia entry and replaced, replaced so quickly that the new chair, Jessica, is still captioned as the "chairman". That seems like a really quick replacement for a completely non-scandalous resignation....
This all started when the police investigation got undisclosed and fellow Hoosier blogger Jen at Taking Down Words posted the report on her site. The report isn't for the feint of heart, but my summary and Murphy's defenses are all after the jump.
According to the police report, the victim and Murphy were at the victim's sister's house for a big young Republican bash. The two got totally wasted, and the sister told them to stay at her place and sleep it off in some bunk beds at her place. Well, the victim woke up to Murphy sucking him off while fondling him, asked him what he was doing, but he kept on going, and the victim pushed him away and left.
Over the next few days Murphy called the victim and asked him not to tell anyone. The victim met up with Murphy at his Utica, Indiana, home at Murphy's request where he smashed Murphy's cell phone in case any pics were taken, even though Murphy said none were. Then Murphy attorney, Larry Wilder, paid a visit to the Young Republican victim and his mother's house, not to quiet them down, of course, but to ask what he "wanted in order to resolve this situation."
Mm-hmm.
Murphy's defense is consent. He's saying that the victim started this whole thing by fondling Murphy's hair (while the victim was asleep, of course), and that he started feeling up the victim's leg, and, well, one thing led to another that led to a blow job.
All of the above is from the police report. Take it for what you will, although there really isn't much motivation for the victim, a 22-year-old probably straight Republican trying to get into the YRNF's good graces to make this up and a whole lot of reason for Murphy to deny the whole thing.
Murphy's lawyer, Larry Wilder, the same guy the victim says tried to *cough* work out a deal *cough*, posted a comment over at TDW in Murphy's defense. Oh, it's a wild read. First, he uses the victim's name throughout (as in, See? You should have come to a "understanding" with us, because this whole thing isn't embarrassing enough). Also, the attorney pulls the "it was leaked and anyone talking about this now is bad" card as well as the "this whole thing is partisan" card. I'm guessing he realizes it's pretty much a lost cause at this point.
But here's an interesting line from the attorney's post:
2. Mr. Murphy contends that the events that took place that evening were as between two consenting adults.
So the events took place. Mr. Family Values, Mr. Young Republicans National Federation former chair, Mr. Head-of-an-Organization-that-Demonizes-Gays, Mr. Family Man isn't denying that the blow job took place. He just says that there was consent.
I'm thinking that the way that Wilder and Murphy have handled this one just screams "closeted prominent Republican acting like a closeted prominent Republican at the expense of a 22-year-old". But who knows, maybe Murphy just needs to find a new lawyer.
Update: OK, I just found this on Wonkette. Too true:
It is Mr. Murphy’s position, according to his lawyer, that “what occurred, occurred between two consenting adults,” one of whom just happened to be asleep at the time. This is at least a better defense than the other one he was considering, that he was terrified into preforming the blowjob because the sleeping victim was scary and black.
Oh, by the way, Glenn was charged with Sexual Battery for doing this exact same thing in 1998 (this victim’s girlfriend was in the same room!). So he was, of course, the natural choice to head the Young Republicans.
What's even funnier is going to be Republican responses to this whole thing. I'm guessing that "Clinton did the exact same thing" is going to be at the top of their list, along with "Democrats are just being homophobic", "This is all somehow the victim's fault", and "It's too soon to know what happened/It's too late to ever find the truth". I'll probably end up doing another post on that later.
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12 Comments
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Luv your Clinton reference. That's SO Repug Playbook, which often seems to have been drafted by some previously unknown Repug writers from "South Park."
"Your insane policies have resulted in tens of thousands of needless deaths in Iraq; you have denied global warming while immobilizing the EPA; you stole the election in 2000 and possibly in 2004; you ignored Katrina because it impacted so many people of color; you...."
"Yeah, but Clinton got a blow job AND ruined a perfectly good blue dress. And he killed Kenny [and Vincent Foster]!!!"
Why mention the guy's age? Are 22-year old Hoosier males the moral equivalent of legal minors elsewhere? Was Mark Foley involved in THIS, too? Brother is dumb whatever his age. He could have at least waited until he came before he complained. And if he woke up they couldn't have been THAT drunk. Does Sis have her own breathalizer? Mothers Against Drunk Driving should send her a thank you letter.
I don't quite get how the "victim" could have even be accused of fondling the "victimizer's" hair in his sleep if they were in "buck beds." Had they been previously pushed side-by-side? But, in any case, we luv the fact that this story involves at least a variation of the perils of classic "bed sharing" which, of course, throughout history, has been the vehicle for probably more mo sex than the baths. Walt Whitman made a second career, and countless young men, out of that common 19th century practice. Amatory letters that could be explained by then accepted "romantic friendship" aside, Lincoln's repeated bed sharing with at least two men, particularly after it no longer became necessary in practical terms, is why some historians still insists he was gay/bi.
But back to this Republican hypocrite—another one down, millions more to go! LET'S SEND ALL CONCERNED ATKINS CHEESECAKES!!!!
Leland Frances | August 8, 2007 2:16 PM
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Leland - the police report says that Murphy got out of bed because he felt sick and then he sat on the floor for no reason and that's how the other dude felt up his hair in his sleep. Yeppers.
Alex Blaze | August 8, 2007 2:25 PM
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"What's even funnier is going to be Republican responses to this whole thing"
You forgot the "see that's what homosexuals do" line.
By the way has there been any republican commentary yet, other than the can't wait to get his name off our website response?
Oh yes and don't forget. sMurphy will soon be checking himself in for all kinds of therapy and of course "be saved" again.
Donna | August 8, 2007 2:42 PM
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The Indianapolis Star doesn't believe this is a news item. I guess since it
involves a sex scandal with a republican it is best not to let the public know about it. Please go to the Indianapolis Star's site, click on "contact us" and let them know this is america that still has freedom of the press - thanks
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage
Greg S. | August 8, 2007 2:47 PM
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In fairness a couple of conservative blogsites have picked up the story. Hoosierpundit.com and HoosierAccess.com.
Don Sherfick | August 8, 2007 2:54 PM
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I've had friends from across the country e-mailing me about this story. Good post, Alex. You have a lot more details than I've seen elsewhere.
Bil Browning | August 8, 2007 3:47 PM
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I was wondering if someone was going to bring up the Bob Allen blow job story (involving all those scary black men down in Florida). Okay, this is officially insane. What is wrong with these men? They want to be self-loathing Republicans so badly they wedge themselves in the closet until they just can't take it anymore and fall mouth first on someone's cock? Can we get some sort of intervention prgram together to let them know it's okay not to be Republican and okay to be gay? Two within a week ... this just confirms my suspicion that a great deal of the Republican party is made up of self-loathing queens.
fantomas | August 8, 2007 3:47 PM
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Young Republicans National Federation (http://www.yrnf.com/index.cfm?&fuseaction=AboutUs.Main) website doesn't even list Glen as a past chairman:
.
.
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2001 – 2003 Dee Dee Benkie, IN
2003 – 2005 Michael Mack, CA
2005 – 2007 Nicolee Ambrose, MD
2007 – Current Jessica Colón, TX
Donna | August 8, 2007 4:31 PM
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"Clinton did the exact same thing?" --- Wow, I didn't realize that Clinton sucked Monica Lewinski's cock! I thought it was the other way around ... and I didn't realize that Monica was asleep when the action began ... I am just soooooo naive about these things!
A. J. Lopp | August 8, 2007 4:39 PM
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Attorney Larry Wilder (as Utica Town Board Attorney) and Glen Murphy (as Utica Town Board President) chatted up a Clark County Superior Court Judge who they knew quite well for a TRO against the Clark County Commissioners concerning the appointment of a person to a Reuse Board. At the time of the granting of the petition seeking the TRO, and for many years preceding that action, a close personal friend of Murphy and of the Wilder family. He had socialized with Larry Wilder and had lived for a period of time in the senior Wilder's house. At the time the TRO was issued, the judge employed Wilder's father, Harry, as his bailiff. He previously had employed another son of Harry Wilder as his probation officer. The problem being that no notice of seeking the TRO had been given the Commissioners or their lawyer, who had been in the building at the time it was issued.
The judge was sanctioned for misconduct by a three day suspension and costs for the hearing. See: http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=in&vol=sc%5C09099901.ad&invol=2
Jeffersonville has a law which prohibits convicted sex offenders from entering public parks, but provides limited circumstances under which exemptions to the law can be granted. People violating the law can be charged with trespassing and face fines ranging from $100 to $2,500. Attorney Larry Wilder wrote the ordinance.
Just a few interesting points...
Lynn David | August 8, 2007 6:04 PM
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I heard from an inside source that the story from Murphy is that he fell off the bunk bed and the cock landed in his mouth.
Matt | August 28, 2007 1:38 PM
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HI IAM NEW HER
HALO | January 27, 2009 1:49 PM
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