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Pennsylvania Republican Party Chairman Resigns Amid Sexting Scandal | Pennsylvania Republican Party Chairman Resigns Amid Sexting Scandal |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The chairman of Pennsylvania’s Republican Party abruptly resigned Tuesday after a news report that he sent a sexually explicit photograph of himself to a female candidate who ran unsuccessfully for the Philadelphia City Council. | |
The report, in The Philadelphia Inquirer, said that the chairman, Val DiGiorgio, sent the candidate, Irina Goldstein, a photo of his erect penis on Facebook Messenger after exchanging sexually tinged messages for a few months after she accepted his friend request last October. | |
Mr. DiGiorgio frequently commented about Ms. Goldstein’s appearance in those messages, which The Inquirer said ended in February when Ms. Goldstein accused Mr. DiGiorgio of sexual harassment. | Mr. DiGiorgio frequently commented about Ms. Goldstein’s appearance in those messages, which The Inquirer said ended in February when Ms. Goldstein accused Mr. DiGiorgio of sexual harassment. |
“I extend my deepest apologies to my family and colleagues for this unfortunate distraction,” Mr. DiGiorgio wrote Tuesday in a resignation letter shared by the state Republican Party on its website. | “I extend my deepest apologies to my family and colleagues for this unfortunate distraction,” Mr. DiGiorgio wrote Tuesday in a resignation letter shared by the state Republican Party on its website. |
Mr. DiGiorgio, however, disputed the lewd nature of his communications with Ms. Goldstein. | Mr. DiGiorgio, however, disputed the lewd nature of his communications with Ms. Goldstein. |
“A recent media report contains gross mischaracterizations of mutual consensual communications between myself and a former primary candidate,” he wrote. “My resignation should in no way be confused as confirmation of these mischaracterizations. I intend to rigorously defend myself against these assertions and protect my family, my colleagues, and the party from this private matter.” | “A recent media report contains gross mischaracterizations of mutual consensual communications between myself and a former primary candidate,” he wrote. “My resignation should in no way be confused as confirmation of these mischaracterizations. I intend to rigorously defend myself against these assertions and protect my family, my colleagues, and the party from this private matter.” |
The state Republican Party on Tuesday named Bernadette Comfort as the acting chairwoman. | |
Ms. Goldstein finished last of seven candidates in the May primary. | Ms. Goldstein finished last of seven candidates in the May primary. |
In her messages to Mr. DiGiorgio, who is married with children, Ms. Goldstein, 35, mentioned that she had a boyfriend, The Inquirer reported. | |
The Inquirer said Ms. Goldstein used sexually charged language in the flurry of messages. | |
“Is this what you do?” she was quoted by the newspaper as writing. “Make women blush and charm them into liking you — charm their pants off?” | |
Mr. DiGiorgio responded, “Think I can charm them off?” | |
The banter between party chairman and candidate turned even more lewd, with The Inquirer reporting that Ms. Goldstein asked Mr. DiGiorgio to send her a photograph of himself and suggested that he might likely choke her during intercourse. | |
Reached by email on Tuesday afternoon, Ms. Goldstein asked that questions be sent to her. She did not immediately reply. | |
Michael A. Schwartz, Mr. DiGiorgio’s lawyer and a former federal prosecutor, said in an interview on Tuesday that he needed to speak with his client before commenting. | |
Pennsylvania looms as a major battleground in next year’s presidential election. In 2016, Donald J. Trump won the Keystone State by less than 1 percent over Hillary Clinton, securing all 20 of its electoral votes. | Pennsylvania looms as a major battleground in next year’s presidential election. In 2016, Donald J. Trump won the Keystone State by less than 1 percent over Hillary Clinton, securing all 20 of its electoral votes. |
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