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| Virginia lawmaker Joseph D. Morrissey faces new criminal charges | Virginia lawmaker Joseph D. Morrissey faces new criminal charges |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A Virginia lawmaker who was elected to the House of Delegates while serving a jail term now faces felony charges for allegedly entering a forged document into court and lying under oath, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday in Henrico County. | A Virginia lawmaker who was elected to the House of Delegates while serving a jail term now faces felony charges for allegedly entering a forged document into court and lying under oath, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday in Henrico County. |
| Del. Joseph D. Morrissey, 57, is set to appear in court on the new charges on Feb. 9. He was convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. | Del. Joseph D. Morrissey, 57, is set to appear in court on the new charges on Feb. 9. He was convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. |
| Authorities allege that Morrissey submitted a forged document as evidence in his earlier case, in which he was accused of having sex with a 17-year-old girl. | Authorities allege that Morrissey submitted a forged document as evidence in his earlier case, in which he was accused of having sex with a 17-year-old girl. |
| The new charges raise anew the possibility of sanctions or even expulsion for Morrissey in the House, where his colleagues expressed chagrin at the continuing drama and said they were considering their options. | |
| “This is a truly painful and embarrassing chapter for the oldest continuously operating legislative body in the world,” House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) said in a statement. “The House will evaluate these new indictments as it pertains to disciplinary action.” | “This is a truly painful and embarrassing chapter for the oldest continuously operating legislative body in the world,” House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) said in a statement. “The House will evaluate these new indictments as it pertains to disciplinary action.” |
| Prosecutors said the document involved is a partially fabricated court order regarding the family of the teenager with whom he was accused of having a relationship. The document, which describes a child-support agreement between the girl’s parents, was submitted by Morrissey’s defense team in an effort to undermine the original allegations against him. Morrissey was offering legal advice to the girl, who was a receptionist at his law office — not engaging in a sexual relationship, his lawyers argued. | Prosecutors said the document involved is a partially fabricated court order regarding the family of the teenager with whom he was accused of having a relationship. The document, which describes a child-support agreement between the girl’s parents, was submitted by Morrissey’s defense team in an effort to undermine the original allegations against him. Morrissey was offering legal advice to the girl, who was a receptionist at his law office — not engaging in a sexual relationship, his lawyers argued. |
| Morrissey on Wednesday said the new allegations are false. | Morrissey on Wednesday said the new allegations are false. |
| Morrissey was elected last week, even as he continued serving a six-month jail term for his misdemeanor conviction. A judge on Wednesday denied special prosecutor William Neely’s request to revoke Morrissey’s work-release privileges. | Morrissey was elected last week, even as he continued serving a six-month jail term for his misdemeanor conviction. A judge on Wednesday denied special prosecutor William Neely’s request to revoke Morrissey’s work-release privileges. |
| House Democratic Caucus Chairman Scott Surovell (Fairfax) said his caucus will look into the new charges and discuss a path of action with Howell. | House Democratic Caucus Chairman Scott Surovell (Fairfax) said his caucus will look into the new charges and discuss a path of action with Howell. |
| Morrissey and the woman, now 18 and pregnant with a child prosecutors say is “perhaps” his, have denied any sexual relationship and blamed her ex-girlfriend for hacking into their phones to frame them. | Morrissey and the woman, now 18 and pregnant with a child prosecutors say is “perhaps” his, have denied any sexual relationship and blamed her ex-girlfriend for hacking into their phones to frame them. |
| Under a plea deal Morrissey accepted last month — in which he admitted no guilt but avoided conviction on more serious felony charges — he agreed to serve a six-month jail term. The sentence was reduced to 90 days, however, when Morrissey was accepted into a work-release program. | Under a plea deal Morrissey accepted last month — in which he admitted no guilt but avoided conviction on more serious felony charges — he agreed to serve a six-month jail term. The sentence was reduced to 90 days, however, when Morrissey was accepted into a work-release program. |
| He resigned from the House, effective at midnight on the day of the Jan. 13 special election, for which he then declared himself a candidate. | He resigned from the House, effective at midnight on the day of the Jan. 13 special election, for which he then declared himself a candidate. |
| During the campaign, he was a candidate by day and an inmate by night. Now that the General Assembly is in session, he works at the Virginia Capitol in downtown Richmond by day and returns to Henrico County ‘s Regional Jail East at night. | During the campaign, he was a candidate by day and an inmate by night. Now that the General Assembly is in session, he works at the Virginia Capitol in downtown Richmond by day and returns to Henrico County ‘s Regional Jail East at night. |
| His fellow delegates have considered ways to discipline him, but they remained undecided about how to approach a censure resolution. Before Wednesday, they had all but abandoned talk of expelling him in part to avoid thwarting the will of the voters in his district, which spans eastern Henrico County, Charles City County and a sliver of Richmond. | His fellow delegates have considered ways to discipline him, but they remained undecided about how to approach a censure resolution. Before Wednesday, they had all but abandoned talk of expelling him in part to avoid thwarting the will of the voters in his district, which spans eastern Henrico County, Charles City County and a sliver of Richmond. |
| About 42 percent of voters in the three-way race supported Morrissey, who ran as an independent after rejecting the nomination process the Democratic Party used to pick its candidate. | About 42 percent of voters in the three-way race supported Morrissey, who ran as an independent after rejecting the nomination process the Democratic Party used to pick its candidate. |