Approved – NV
A Republican state senator in Pennsylvania was arrested late Tuesday on charges of child sexual abuse and child pornography, sparking immediate calls for his resignation, including from the state’s governor.
Police arrested state Sen. Mike Folmer after finding images of child porn on a Tumblr account traced to him and on his iPhone, according to the criminal complaint filed by the office of state Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D).
Early Wednesday, Gov. Tom Wolf (D) called for Folmer’s swift resignation.
“We elect leaders to serve as a voice for those who do not have the ability to advocate for their own needs, demanding that they will protect our children, families, and communities. The charges against Senator Folmer are disgusting and beyond comprehension, and show he has taken advantage of the trust and privilege afforded by the people of Pennsylvania,” Wolf said in a statement. “He should immediately resign.”
In March, law enforcement officials began investigating Folmer, after Tumblr flagged the account in February, according to the criminal complaint. The account contained a photo of “a very young female child performing fellatio on an adult male,” uploaded in December of 2017. Investigators later found that the photo was uploaded by Folmer, tracing the account and associated email address back to him.
On Tuesday, police and the state attorney general’s office carried out a search warrant at Folmer’s home and found two more images on Folmer’s iPhone, which “depicted indecent contact with a minor.”
Folmer’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
According to the criminal complaint, Folmer admitted to police Tuesday that the Tumblr account and associated email address belonged to him, and “that he had been dealing with some personal problems/issues and that he had received child pornography through his Tumblr blog.”
On Tuesday night, GOP state Senate officials removed him as chair of the State Government Committee and said that “further action in response to these charges will be taken by Senate leadership in the coming days.”
“We are shocked to learn tonight of the allegations made against Senator Folmer,” they said in a statement. “We will fully cooperate with law enforcement regarding this deeply disturbing matter.”
“This defendant serves as a state Senator and was entrusted to honor and represent his community in the Pennsylvania Capitol,” Shapiro said in a statement announcing the charges. “I will continue to say it — no one is above the law, no matter what position of power they hold.”
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