The chairman of the Clark County Republican Party, who last month was elected president of the Young Republican National Federation, has resigned both posts, apparently in the wake of a criminal investigation.
On Tuesday, Glenn Murphy Jr. e-mailed media a letter announcing his resignation from both positions, citing an unexpected business opportunity that would prohibit him from holding a partisan political office.
However, on Friday the Clark County Sheriff’s Department began investigating Murphy for alleged criminal deviate conduct — potentially a class B felony — after speaking with a 22-year-old man who claims that on July 31, Murphy performed an unwanted sex act on him while the man slept in a relative’s Jeffersonville home.
Murphy, a 33-year-old Utica resident, has not been arrested nor has he been charged with a crime. Such police reports are generally confidential, but a copy of it has been posted on a politically focused Internet site and another was provided to a reporter with The Evening News and The Tribune on Tuesday evening.
Larry Wilder, Murphy’s attorney, said Murphy is cooperating with police and Prosecutor Steve Stewart. Wilder said Murphy contends the sex act was consensual.
A reporter was unable to reach Stewart on Tuesday evening.
Murphy's attorney, Larry Wilder, confirms that Murphy engaged in a sexual act with the victim. The question is whether the sex was consensual. Hypocrisy is the first thing that came to my mind when I first learned about these allegations earlier today. Last fall, I had a conversation with another fellow Republican who shared my concern that several GOP candidates and officeholders in Indiana appeared to be taken in by the up-and-coming Murphy. This concerned both of us because Murphy was urging the candidates he advised to use divisive social wedge issues like the gay marriage debate to pummel Democratic candidates. As I reported earlier today, Murphy was a close political advisor to former U.S. Rep. Mike Sodrel, who has been weighing a re-match with U.S. Rep. Baron Hill, who last year recaptured the seat Sodrel took from him in 2004. Gov. Mitch Daniels also made glowing comments about Murphy in support of his campaign for YR president last month. Daniels said of Murphy, "Glenn Murphy is one of the most well-respected Republican leaders in Indiana." "His media savvy and grassroots skills helped transform Southeast Indiana from a Democrat stronghold to a Republican growth area. He shoots for the 'impossible', and more often than not, he succeeds. I wholeheartedly endorse Glenn Murphy for Chairman of the Young Republican National Federation and his team for national leadership."
It is my hope that if anything good can come of this sad development it is a realization by the leaders of the Indiana Republican Party that the constant use of these social wedge issues like gay marriage are extremely hurtful to Indiana's gay and lesbian citizens and, in the end, the practice always comes back to bite you hard in the ass when the people closest to you aren't able to live up to the high moral standards they set for everyone else. Being gay is not an abomination; it is an innate characteristic. Accept it and move on. I've met so many guys in my many years of participation as an activist in the Republican Party just like Murphy who feel compelled to live double lives. In the end, they always wind up self-destructing ala Mark Foley. How many more Mark Foleys and Glenn Murphys must the party endure before it gives up its grudge match with gays and lesbians?
UPDATE: The Louisville Courier-Journal has more on the story here. According to reporter Ben Hershberg, Murphy is sticking to his story that he resigned his two party positions because he obtained a major contract which requires him not to hold any partisan positions and not because of the alleged sexual assault. The newspaper quotes Murphy's attorney Larry Wilder: "Wilder said Murphy's resignation announcement from the GOP positions was unrelated to the blog posting. He said Murphy had been pursuing a major client for his advertising agency for months and recently won the contract, but the client won't allow Murphy to engage in partisan politics." Wilder also complains about the fact police leaked the police report about the victim's complaint to Jen Wagner, communications director for the Indiana Democratic Party and editor of Taking Down Words. Wagner responded to Wilder's complaint: "Jennifer Wagner, communications director for the Indiana Democratic Party, said that she operates the blog during her free time and that its content is independent of the party. Wagner declined to say how she obtained the report but said that as a well-known Democratic blogger, "I get all kinds of documents." Wagner said she did not post it for political purposes." Wilder's attorney also insists that a mention in the police report of Murphy contacting the victim to discuss what the victim wanted in order to resolve the matter should not be construed as an offer for a monetary settlement. "Wilder said he was not making a monetary offer."
5 comments:
The fact that Murphy and his attorney are going to such great lengths to sugar coat the "alleged sexual assault" is an indication that a)the allegations are true and b)they know there will be significant poltical fallout.
Freedom of Association is a fundamental right in the U.S. and has been upheld frequently by case law. The only employers who would forbid Mr. Murphy from being involved in party politics, or a leadership position in the GOP are a) the Democratic Party and b) the active duty armed forces. He may have gotten the contract, but its highly unlikely that's the reason for stepping down. Its a cover up. Nixon was not done in by Watergate, it was the cover-up. Finally, has anyone found out if he still has the contract? Bet who ever awarded the contract really does not wish to be associated with the man with this story.
Someone....Do some research in Murphy's college days around 1995-1997 at Indiana University. Don't be surprised if you hunt around and find more people willing to come out as victims. There are people that went to IU at that time that know this and the allegation in 1998 and now were not his first (although nothing may have been reported on his earlier assaults possibly estimated at 10+ victims).That is all I can say.
When someone is a leader for Gop or anything at all, poeple look up to that person! This is just SAD!
Being a student at IU during his time there and knowing him through campus (BBSS) and GOP politics, I am shocked and appalled by this story. Glenn seemed to me to be a strong conservative and I had no idea this was going on. I am seeing and reading too much of this going on in the GOP today and this needs to be stopped. I am calling on all socially conservative Republicans, such as myself, to start weeding out and exposing all of these gay Republicans - esp. in Indiana and knock them out of our party. I have sensed for some time that there is a battle raging within our party, especially in Indiana, for the ideology and/or philosophy of the GOP. Social/cultural conservatives need to fight back in this state and show any and all moderate Republicans, including "First Republicans" that enough is enough!!!! I am all for Larry Flynt helping to expose this. Make sure that Chris Douglas does not make it big in our party leadership. Oh yeah, I am on to you Mr. Douglas and so are many of my GOP friends who are fighting alongside me with this. We have talked and talked about this battle and friends, now is the time to engage and expose these moderates/liberals in the Indiana GOP. Otherwise, we will continually be seen as hypocrites and laughed at by the other side just by being associated with these clowns. Just look on wikipedia for "Glenn Murphy" and you will see that Jay Leno has already started. This party has not been hijacked by us, it has been hijacked by the loonies in the center and left. We need to promote more of Sens. Waltz, Drozda, Walker, Young, etc. and start making some more inroads in our party. I realize that everybody stuggles with something in their personal lives, but that does not mean we just give up and accept it. There is a spiritual battle that goes on in each one of our minds and is up to us to choose right over evil. Glenn Murphy needs to stop accepting this inclination/struggle and get some deeply needed spiritual help. Glenn - God is a merciful God and if you come to Him and ask for forgiveness and give this all up to Him, He will forgive you and help you with this horrible addiction or struggle. You may have to battle it everyday, but you can become victorious over it.
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