This has to be a joke. I cannot believe that a person supposedly intelligent enough to be elected to state government would (1) prostitute themselves in a public setting, [not that doing it in private would be any better] and, then (2) try to explain it away by claiming they were afraid to not prostitute themselves.
Florida State Representative Bob Allen (R-Merritt Island) told police when arrested that he was just "playing along" when an undercover police officer suggested in a public restroom that he give him oral sex. And because he was a victim of intimidation, he agreed, according to a taped statement and other documents released last Thursday.
Representative Allen has already denied any wrongdoing. However, recordings and documents offered new details on both his version of what happened inside the men’s room on July 11 at Veteran’s Memorial Park, and the version espoused by police in Titusville, Florida.
This from Orlando Sentinel.com website:
"I certainly wasn't there to have sex with anybody and certainly wasn't there to exchange money for it," said Allen, R-Merritt Island, who was arrested on charges of soliciting prostitution.
"This was a pretty stocky black guy, and there was nothing but other black guys around in the park," Allen, who is white, told police in a taped statement after his arrest. Allen said he feared he "was about to be a statistic" and would have said anything just to get away.
Allen, who couldn't be reached for comment Thursday, has repeatedly declared his innocence, his intention to fight the charges, and his desire to stay in office.
Three undercover officers said they were staking out a nearby condo hoping to catch a burglar when Allen entered a park bathroom at about 3:30 p.m.
The officers, who didn't recognize the seven-year legislator, said they thought he was behaving suspiciously and thought that he was looking for a sexual partner, according to the reports released by the Brevard-Seminole State Attorney's Office.
Titusville Officer Danny Kavanaugh recalled in a statement on Thursday that he entered the restroom twice, and during both visits was drying his hands when Allen peered over the stall door at him. After the second time, Allen pushed open the stall door and joined the officer inside the stall. The officer wrote that Allen then muttered, "Hi," and added, "... this is kind of a public place, isn’t it?"
Kavanaugh then asked Allen about going somewhere else and that the legislator suggested going "... across the bridge. It’s quieter over there."
More from the article:
"Well look, man, I'm trying to make some money; you think you can hook me up with 20 bucks?" Kavanaugh asked Allen.
The officer said Allen responded, "Sure, I can do that, but this place is too public."
Then Kavanaugh said he told Allen, "I wanna know what I gotta do for 20 bucks before we leave.' " He said Allen replied: "I don't know what you're into."
According to Kavanaugh's statement, the officer said, "do you want just [oral sex]?" and Allen replied, "I was thinking you would want one."
The officer said he then asked Allen, "but you'll still give me the 20 bucks for that . . . and that the legislator said, "yeah, I wouldn't argue with that."
According to the officer, as Allen turned and motioned for him to follow him to his car, He identified himself as a police officer by raising his shirt to expose his badge.
When Allen was being placed in a marked patrol car, he asked whether "it would help" if he was a state legislator, according to a police report. The officer replied, "No."
So, let’s get this straight here. Allen feared for his safety; not by leaving the area or finding a police officer, or both but instead by approaching one of the people he was afraid of; offering to give him oral sex... and pay him $20 to boot.
And, he wants to run for office again!
More freakin’ pathetic Republican hypocrisy!
It’s not my district but you better believe I’ll be doing whatever’s possible to see this guy go down!
Throw da bums out!
Peace