A cross-post from your friends over at BlueIndiana.net.
Last August, a Democratic blog in Indiana first broke the story that the recently elected leader of the Young Republicans -- Glenn Murphy, Jr. -- was facing charges stemming from accusations that he sexually assaulted a young man at a YR-related party. The (now-defunct) blog also revealed that this wasn't the first report of such activity by the former GOP county chair, and the ensuing flare-up both on the national blogs and within the established media brought to light something that might have otherwise slipped by unnoticed.
Today brought resolution, albeit in the form of a plea agreement, with Murphy admitting to criminal conduct and putting himself on a collision course with up to two years behind bars awaiting him as he heads toward sentencing.
(More below the fold.)
Harold J. Adams of the Courier-Journal has more:
The former chairman of the Clark County Republican Party pleaded guilty today to criminal deviate conduct as part of an agreement that could result in two years behind bars.
Glenn Murphy Jr. was arrested after authorities said he performed oral sex on a sleeping man following a July 28 party at a home in Jeffersonville. The plea agreement calls for a six-year sentence, with four years suspended.
Murphy is free on a $25,000 bond pending his June 30 sentencing.
Murphy, who was also chairman of the Young Republican National Federation, resigned from both posts when the allegations were made public in August.
The blogger who broke this story -- who has moved on to a form a new blog in recent weeks -- writes of her feelings on today's news.
Most of what I wrote on TDW was neither original nor insightful; it was designed to poke and provoke those in power. But this story, as it jumped from my blog to national blogs to the mainstream media, made me proud that I was able to, in some small way, help bring a criminal -- someone who had allegedly done this repeatedly in the past with no repercussions -- to justice.
For what he did to his victim(s), Glenn Murphy deserves far more than two years behind bars. But if the alternative was another incident swept under the rug by his powerful buddies, then two years will have to do.
And thus, another sordid chapter in the never-ending story of the modern GOP comes to an end. Kudos to the blogger, and kudos to the local press for keeping this story alive. If you want to show your thanks, and happen to have an interest in Indiana politics, I definitely would recommend heading over to the blogger's new digs and signing up for some daily news updates.
You never know when another one of these folks will do something unthinkable.