Moore police recommend 3 prostitution-related charges against Sen. Ralph Shortey
Moore police have recommended three prostitution-related charges against State Sen. Ralph Shortey.
The charges include: soliciting prostitution of a minor, prostitution within 1,000 feet of a church and transporting for the purpose of prostitution.
Police say the investigation started after a man was found in a motel room with an underage boy. Employees at the Motel 8 in Moore say a person by the name of Ralph Allen Shortey checked in shortly after midnight March 9, and police arrived about 30 minutes later.
Pam Pollard with the Oklahoma Republican Party released the following statement:
“The Oklahoma Republican Party takes all accusations against elected officials seriously, especially when the welfare of a minor is involved. We have reached out to Senator Shortey for comment and have not heard back from him at this time. We await the report from law enforcement on whether charges will be filed.”
The Senate has filed a resolution to impose punishment on Shortey for disorderly behavior. It passed with a 42-0 vote.
SR7 reads "RESOLUTION IMPOSING PUNISHMENT ON SENATOR RALPH SHORTEY FOR DISORDERLY BEHAVIOR." @koconews
- Bret Buganski (@KOCOBret) March 15, 2017
The punishment includes:
- Shortey's positions as a vice-chair on the committee on energy and the subcommittee on select agencies of appropriations committee are suspended.
- Shortey's membership on the committee on retirement and insurance, committee on judiciary and committee on appropriations are suspended.
- Shortey's authority to designate an executive assistant pursuant to the provisions of Senate Rule 3-4 is hereby suspended and his executive assistant is hereby placed under the direct supervision of the chief operating officer of the Senate.
- Shortey is directed to immediately return custody of his state-owned laptop computer and any other state-owned property in his possession to the Senate.
- Shorty will no longer be authorized to occupy his office at the State Capitol or his assigned parking spot.
- The provisions of Senate Rule 6-5 are suspended to remove Shortey's name as author or coauthor of any legislation under the control of the Senate. Any other member of the Senate may assume principal authorship or co-authorship of any such legislation as provided in the Senate Rules.
- The allowances for expenses of the office and postage, and for mileage and other travel expenses, granted to Shortey are hereby suspended
- All pages scheduled as of Wednesday, under the sponsorship of Shortey for the remainder of the 2017 legislative session shall be under the sponsorship of the president pro tempore, and no additional pages shall be scheduled under the sponsorship of Shortey for the remainder of the 2017 legislative session.
KOCO Oklahoma City