The Virginia legislature is facing the prospect of a recurring political nightmare: having to repeatedly expel a disgraced member who may just keep getting re-elected.
Delegate Joseph Morrissey, a Democrat who ran as an independent, won in a special election Tuesday while running his campaign from a jail cell as a convicted sex offender .
The 57-year-old was convicted last month of having had sex numerous times with his then 17-year-old receptionist, who is now pregnant.
Morrissey pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor to avoid a possible conviction on felony charges.
After making his plea deal, Morrissey was sentenced to six months.
Fellow Democrats were relieved Dec. 18 when Morrissey announced his intention to resign. But they were mortified when he said in the next breath he planned to seek re-election in the special election Jan. 13.
Running as an independent in a heavily Democratic district, the Richmond Suburb of Henrico County, Morrissey won with 42 percent of the vote.
Democrat Kevin Sullivan had 33 percent and Republican Matt Walton garnered 24 percent.
Members of Virginia’s House of Delegates were spending Wednesday reviewing their options to expel Morrissey.
However, given the voters’ sentiments, there is no reason to believe Morrissey could not win re-election in another special election.
And another.
In fact, lawmakers may have to concede it would be pointless to continue to try to remove Morrissey.
However, delegates are also moving to censure him, which would cause him to lose committee assignments, remove his floor privileges and bar him from boards or commissions.