The Anthony Weiner of the South may be Richmond’s next mayor

If I recall correctly, Anthony Weiner initially was the frontrunner in the last New York mayoral election, his first sexting scandal notwithstanding. Only after a second such scandal broke did his campaign collapse.

Richmond, Virgina voters seem even more forgiving than New Yorkers. They may be on the verge of electing the Anthony Weiner of the South as their mayor.

I’m referring to Joe Morrissey. Unlike Weiner (so far), Morrissey has served jail time for his sexual misconduct. He was convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor — a woman 38 years his junior whom he eventually married. When the woman (girl, actually) was 17 years old, Morrissey sent a nude photograph of her to a friend, boasting of his sexual relations with her. That landed him three months behind bars.

Morrissey managed to win election to the Virginia House of Delegates while serving his sentence, but was not permitted to serve. Now, he’s running for mayor of Richmond, and by all accounts is leading the field.

Morrissey continues to lead even though he has admitted to new allegations of recent inappropriate sexual conduct. Morrissey acknowledges that he sent a female client texts in which he asked her to “wear fresh panties” and shave her genitals (not the word he used) when she visited his law office. (Morrissey had his law license revoked years ago for ethical violations. It was restored, but he remains banned from practicing in federal court).

The client’s allegations go further. She says that when she visited Morrissey’s office earlier this year, he pulled out his sex organ and asked her to stroke it. (At the time, Morrissey, was engaged to the former receptionist referred to above, now age 20, who was pregnant with his child). When the client rebuffed his advances, he gave her case to a colleague who pressured her to plead guilty.

Morrissey denies these allegations, but they seem consistent with his past behavior. In any event, the texts he admits sending should have derailed his campaign.

Why didn’t they? Why is Richmond on the verge of making this pervert its mayor? The Washington Post says it’s mainly because of the loyal support of African-American voters.

As if the presidential election isn’t depressing enough.

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