Florida State House Rep. Arrested on Prostitution Charge

[Guest ncm2169]

While I'm still very busy raising money for my sick escort friend (see my thread in The Deli), I had to take a break to post this.

 

From the website of Fox 35 News in Orlando:

 

< Titusville police say they have arrested Florida State Rep. Robert "Bob" Allen, of Merrit Island, on second degree misdemeanor charges for soliciation for prostitution.

 

Allen, 48, was arrested Wednesday afternoon at Veteran's Memorial Park on East Broad St. in Titusville. The park was under surveillance by a detail of undercover police officers.

 

Officers say they noticed Allen acting suspicious as he went in and out of the men's restroom 3 times. Minutes later, he solicited an undercover male officer inside the restroom, offering to perform oral sex for $20. Officers realized he was a public figure after the arrest.

 

Allen, a Republican, represents District 32 of the State House of Representatives. The district spans parts of Brevard and Orange counties. Allen was first elected to the office in 2000. >

 

Here's the link to his Florida Legislature Member page:

 

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4204&SessionId=57

 

Besides mentioning that he's married and has one child, it lists his "recreational interest" as water sports. :+

[Guest Wetnwildbear]

Aside from the obvious - The Man is CHEAP!

 

#20 Bucks?? Either that or the Economy is Really BAD in his district!

[CT Dick]

His website doesn't give a hint to his positions. He has not sponsored any bills.

 

If he is pro-gay or neutral, I feel sorry for him. Getting caught like that is going to make his personal and political life hell.

 

If he is a "moralist" who preaches family values, etc., great. The more hypocrites caught, the better. x(

 

Dick

[fedssocr1]

well, he is a Florida Republican, so that should give us some idea what his public positions are. Although for as redneck as central Florida is I would think that northern Brevard would be a little more progressive since there are lots of well-educated people there working on the space program. but then again lots of military people there too....

[fedssocr1]

here's a rather illuminating blog about this story

 

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2007/07/homoquotable-bob-allen.html

[Guest ncm2169]

< If he is a "moralist" who preaches family values, etc., great. The more hypocrites caught, the better.

 

Excerpt from TheAdvocate.com:

 

< He was first elected to the Florida house in 2000 and is currently chairman of the house committee on energy. In March, Allen cosponsored HB269, the Lewdness and Indecent Exposure Bill, which outlined enhanced penalties for “offenses involving unnatural and lascivious acts or exposure or exhibition of sexual organs committed within specified distance of certain locations." The bill would also have authorized warrantless arrest for specified violations. The measure, however, never made it to a vote.

 

Allen also signed a resolution, adopted in April, that encourages educating parents and children about the dangers of sexual solicitation and abuse.

 

About six years ago, he was one of 21 Florida legislators to sign Gov. Jeb Bush's friend-of-the-court brief supporting the state's ban on gays adopting children, Rainbow Democratic Club secretary Carol Bartsch told Gay.com. >

 

HB 269. What are the odds? }(

[+ glutes]

"Don't jump to any conclusions"

 

"'How about across the bridge, it's quiet over there," Florida House member and state co-chairman for Sen. John McCain's presidential bid Bob Allen allegedly told a police officer moments before his arrest in a Florida park for soliciting sex. Allen, a Republican first elected to the House in 2000, was referring to a possible location for a sexual encounter that would be away from the men's room in the park.

 

"Allen engaged me in a conversation in which it was agreed that he would pay me $20 in order to perform a 'blow job' on me," Officer D. Kavanaugh wrote in the arrest report, obtained by PageOneQ. Kavanaugh stated that he was in the handicapped stall and he "observed Allen look over the door of my stall and make eye contact with me. Allen then stepped away and then came back to the door of my stall and looked in, making eye contact with me again."

 

This was, reported the officer, the second time Allen had entered the bathroom. Earlier, Allen had been seen entering the bathroom by Kavanaugh and other officers in the park.

 

As the lurid details of his alleged encounter with the officer emerged, Allen told a press conference he "would ask people not to jump to any conclusions about this." Allen faces misdemeanor charges for solicitation.

 

When his appointment to the McCain campaign was announced, the Arizona Senator said Allen was a community leader and praised his ability to "wrestle with the important issues of our day."

[CT Dick]

Yup, he's a hypocrite! He deserves all the agony this is giving him. :-)

 

Dick

[Guest]

>Officers say they noticed Allen acting suspicious as he went

>in and out of the men's restroom 3 times. Minutes later, he

>solicited an undercover male officer inside the restroom,

>offering to perform oral sex for $20. Officers realized he was

>a public figure after the arrest.

>

You mean he wanted the officer to pay HIM $20 for the privilege of a blow job?? :7

[Guest ncm2169]

< You mean he wanted the officer to pay HIM $20 for the privilege of a blow job?? >

 

Actually there has been some confusion online about who was the intended payor and who was the intended payee.

 

This clarifies it, courtesy of Florida Today Blogs:

 

< To shed light on the incident, we obtained the police report that describes what happened in the park, from the officer's point of view. Keep in mind, Allen is innocent until proven guilty. Here's the narrative section of the report, written by officer D. Kavanaugh:

"On 11 July 2007 at approximately 1533 hours I was conducting a plain clothes investigation in the area of 10 Broad Street (Space View Park). I observed a white male driving a silver 4 door Toyota pull into the driveway, which is a roundabout, twice within a matter of moments. I recall this because I was conducting surveillance in an attempt to capture a burglar in a nearby condominium and I was concerned about counter-surveillance.

 

"I observed Allen walk into the men's restroom ... I then observed Allen leave the restroom and walk towards a park bench. I then entered the bathroom to adjust my police radio. On my way out of the restroom I almost bumped into Allen who was on his way into the restroom again. Allen changed his course of direction when he saw that I was leaving the restroom and went back towards his park bench. I talked with the other officers again and then entered the bathroom and began washing my hands. Allen entered the the restroom behind me and proceeded into the first stall.

 

"I realized there were no paper towels to dry my hands so I walked into the handicap stall to dry my hands. As I stood in the stall drying my hands I observed Allen look over the door of my stall and make eye contact with me. Allen then stepped away and then came back to the door of my stall and looked in, making eye contact with me again.

 

"I said 'hey buddy' and Allen said 'hi' and then stepped away again. About 5 seconds later Allen pushed open the door to my stall and stepped inside. I was standing againste the far wall of the stall . Allen closed the door behind him and stood against it. I said 'What's up?' and Allen again said 'hi.' Allen then said, 'this is kind of a public place isn't it?' I said, 'do you have somewhere else we can go?' Allen said, 'How about across the bridge, it's quiet over there.' Allen engaged me in a conversation in which it was agreed that he would pay me $20 in order to perform a 'blow job' on me. Allen stated that he wanted me to ride with him across the river before he performed the act and gave me the money. Before entering Allen's vehicle I identified myself as a police officer and detained him." >

[Guest ReturnOfS]

Conservative. Closeted. SUpporting laws that step on the rights of gay people.

 

Sometimes I wonder if any of the many ringwingers who have been outed recently may have been among the rightwing posters on this message board.

[doctordoctor]

many of you probably already know about this guy who started a website to "out" politicians who are hypocrites re: gay issues....

 

http://www.blogactive.com