Why is it that when it comes to sexual mischief and politics, Republicans are the ones who frequently find themselves in trouble? Quite possibly, it has something to do with repression. Regardless, another member of the GOP was arrested on serious charges.
West Virginia State Senator Mike Maroney was arrested and arraigned Wednesday morning. The criminal complaint involved text messages that originated from a cell phone in the Glen Dale area to a local Charleston, West Virginia woman.
He was arrested on misdemeanor charges involving soliciting prostitution. The county magistrate court set a bail bond for $4,500, according to West Virginia Metro News.
During a Glen Dale prostitution sting, the county arrested six people. Maroney was not one of those arrested at the time. However, his phone number linked him to a woman named Cortnie Clark.
Mike Maroney is a radiologist and has served in the State Senate since 2016. In the last session, he served as chair of the Senate’s Health and Human Resources Committee.
The criminal complaint described text messages sent from the cell phone to a local woman, who requested a photograph. The defendant’s request was initially resisted, but he eventually complied and sent a photograph.
Police obtained a search warrant for Maroney’s vehicle. It was located at the Pittsburgh International Airport while Maroney was traveling.
West Virginia Senate President Mitch Carmichael (R) issued a statement:
‘We obviously take these allegations concerning Senator Maroney very seriously, as they are troubling and deeply disturbing. All members of the Senate are held to high standards of conduct. We have full confidence in our legal system and will be issuing further statements as the legal proceedings continue.’
Maroney’s attorney Paul Harris of Wheeling released a letter denying that his client had ever known Cortnie Clark:
‘We have obtained the video statement of Cortnie Clark, wherein she reveals that she does not know Michael Maroney, nor did she meet with him.’
Maroney gave the Gazette-Mail a brief statement:
‘There’s nothing to this story. I can’t comment on it, and I’m not going to comment on it, but there’s nothing to this story.’
According to the criminal complaint:
‘[She] received a photograph from this gentleman, who was looking directly into the camera lens, smiling and wearing a light blue-in-color polo-like shirt, clearly displaying his identity.’
When Glen Dale Patrolman Ezekiel Goddard compared the picture to Maroney’s driver’s license photo, he indicated:
‘[He] believes both pictures to be of Mr. Maroney.’
Maroney’s radiology office said that he had not come in yet, and he did not respond to messages left there. Furthermore, he has not responded to calls to his phone. However, there was some question about whether the phone was still in his possession.
Maroney’s attorney was not immediately available for comment, because he was going to be in court all day.
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