VA: Former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam pardoned a state senator with a misdemeanor for his relationship with his 17-year-old assistant

Source: businessinsider.com 1/23/22

On his way out of office, former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam pardoned a state senator who was convicted in 2014 for dating his 17-year-old law firm assistant who would later become his wife and the mother of his children. 

Northam issued a simple pardon for State Sen. Joe Morrissey, a Democrat from Richmond, for a misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. 

“To say that I was extremely pleased with what the governor did would be, perhaps for me, the understatement of the 2022 General Assembly session,” Morrissey said, per the Times-Dispatch.

“Most importantly, my wife is grateful,” he added. 

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The powerful live in an entitled, privileged bubble, not matter what party they belong to.

He must likely applied like the rest and was approved. How many others were granted that people didn’t think should receive one? Probably a lot. Those in power who have this ability do it every chance they can if they want.

Governor Northam issues 1200-plus pardons during term (https://www.wdbj7.com/2022/01/14/governor-northam-issues-1200-plus-pardons-during-term/)

(FYI- No website link icon from phone)

Let me know if I have this right. Joe Morrissey is 64 (born 1957) years old and his wife is 25 (born 1996). They were dating in 2014 when she was 17 and an assistant in his law firm. The age of consent in Virginia is 18. Morrissey was convicted of a misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor for which he spent 6 months in jail–nights only–on work release during the day, and was recently pardoned for that. He is not on the registry because his crime of conviction was not a sex crime.

Now, I think it is wonderful that they are married and have 4 lovely children. But my mouth is wide open and my chin has dropped onto the keyboard. If he was not socially connected, he would be a convicted felon, have served years in prison and be living on the registry. He would be considered a predator and a pervert simply due to the 39-year age gap alone–not to mention his position of authority. I wonder how many men reading this are being ground under the registry’s ‘jackboot’ for similar or even less serious actions.

I guess only the well connected are redeemable.

Still shaking my head.
Veritas.

Would have been nice if he would have pardoned everyone in that similar situation, not just his friend.

“contributing to the delinquency of a minor”

They really do make it sound like he gave her a sip of beer, or something equally benign, don’t they?

At 17 she was hardly a child (as pertaining to child molesting). I have no issue with this at all. The guy has a friend who can help him out – who wouldn’t use it and for the friend who could help his buddy – again, who wouldn’t?

Tim in WI your exactly right again about pardons. I’m glad someone’s keeping up with Hogan’s Hero’s and log data in this lumbering type hi – jacking of truth and justice. Pardon’s are special and if one gets a chance to get pardoned they should take it and don’t look back. Guess pride sounds a bit out dated even in this vainglory offender type justice with many pardon’s today. Take what you can get or is truth better than justice? or is that fiction.
 Whats a c-span junkie….. I am sure Janice is planning and I’m sure many are planning to get closure in this registry or is it about some database hi- jacking for facts. Remember a coin has two sides. This whole thing is planned for next year and who knows what happens in counting chickens before they are hatched.

People in high positions of public trust always get lenient court treatment. Police, military, politicians, teachers, coaches, etc…they should get double the time for using their position of authority for perverse behavior. Make it known before they’re hired and list it as a ‘don’t do’ on their job application to deter any thought they might have later on down the line. This type of crap from those in high places is really happening more and more and getting out of hand. Slap on the wrist when they get caught but for the general public it’s a lifetime of regret and misery. No fair.