Ralph Shortey was first elected to the Oklahoma state senate in 2010. He was pretty much a back bencher for his first six years--just another born again, pro family values, ultra conservative republican hack, lost in a crowd of them.
That began to change in 2016 and early 2017. During the presidential election he served as a Donald Trump, "county coordinator." In February of 2017 he became a confidant to fellow republican state senator Dan Kirby who had become embroiled in a sex scandal involving a female aide. Shortey's advice to Kirby was don't resign. Kirby didn't and the senate promptly kicked his ass out of the capital building.
About the same time Brother Ralph announced he planned to introduce legislation which would nullify two state questions--passed overwhelmingly by voters--which would decriminalize some low level drug offenses and set up a system of county drug rehab centers. According to Senator Shortey he was attempting to thwart the will of Oklahomans, "Because people didn't understand what they were voting for."
He never got a chance to get the bill, or bills to committee, much less the floor.
In March, 2017 authorities knocked on the door of a Super 8 Motel in Moore, OK. Inside they found Shortey, a 17 year old boy, a ripe cloud of marijuana smoke, and a backpack which contained lotion and condoms. The cops say it was the kid's father who tipped them off.
The bust shocked the senator's constituents and the state wide republican majority. It also ruined the day and most probably the lives, of his wife and four daughters.
The Feds immediately got involved because, A) Ralph Shortey had, according to federal statutes, committed child trafficking when he solicited the hookup for, "sexual stuff," over the internet and B) they love to put away government officials no matter what their office and actual importance.
There was more. As anyone with a brain can guess the meeting in the Super 8 wasn't the first time, or crime. According to writer Nolan Clay in today's, "The Oklahoman," investigators found the Senator had, "...been using fake names for at least five years to send and receive child pornography." Additionally he had a history of using pseudonyms on places like Craiglist to solicit intimate get togethers with men who should be, in Mr. Shortey's words, "The younger the better."
Clay reports part of the Senator's suave sales pitch read, "We can be guy friends to everyone else, but privately we have fun, maybe even boyfriend type stuff. I've always wanted something like that. This could even be a daddy son type of thing behind closed doors. Discretion is a must. Very open minded."
A few months ago the now ex-legislator's wife divorced him. What took her so long is anyone's guess. Yesterday he got 15 years in a federal lockup. It could have been much longer, but because Shortey knew his goose was thoroughly cooked he copped a plea last November. In exchange the U.S. Attorney dropped three child pornography charges.
Apparently the newly convicted felon teared up during an appearance in front of Federal District Judge, Timothy DeGuisti while apologizing to his wife, kids, and the victim of his lascivious intentions. On top of the 15 years DeGuisti slapped Shortey with 10 years of supervised parole, plus required him to register as a sex offender.
Ralph Shortey's defense attorney, Ed Blau, blamed his client's behavior on his upbringing which he said, included never knowing his father, physical and sexual abuse, exposure to pornography, a drug addicted mother, and being bullied in high school. He also complained about the trial venue. Clay quoted Blau as saying, "If he'd been prosecuted in state court he would have gotten far less than 15 years. Given the magnitude of cases you normally see in federal court, this is far below what's normal."
Well, yeah. But let's face it, only a select few get a shot at bringing down the big boys in Washington and New York. When you're a U.S. prosecutor stuck in the outback you go after whoever you can, no matter how small and quick the splash. Besides, in the end, Blau's client might have caught a break. The chances of a sex offender walking out of a federal joint alive are a lot better than they are at a place like the notorious state run facility down in McAlester.
These days, with the 24 hour news cycle drowning us in a never ending cascade of grotesque felonies we tend to become jaded to this sort of God awful shit. In truth, if Ralph Shortey had been just another run of the mill serial child molester he would have never made national news, perhaps not even page four of, "The Oklahoman."
He wasn't though. He was a politician who raved on and on about the Hollywood elite and liberals ripping apart the moral fabric of the state and nation with their politics. He routinely breathed righteous fire and brimstone.
In other words, for six plus years he made a huge public deal of talking the evangelical right wing talk.
Now, luckily for the rest of us and children everywhere, he is going to walk a very long, incarcerated, walk.
sic vita est
9-18-18
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