Alderman, Mayoral Candidate Accused of Sex Assault

Oh, the things politicians will (allegedly) do with sailor boys in their cars

An Annapolis, Md., city alderman running for mayor hit a bit of a campaign "stumbling block" late at night last week when he "allegedly," you know, fondled some Naval Academy midshipman's happiness area in a car.

Sam Shropshire, 61, Democrat, was charged Tuesday with "second-degree assault and a fourth-degree sex offense" after a midshipman reported "the incident" to Naval Academy authorities, who told the police.

Shropshire denies the accusations, calling them "untrue, unfounded and unfair." He added, "Unfortunately, the mere fact that a midshipman has accused me of this has put a shadow over my head."

Right, well, let's check out the police report, just in case.

Police said the incident occurred about 11:15 p.m. May 14 as Shropshire was behind the wheel and the midshipman was in the passenger seat as they drove near the intersection of Rowe Boulevard and Taylor Avenue, a major intersection just north of downtown Annapolis, not far from the academy.

The alderman reached over and touched the midshipman's genital area for about 30 seconds, according to court documents. The mid said he pushed Shropshire away and that the alderman touched him a second time.

Not the subtlest of moves, but hey, worth a shot. Besides, maybe Shropshire was just reaching for his cellphone, which he knew to be in the mid's groin area, because that's where he'd last seen it?

Either way, this does not bode well for Shropshire's mayoral prospects, and he knows it: "Asked if the arrest was ending Shropshire's mayoral bid, his attorney, Gill Cochran, said, 'Everything is on hold.'"

Things never work out well when politicians get handsy. (ALLEGEDLY.)

Jim Newell writes for Wonkette and IvyGate.

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