College Park, Maryland, Mayor Patrick Wojahn, who has previously called Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg his mentor, was slapped with 56 child pornography-related charges and resigned Wednesday night before being arrested by Prince George’s County police on Thursday.
(Video Credit: Inside Edition)
Wojahn, 47, was taken into custody Thursday on 40 counts of possession of child pornography and 16 counts of distributing child pornography, according to a Prince George’s County Police Department press release.
He allegedly uploaded the illicit material in January of this year, causing investigators to obtain a search warrant for his home. They recovered multiple cell phones, a storage device, a tablet, and a computer from his home, which led to his arrest on Thursday morning.
The City of College Park issued a statement Thursday announcing that Wojahn had resigned “last night, after business hours,” and that a special election will be held within the next 65 days as Mayor Pro Tem Denise Mitchell fills the position.
The former mayor is a prominent Democrat who has visited the White House several times including once in 2021 on June 25. He made two additional visits in 2022, on June 15 and Sept. 13. On the mayor’s Instagram and the White House’s website, he is said to have attended an event for “Commemorating LGBTQ+ Pride Month.” Buttigieg and President Biden were both in attendance.
#BREAKING The Mayor of College Park, MD, Patrick Wojahn has been arrested on child porn charges and has resigned his post. pic.twitter.com/DhwPbZOOaT
— Brad Bell (@Brad7News) March 2, 2023
And the Coty of College Park has released its own statement on the resignation of Mayor Patrick Wojahn pic.twitter.com/ivJSvpov9j
— Brad Bell (@Brad7News) March 2, 2023
In Wojahn’s resignation letter, he said he would “cooperate with law enforcement” and did not wish to serve as a distraction.
The City of College Park has now released Wojahn’s resignation letter: pic.twitter.com/5oSrTzMIKT
— Brad Bell (@Brad7News) March 2, 2023
“While this investigation does not involve any official city business of any kind, it is in the best interests of our community that I step aside,” he stated.
Wojahn has been the mayor of College Park since 2015. The town of 40,000 is in close proximity to Washington, DC, and has afforded the mayor the opportunity to schmooze with powerful politicians.
A spokesperson for the Department of Transportation stated that the “allegations against former College Park Mayor Patrick Wojahn are extremely disturbing, and we’re thankful local law enforcement has intervened,” according to Fox News.
“The Secretary did not know the former Mayor well, but did meet him a number of times through participation in US Conference of Mayors programming, conferences, and political events,” the spokesperson asserted, attempting to put distance between Buttigieg and Wojahn.
Wojahn can be seen on Instagram posing in pictures with Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten. The caption on June 25 reads, “Always great to see these guys at the White House!!”
Openly gay Maryland mayor Patrick Wojahn was arrested on 56 counts of child pornography. He maintained a strong friendship with former Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and was even a regular guest at the White House due to his relationship with the Biden Transportation Secretary. pic.twitter.com/aHDeERfh7m
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) March 3, 2023
The other two events held at the White House included a “Pride Month Reception” that featured a “Signing of an Executive Order on Advancing LGBTQI+ Individuals,” and a ceremony celebrating the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act.
The mayor also made three other visits in December 2022 and January 2023 which are not listed on the White House website yet.
According to Fox News, “On Dec. 11, he posted several pictures of the White House interior, which included Christmas decorations and a caption that read, ‘Happy holidays! Enjoyed the opportunity tonight to see the stunning ‘We the People’ holiday decorations and celebrate the season!’ Another post that he was tagged in on Instagram revealed that he was at the White House when Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act two days later on Dec. 13.”
“The January 2023 visit occurred on Jan. 20 and involved the United States Conference of Mayors, when White House officials touted ‘historic investment in cities.’ Wojahn’s tweet shows multiple top Biden administration officials, including Biden’s senior advisor Gene Sperling,” the media outlet reported.
@usmayors visit to the White House! Starting with a panel discussion about the administration's historic investment in cities and our infrastructure with Julia Chavez Rodriguez, @MitchLandrieu, @GeneSperling46, and @johnpodesta! pic.twitter.com/9mfDnGsx1C
— Patrick Wojahn (@patrick_wojahn) January 20, 2023
Wojahn also posted photos with a number of Democratic lawmakers on social media, including the then-House Speaker. Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Jamie Raskin, former DNC chair Tom Perez, and Buttigieg, among others.
The mayor was a strong supporter of President Biden and posted on Instagram numerous statements praising his leadership and policies.
It's already been making a difference in the lives of many people by enabling us to provide relief to residents in need and support local businesses. And it will help us to make critical infrastructure investments. This would never have happened without leadership from Biden.
— Patrick Wojahn (@patrick_wojahn) January 14, 2022
In an interview with the LGBTQ news site the Washington Blade, Wojahn spoke of Buttigieg being his political mentor.
“I actually met Mayor Pete Buttigieg shortly after I was elected mayor in 2015. I went to the US Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting in DC in January, and he was assigned to be my buddy,” Wojahn boasted.
Following that event, the mayor and Buttigieg allegedly spoke on the phone regularly. The transportation secretary reportedly gave Wojahn tips on what to expect ahead of the mayoral conference.
The two met again in person during an Obama White House reception after the conference where Wojahn’s husband, Dave Kolesar, met Chasten. Buttigieg reportedly mentored Wojahn through the conference.
“I now serve in a leadership role as vice chair of city livability and bicycling in part due to his mentorship,” the mayor proclaimed, according to Fox News.
Wojahn has donated thousands of dollars to Democratic candidates and committees, including $200 to Biden’s 2020 campaign, $500 to Raskin’s House campaign in 2016, $250 to Buttigieg’s Win the Era PAC, and over $1,000 to the Obama and Hillary Clinton campaigns, according to the Federal Election Commission website.
A White House spokesperson told Fox News that they “cannot comment on an active criminal matter.”
“But of course, such behavior is abhorrent,” the spokesperson quickly added.
Get the latest BPR news delivered free to your inbox daily. SIGN UP HERE
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
- Megyn Kelly says DeSantis is afraid of going on her show - March 28, 2023
- Mom of 28-yr-old Nashville shooter, anti-gun advocate, tells ABC News: ‘I think I just lost my daughter’ - March 28, 2023
- AOC exposed: TikTok defense follows BIG Chinese parent company donation to nonprofit she advises - March 27, 2023
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
