A powerful former North Dakota lawmaker has pleaded guilty to traveling to Europe with the intent to pay for sex with a minor. Ray Holmberg was indicted in October 2023.
A powerful former North Dakota lawmaker pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to a charge that he traveled to Europe with the intent to pay for sex with a minor.
Ray Holmberg, 80, of Grand Forks, admitted in court that he had paid young male masseuses, with some of whom he had sexual contact, during multiple visits to the Czech Republic, though he said he did not know for certain how old they were.
Holmberg was indicted in October 2023 for travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual activity and receipt and attempted receipt of child sexual abuse material. The Republican served more than 45 years in the North Dakota Senate before resigning in 2022.
The amount of Republicans getting caught doing sick shit is astounding to me. Like is being a paedophile some kind of precursor to becoming a right-wing politician???
It's difficult to find an explanation for the partisan support of objectively harmful conservative political movements like restricted health care(public/”free” healthcare is cheaper, saves time, is sustainable) unless(Occam) they care much more about themselves than others and they place their comfort and desires above the comfort of others.
That type of person, who will actively vote against helping others for no practical reason, is the type of person who would victimize a child for any selfish "reason" like their own sexual gratification.
If it benefits them, they don't care what happens to their victims or anyone else.
That tendency fits perfectly into the conservative political mindset.
It's the conservative mantra: "me first, and to hell with the rest of 'em!"
I think that you are reading too much into it. The reason they vote against the public good, like universal healthcare, is because they are paid lots of money to do so.
This was more about why so many people who become conservative politicians end up getting caught for victimizing others.
the victimizing type of person is naturally drawn toward a group of people that care about themselves or money more than the community or even other people.
If you want to be a politician to make things better for everyone, you join the progressives, but if you want to be a politician to make things better for yourself only, then the conservative party and its values is the obvious group.
(TRUMP) Republican Ralph Shortey, a former Oklahoma state senator & Trump’s Oklahoma campaign chair, was indicted on four counts of human trafficking and child pornography. Pled guilty to a federal charge of child sex trafficking after hiring a 17-year-old boy for sex. Sentenced to 15 years in prison, in addition to ten years of supervised release and ordered to pay $125,000 in restitution.
https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/trump-s-oklahoma-campaign-chair-plead-guilt-child-sex-trafficking-n822461
Republican Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Illinois Congressman and one of the highest-ranking U.S. politicians to ever go to prison, molested at least four boys as young as 14 years of age when he coached wrestling at an Illinois High School. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison, two years' supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. A civil case was due back in court for a status hearing on Jan. 8, 2021 at the courthouse to further address the jury trial. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/ex-u-s-house-speaker-dennis-hastert-starts-prison-term
Republican Jayson Boebert, husband of Q-ANON Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert of Colorado, was arrested in Jan. 2004 after allegedly exposing his penis to two women at a bowling alley, according to an arrest affidavit. Lauren Boebert (then a minor at 17 and known as Lauren Opal Roberts) was also there. He pleaded guilty to public indecency and lewd exposure involving minors. https://nypost.com/2021/01/16/gop-rep-lauren-boebert-and-husband-have-racked-up-arrests/
Republican congressman and anti-gay activist Robert Bauman was charged with having sex with a 16-year-old boy he picked up at a gay bar.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bauman
**Republican Joseph Dendy, Cobb County GA Republican Party Chairman & Sunday School Teacher,**was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted on four counts of child molestation, four counts of first-degree cruelty to children, three counts of enticing a child for indecent purposes, and one count each of aggravated sexual battery and aggravated child molestation. https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/former-gop-chairman-arrested-on-child-molestation-charges
Republican Kentucky state Representative & pastor Dan Johnson, committed suicide after an exposé revealed his serial lies, suspected arson, criminal church, racism, accused rape of a teen and more. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Johnson_(Kentucky_politician)
Republican election board official Kevin Coan was sentenced to two years probation for soliciting sex over the internet from a 14-year old girl. https://www.semissourian.com/story/57773.html
Republican strategist and Citadel Military College graduate Robin Vanderwall was convicted in Virginia on five counts of soliciting sex from boys and girls over the internet. https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Robin_Vanderwall
Republican city councilman Mark Harris, described as a “good military man / church goer,” was convicted of repeatedly having sex with an 11-year-old girl and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
In many countries the age of consent depends on the context. By the looks of it, the Czech Republic is one of those countries:
The age of sexual consent in the Czech Republic is 15.
Additionally, the section of the Czech penal code 40/2009 Sb. covering "crimes against family and children" contains § 202 which criminalizes a "seduction to sexual intercourse" of any persons under 18 years by any promise or provision of payment, benefit, privilege or profit, for sexual intercourse, masturbation, exposure or similar behavior.
Yeah the law is more concerned with abuse of power dynamic so relations between <18 year olds and teachers, doctors or otherwise parental guardians or tutorship or use of money or other "seductions" are illegal.