It was only a matter of time.
Ex-L.A. County GOP official allegedly had explicit chats with girl
By Maeve Reston August 2, 2013, 9:13 p.m.
A former Los Angeles County Republican Party official was arrested Friday on suspicion of engaging in sexually explicit chats with a teenager on a social media website, authorities said.
Scott Hounsell, former executive director of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County, was arrested and booked on a misdemeanor charge of sending harmful matter to a child.
The Los Angeles Police Department’s Mission Division conducted the investigation with the assistance of the LAPD’s Internet Crimes Against Children unit. Police said a 16-year-old girl said she had engaged in the Internet conversations with Hounsell.
Hounsell’s bail was set at $40,000, and he was released Friday afternoon, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's website.
Hounsell could not be reached for comment Friday evening.
Jonathan Wilcox, spokesman for the Republican Party of Los Angeles County, confirmed that Hounsell had worked for the group until he resigned June 15.
"Until we were contacted by LAPD today, we had absolutely no knowledge of any information relating to this case," Wilcox said. "We take this issue very seriously and will fully cooperate with law enforcement any way we can."
Hounsell’s LinkedIn profile says he previously worked for state Assemblyman Cameron Smyth as a field representative and internship coordinator.
In recent months, Hounsell tweeted in support of U.S. Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Marco Rubio of Florida, two potential 2016 presidential candidates, and his commentary included critiques of the Obama administration’s spending in Washington as well Atty. Gen. Eric Holder, who Hounsell said should resign.
In late May, he weighed in on embattled New York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner, asking: “Is it just me, or does every #Weiner headline for the NY Mayors race seem like an intentional dirty pun?”
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