RICHMOND, Va. -- The once very public relationship between Virginia State Senator Joe Morrissey (D - 16th District) and Myrna Morrissey re-entered the community's collective conversation Friday after Myrna Morrissey, shared a series of social media posts she titled "The Biggest Mistake of My Life."
Myrna Morrissey, 26, said the couple was going through a divorce.
In the posts, she shared details about her relationship with her husband Joe Morrissey, and information about his alleged relationships with others. Those posts garnered thousands of likes and comments and even spawned a GoFundMe to help cover her potential legal expenses.
In response, Joe Morrissey, 65, released a statement that indicated he'd previously called the police to investigate the alleged abuse of one of the couple's three children.
Chesterfield Police confirmed it received a report of "alleged abuse regarding a child who may possibly have been assaulted by an offender known to him."
The statement, which did not include names, indicated an investigation into the matter was, "in its preliminary stages."
Joe Morrissey is a politician and therefore a public figure.
But given the sensitive nature of this situation and the impact it will have on the children, WTVR CBS 6 plans to cover newsworthy updates once additional information is obtained through investigators or court documents and not through social media posts and statements making accusations.
The backstory, to this particular Morrissey story, started in 2013 when allegations first surfaced that Joe Morrissey, then in his mid-50s, was involved in a sexual relationship with Myrna, his then 17-year-old law office employee.
A Special Grand Jury indicted Morrissey in 2014 on five charges including:
- Supervisory indecent liberties with a minor
- Electronic solicitation of a minor
- Possession of child pornography
- Distribution of child pornography
- Contributing to the delinquency of a minor
An investigation into Morrissey was launched in August 2013, according to the indictment, after Myrna's father contacted the police.
It also stated while the victim (Myrna) initially lied about her age in order to work at Morrissey's law office, Morrissey quickly discovered she was actually under 18.
In December 2014, Morrissey entered an Alford plea in Henrico Court on charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
By entering an Alford plea, Morrissey did not admit he broke the law but did admit there was enough evidence to convict him.
Morrissey resigned his House of Delegates seat after he his conviction and won reelection as an Independent in a special election a month later in January 2015.
He spent the next two months working at the General Assembly during the day but served jail time at night as part of a work-release sentence.
In March 2015, Morrissey resigned his seat in the House of Delegates to run for the Virginia State Senate but failed to qualify for the Democratic primary ballot.
Also in March 2015, Myrna, then 19, gave birth to a baby boy.
Two months later, Joe Morrissey appeared on a Richmond radio show and proclaimed he was the child's father.
Joe and Myrna married in June 2016.
Later that year, Morrissey was the apparent frontrunner in the 2016 Richmond mayor’s race until a legal client accused him of making unwanted sexual advances and sending her lewd text messages. Morrissey lost that race.
In 2019, Morrissey defeated Democratic Sen. Rosalyn Dancein a primary election and went on to win the general election for the Virginia State Senate.
In January 2022, in one of his last acts in office, Governor Ralph Northam (D - Virginia) pardoned Morrissey for the 2014 misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor charge that came out of Morrissey's relationship with Myrna.
Myrna's father spoke out against Northam's decision.
"The actions of Governor Northam are deplorable and downright despicable," Myrna's father Coleman Pride said in a statement when he learned about the pardon. "As a pediatrician who cares for children and also a father of a daughter himself, his decision today speaks volumes to the fact that he has no moral compass; He cannot be trusted to care for our children or run for any public office in the future."
In December 2022, Morrissey lost a bid to become the Democratic candidate to run in a February special election for the 4th Congressional District seat left vacant due to the death of Congressman Donald McEachin weeks after the November Election. He is eligible for re-election to the Virginia State Senate in 2024.
Prior to holding state offices, Morrissey served as Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney in the early 1990s before opening his own legal practice.
Morrissey has been disbarred more than once by the Virginia State Bar.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
