Pennsylvania's GOP Chair Resigns After Dick Pic Surfaces
Credit: JON SNYDER/INQUIRER
June 26, 2019

Val DiGiorgio tendered his resignation in just two hours after the 'dick pic' became public, in what must be a record for a Republican.

The Inquirer's story has extensive background and is quite detailed if you really want to wade into the sordid details. DiGiorgio is married (of course) and has five children with his wife Carolina.

For his part, DiGiorgio offered an apology, of sorts, later in the day for "this unfortunate distraction".

DiGiorgio, a Chester County lawyer, also wrote that “the attempt to represent these communications as anything other than [consensual] came only after I declined to support her candidacy and take sides in the party primary.” He added: “I intend to vigorously defend myself against these assertions and protect my family, my colleagues, and the party from this private matter. I extend my deepest apologies to my family and colleagues for this unfortunate distraction.”

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer

Irina Goldstein says she didn’t immediately recognize the man who sent her a Facebook friend request in October, after she had commented on a group photo that included him.

That man was Valentino DiGiorgio III, the South Philadelphia-born chairman of the Pennsylvania Republican Party.

“I’m running for City Council,” she messaged him when she realized who he was. “Next time you’re in Philly, I’d be honored to buy you coffee.”

That began a barrage of messages over two days, Goldstein said, that swung from her seeking his advice and support to flirtation and then sexually charged exchanges that included DiGiorgio’s sending her a photo of an erect penis.

In her messages to him, Goldstein at times either referenced or explicitly cited sex acts. After the photo, she continued to correspond with DiGiorgio for more than four months, seeking help with her candidacy.

Still, she said, she grew embarrassed and unsettled by the exchanges, reviewed by The Inquirer, because DiGiorgio had “the upper hand” in their dynamic. They finally stopped communicating in February, after a written exchange in which she told him his messages amounted to his “sexually harassing” her.

Can you help us out?

For nearly 20 years we have been exposing Washington lies and untangling media deceit, but now Facebook is drowning us in an ocean of right wing lies. Please give a one-time or recurring donation, or buy a year's subscription for an ad-free experience. Thank you.

Discussion

We welcome relevant, respectful comments. Any comments that are sexist or in any other way deemed hateful by our staff will be deleted and constitute grounds for a ban from posting on the site. Please refer to our Terms of Service for information on our posting policy.
Mastodon