Most Surprising Photo of a Politician

Using the hashtag #BreakTheInternet earlier this month, CBS-6 reporter Joe St. George tweeted this photo of former Democratic state Delegate Joe Morrissey with Myrna Pride, a former 17-year-old receptionist at his law firm with whom he was alleged to have had sex. Price, now 19, is holding a baby.

“I was just handed this photo of Joe Morrissey — by Joe Morrissey,” St. George tweeted. He later posted a photo of the back with a handwritten note that read, “From Myrna and Joe.”

But was Morrissey, 57, the father?

Yes, he confirmed publicly last week for the first time on “The Jack Gravely Show,” heard on WLEE 990-AM. The revelation prompted a flurry of tweets and a story in The Washington Post, which reported Morrissey’s comments from the show: “I woke up this morning and the first person I kissed was Chase. My son.”

Morrissey campaigned for and won a seat in the House of Delegates while serving time as an inmate at the Henrico County Jail, after admitting the state had enough evidence to convict him of a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He’s maintained his innocence.

A judge has ruled that Morrissey cannot be prosecuted on felony perjury charges stemming from the case. Morrissey gave up his House seat to run for the state Senate this year as a Democrat in the 16th District, but he failed to qualify for the ballot.

As the Post reported of the radio show, Morrissey said the photo was taken on Mother’s Day in Virginia Beach. “We had our baby,” Morrissey said. “We love our baby, and if that is concerning to him [a caller], I think what he should focus on is I’m going to do everything I can to engage Chase for the rest of my life.”

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