Oklahoma Senate punishes senator found with teen in motel

Ralph Shortey

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The Oklahoma Senate has voted to punish a state senator who police say was found with a teenage boy in a motel room.

Police officials in the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore are still investigating the circumstances surrounding an incident last week involving Sen. Ralph Shortey and a teenager. No charges have been filed.

The Senate voted 43-0 Wednesday for a resolution that imposes a series of punishments on the Republican from Oklahoma City. The resolution accuses Shortey of “disorderly behavior.”

Among other things, it removes Shortey from membership and leadership of various Senate committees, bars him from occupying his office at the Capitol and blocks his expense allowances and authorship of various bills.

Shortey was not in his Capitol office Wednesday and has not responded to requests for comment.