Politics & Government
PA GOP Chair Quits After Allegedly Sexting Philly Council Hopeful
PA Republican Party Chair Val DiGiorgio has resigned after reports surfaced of sexual messages he sent to a Philadelphia council candidate.
PHILADELPHIA —Valentino "Val" DiGiorgio III, the chairman of the Pennsylvania Republican Party, has resigned after 30 years due to reports of sending sexual messages to a Philadelphia City Council candidate, according to the party and reports.
The state GOP announced his resignation Tuesday and said Bernadette Comfort will act as the party's chair for the time being.
DiGiorgio said the claims, which Philly.com reports allege that he sent explicit text messages to Irina Goldstein after he sent her an explicit photo, were "gross mischaracterizations" of his actions, which he called consensual.
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Goldstein, 35, was a candidate in the Republican primary election for a city council seat but ultimately lost.
According to Philly.com, Goldstein said she became uncomfortable with the exchange as she felt DiGiorgio had "the upper hand" in their relationship given his position with the party.
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"My resignation should not be confused as confirmation of these mischaracterizations," DiGiorgio said in a letter to the party.
See the full statement from the party and DiGiorgio's resignation letter here.
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