This article was originally published by the WND News Center
(WND News Center) — Patrick Wojahn, an openly homosexual, Democrat LGBT activist, resigned March 2 as mayor of College Park, Maryland, after being arrested and charged on 56 counts of possession and distribution of child pornography.
Wojahn was a friend and protege of another openly gay, one-time mayor, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and the two became friends. Wojahn said he considers Buttigieg a “mentor” and recently visited the White House to witness President Biden’s signing of the pro-homosexual Respect for Marriage Act.
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College Park is home to the University of Maryland and sits four miles northeast of the Washington, D.C., border.
On March 2, the Prince George’s County Police Department, or PGPD, put out a release stating that its Child and Vulnerable Adult Abuse – Internet Crimes Against Child Unit had arrested the 47-year-old Wojahn for possession and distribution of child pornography.
The PGPD statement said: “On February 17, 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notified the PGPD that a social media account operating in the county possessed and distributed suspected child pornography. The image and videos had been uploaded to the social media account in January of 2023. Through various investigative techniques, PGPD investigators discovered the social media account belonged to Wojahn.”
“On Feb. 28, PGPD detectives served a search warrant at Wojahn’s College Park home. Investigators recovered multiple cell phones, a storage device, a tablet and a computer,” the PGPD said. “Following additional investigation, PGPD obtained criminal charges against Wojahn and investigators took him into custody” on March 2.
Wojahn is charged with 40 counts of possession of child exploitative material and 16 counts of distribution of child exploitative material, according to the statement, and is in the custody of the Department of Corrections. The department said, “This remains an open and active investigation,” and solicited more information from the public.
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In his resignation letter (see below), Wojahn said he is fully participating with the criminal investigation and is “stepping away to deal with my own mental health.”
Strangely, the PGPD statement did not mention that Wojahn was the mayor of College Park, an omission that social media critics quickly rectified. Below is a photo from an October 12, 2022 tweet by Wojahn when he was mayor. The adjoining caption reads: “Happy #internationalwalktoschoolday! Loved walking this morning with the kids from Hollywood Elementary in North College Park! #OurCP”
Happy #internationalwalktoschoolday! Loved walking this morning with the kids from Hollywood Elementary in North College Park! #OurCP pic.twitter.com/fz1UnSItO0
— Patrick Wojahn (@patrick_wojahn) October 12, 2022
A friend of Buttigieg
Twitter conservatives were quick to point out Wojahn’s friendship with Buttigieg. Turning Point USA president and talk-show host Charlie Kirk tweeted, “Patrick Wojahn, the first openly gay mayor of College Park, MD – who was also a regular White House guest and Pete Buttigieg ‘mentee’ – has just been arrested on 56 counts of child porn.”
Patrick Wojahn, the first openly gay mayor of College Park, MD—who was also a regular White House guest and Pete Buttigieg “mentee”—has just been arrested on 56 counts of child porn. pic.twitter.com/ySOtwS3XP7
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) March 3, 2023
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Fox News reported March 3 that College Park’s close proximity to the nation’s capital “has allowed Wojahn, who has been College Park’s mayor since 2015, to rub elbows with several powerful politicians, including a top Biden cabinet official [Buttigieg], and make multiple visits to the White House.”
“According to White House visitor logs, Wojahn visited the White House once in 2021 on June 25. He would then make two more visits in 2022 on June 15 and Sept. 13. According to Wojahn’s Instagram and the White House website, Wojahn was in attendance at an event ‘Commemorating LGBTQ+ Pride Month.’ Pictures from his Instagram show Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg giving remarks for the event,” Fox News reported.
A DOT spokesman told Fox News Digital “the allegations against former College Park Mayor Patrick Wojahn are extremely disturbing, and we’re thankful local law enforcement has intervened.” The spokesman sought to put distance between Buttigieg and Wojahn, saying, “The Secretary did not know the former Mayor well, but did meet him a number of times through participation in U.S. Conference of Mayors programming, conferences and political events,” Fox reported.
But a 2019 Twitter photo posted by Wojahn suggests the two were more than mere acquaintances: it shows Wojahn with his arm around a smiling Buttigieg, under the words, “Just two mayors, grabbing a beer together. #MayorPete”:
Just two mayors, grabbing a beer together. #MayorPete pic.twitter.com/yAke5bmavN
— Patrick Wojahn (@patrick_wojahn) July 11, 2019
Fox additionally reported about Wojahn’s White House visits: “In addition to the three visits listed on the White House website, Wojahn made three additional visits in December 2022 and January 2023, which will not be released on the White House website until March 30 and April 30.”
“On Dec. 11,” the report continued, “he posted several pictures of the White House interior, which included Christmas decorations and a caption that read, ‘Happy holidays! Enjoyed the opportunity tonight to see the stunning ‘We the People’ holiday decorations and celebrate the season!’ Another post that he was tagged in on Instagram revealed that he was at the White House when Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act two days later on Dec. 13.”
The New York Post reported that Wojahn told the D.C. pro-LGBT paper Washington Blade in 2019 that, “I actually met Mayor Pete Buttigieg shortly after I was elected mayor in 2015.”
The Post continued: “Wojahn explained how the former South Bend, Ind., mayor, who is also gay, was tasked with being his ‘buddy’ at a gathering of mayors in Washington long before Buttigieg’s 2020 White House run.”
“I went to the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Winter Meeting in D.C. in January [2015] and he was assigned to be my buddy,” Wojahn told the Blade.
After the meeting with Buttigieg, Wojahn said “the two would continue to talk on the phone and both later attended a White House event during the Obama administration,” The Post reported.
Resignation letter
Wojahn’s personal Twitter page bio describes him as follows: “Cycling and civil rights advocate, Mayor of College Park. Pronouns he/him/his.”
In a March 2 letter to College Park’s city council, Wojahn wrote:
It has been a profound honor and privilege to serve the City of College Park since 2007 as a City Councilmember and your Mayor. However, effective immediately, I must resign my position.
On February 28, 2023, a search warrant was executed on my residence as part of an ongoing police investigation. I have cooperated fully, and will continue to cooperate, with law enforcement.
While this investigation does not involve any official city business of any kind, it is in the best interests of our community that I step aside and not serve as a distraction.
I have great trust in the ability of Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell, the City Council, and our staff to carry forward what we have accomplished.
Many of you have already reached out with well wishes and thoughts, and I am eternally grateful. I am stepping away to deal with my own mental health. I ask that you continue to keep me and my family in your prayers.
Sincerely,
Patrick L. Wojahn
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The following are some other tweets that did not age well for Wojahn (and Buttigieg):
“If you notice a pattern across all of my policies, it’s this: The answers don’t all have to come from Washington, but more of the resources should. And on my watch, they will, to support American mayors and cities.”
—@PeteButtigieg at #MayorsDC20#Pete2020 pic.twitter.com/8KLdlK4NL7— Patrick Wojahn (@patrick_wojahn) January 23, 2020
Had a great time clowning around at the Hallo-boo Drive-thru, bringing safe Halloween fun to College Park’s kids even in the midst of a pandemic! #OurCP pic.twitter.com/TwxLjIKCbi
— Patrick Wojahn (@patrick_wojahn) November 1, 2020
I’m so truly honored to have received the Local Hero Award tonight at the Cub Scout Pack 298 Blue and Gold Dinner! It is my pleasure and privilege to serve such a great community as College Park! #OurCP pic.twitter.com/sYCI0qFBbm
— Patrick Wojahn (@patrick_wojahn) February 25, 2022
Happy #Pride ! pic.twitter.com/CKQeTQmw1J
— Patrick Wojahn (@patrick_wojahn) June 11, 2022
Reprinted with permission from the WND News Center.
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