Somerset County, Pennsylvania is a backward red hellhole. 77.4% of them voted for Trump in 2020. And while 57% of Pennsylvanians are fully vaccinated, Somerset County-- where cases increased by 95% in the last 2 weeks and hospitalizations are up 41% in the same period-- has only 42% of the population vaccinated. The population is 97.4% white and people keep leaving and dying and every year there are less people than the year before. The only times it's ever been in the news was when Flight 93 crashed there on 9/11 and when 9 coal miners were trapped underground in 2002 for several days.
Look at that picture of Republican scumbag Jeffrey Lynn Thomas up top. Is that not an obvious pervert, drunk and sociopath? Look at that ugly, self-satisfied Republican face. The folks in Somerset County thought he'd make a great district attorney and elected him with 60% of the vote over incumbent Lisa Lazzari-Strasiser (D). Are you surprised that he's a Republican? And a rapist? Yesterday he was arrested and arraigned but today he is out of jail (on just $5,000 bail) awaiting trial-- and still district attorney. A typical GOP "law and order" guy, he couldn't imagine that law and order also applied to his own behavior.
The local newspaper noted that he is facing charges for rape, indecent assault, strangulation, simple assault and criminal trespass.
The alleged victim knew Thomas in a “professional capacity for several years,” according to the police report. She indicated that her employer was attempting to enter into a contract with Thomas for vehicle needs at the district attorney's office.
On the night of Sept. 18, Thomas allegedly sent a Snapchat message saying he would soon arrive at her residence, police said. He walked in uninvited, holding several cans of beer. The woman allegedly slapped Thomas, which “agitated” him, per the criminal complaint issued by police. Thomas then allegedly struck the woman in the face, pulled down her top, removed his clothing, grabbed her neck, bit her breasts and sexually penetrated her.
The report states she pushed Thomas off and retreated to the second floor.
Thomas left after the woman said she would not call the police, the criminal complaint said.
...He was accused of misconduct two other times, before the most recent allegations were made.
In October 2020, maintenance staff reportedly found empty beer boxes in his office garbage, allegedly violating the county’s Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace Policy.
Later, in the same month, Richland Township police filed summary citations, including harassment, against him for altercations when he allegedly used “vulgar and abusive” language toward workers at a local gymnastics facility and a pizzeria during his daughter’s birthday party.
The Daily Beast reported that Thomas is not the first Pennsylvania DA to be hit with sex assault charges in recent months. Earlier this year, Bradford County District Attorney Chad Michael Salsman, 44, was accused of sexually assaulting at least five female clients when he worked as a defense attorney prior to taking office in Jan. 2020. Salsman traded legal services for sex, and he demanded nude photographs of his victims, according to prosecutors. Salsman, who is also a Republican, was charged with sexual assault, indecent assault, witness intimidation, obstruction of justice, and promoting prostitution. He resigned in May."
Bradford County is another rural Republican hellhole-- 97.94% white. A plurality of employed people work in the natural gas fracking indiustry. The only Democratic presidential candidate to win there since 1880 was LBJ. Trump got 71.45% of the votes there and just 36% of the people there are fully vaccinated. In the past two weeks, the county case load is up 60%.
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