Tenino mayor accused of having 'intimate moment' in city car
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LACEY, Wash. -- A local mayor is under investigation, accused of having an "intimate moment" with woman in a city vehicle on the city's dime.
Police in Lacey have forwarded their report about the incident to the city attorney, who will decide whether to file any charges in the case.
Police say they took a report on Monday involving Tenino Mayor Eric Strawn. Strawn admits he used a city car to run a city-related errand and, on his way back, he stopped to have lunch with a female friend.
While there, he said he had a glass of wine, waited a few hours and then got back behind the wheel. It was when he stopped to drop off his female friend that he said he had an intimate moment. He said the two shared an "affectionate kiss," but nothing more.
Strawn, who recently separated from his wife, said he was soon approached by police officers. He said the officers told him "they got a report of some oral sexual activity."
Strawn denies that claim, and believes whoever called the police alleging there was something illicit going on may have had the wrong impression.
"I'm confident I did nothing wrong, so I am confident to stand here and tell you this," he said. "I am confident to stand here and tell anybody listening that I did nothing wrong. I merely had an affectionate moment - a kiss - with another woman, which I am allowed to have. It just so happened that it was in my vehicle that I used for work."
Strawn also said the car he was in is a former police vehicle that's currently used for the city's motor pool.
Lacey police would only confirm that they took the report and that it's now in the hands of the city attorney. Strawn wasn't arrested and wasn't detained.
Police in Lacey have forwarded their report about the incident to the city attorney, who will decide whether to file any charges in the case.
Police say they took a report on Monday involving Tenino Mayor Eric Strawn. Strawn admits he used a city car to run a city-related errand and, on his way back, he stopped to have lunch with a female friend.
While there, he said he had a glass of wine, waited a few hours and then got back behind the wheel. It was when he stopped to drop off his female friend that he said he had an intimate moment. He said the two shared an "affectionate kiss," but nothing more.
Strawn, who recently separated from his wife, said he was soon approached by police officers. He said the officers told him "they got a report of some oral sexual activity."
Strawn denies that claim, and believes whoever called the police alleging there was something illicit going on may have had the wrong impression.
"I'm confident I did nothing wrong, so I am confident to stand here and tell you this," he said. "I am confident to stand here and tell anybody listening that I did nothing wrong. I merely had an affectionate moment - a kiss - with another woman, which I am allowed to have. It just so happened that it was in my vehicle that I used for work."
Strawn also said the car he was in is a former police vehicle that's currently used for the city's motor pool.
Lacey police would only confirm that they took the report and that it's now in the hands of the city attorney. Strawn wasn't arrested and wasn't detained.
This doesn't have anything to do with the Lacey Police Department not have anything betther to do. This has to do with multiple citizen calling in to complain because that they were appalled at the behavior of a public employee, paid for by our tax dollars, displaying such poor judgement. They Mayor admiits to drinking while driving a city vehicle and spending considerable time with this woman. Whether or not he is a paid employee, he is representing the City of Tenino and if I was a citizen of Tenino I would be embarrassed to call him my Mayor. I am not a prude but there is a time and place for everything and that was not the time or place.Â
Maybe all the conspiracy theorists who think Lacey PD or some other bad guy are out to get this guy should request the 911 tape. He was getting a blow job in a parking lot in plain sight, and I suppose a lot of you don't live around here because Lacey is not close to Tenino. Why would they be out to get him? I'm surprised so many people believe he is a victim. It isn't that easy to mistake a beej for a kiss. And the news are reporting on it because he is a public figure who made an idiotic decision.
Sheeshhhh....small minds for a small town...this is NOT news...please....don't distract us with the "fluff"
Much ado about absolutely nothing. The critics need to get a life.
people dont have sex at work do they? hehehe
If any of these shenanigans was happening while you were supposed to be working, then you were not being ethical! Â I'M THE LAW!
OMG, leave the man alone! It's not like he was caught banging a hooker down a dark alley. Sheesh.
   ^  from Pacific.
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Finally ... somebody else's mayor has taken over the headlines! Thank you, Tenino.
Let the man have some fun for god sakes!
I see absolutely nothing wrong here. Maybe if he lied under oath about it like Clinton that would be a felony, but even then the majority of americans still favor the felon.
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Move on....
Let the facts be what they are, but the old guard in Tenino has had it out for Mayor Strawn ever since he was elected. He'll live his life under a microscope until he is no longer mayor because he isn't "one of them" in the local city political circle. All the posters lamenting him "drinking on the city's dime" are ridiculous. He isn't an hourly employee, he is the mayor. He doesn't work 9-5, M-F, he is mayor from 12am-12pm, Sun-Sat.Â
 @Fugonn So he's mayor, half-time, on the weekends? This doesn't sound like a violation of the law, per se. I'm uncertain why the city of Lacey is 'investigating' it. In Clinton's case, it wasn't the 'sex' with (what's her name) 'THAT woman', it was the President lying under oath that brought about his impeachment. Most politicians are hung out to dry NOT for the alleged act but the cover up/lying about it. If this guy lied to the police about it (kiss vs. bj) then THAT *is* a crime and he could be prosecuted for it. If the truth was he got a bj, and simply admitted it, there's no crime. Like somebody said, he's not an hourly employee. HOWEVER, it's possible he was using government property for personal use if he was getting the bj in it. That's a close call. Finally, this DOES raise a serious political question the voters in this mayor's district may be interested in answering.
@Fugonn You bring up some very valid points.Â
Wait, quick like a bunny! Nothing wrong.......drinking on city time, waiting for the wine to wear off or whatever, kiss......all while you are supposed to be doing your job! Boot him now.
"...on his way back, he stopped to have lunch with a female friend. While there, he said he had a glass of wine, waited a few hours and then got back behind the wheel."
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OK... now we found the REAL crime! Wish I could stop for lunch that lasted a "few hours" on my company's dime... sheesh!
@Table9 LOL - yes and drink wine and have time for an 'initmate moment' with someone to boot. All on the taxpayer dime! Yo dawgie!
Let's see the evidence. Wait let's not see it.
Must of read Slick Willie's book on covering ones a*^..
This would have been a story if he sealed the deal.
Hey Tenino! have a drink and chill! And Lacey Police, who you working for?
Personally, I found the ponytail to be a crime against fashion, but nothing else illegal that I can see.
Non-story of the day.
saw him n his wife in his classic car over the wknd. she was driving out of the IGA parking lot...odd.......mustve broke up sometime between Mon n wed then huh? :-)
Wonder if she had a cigar and a blue dress ....
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For this to be investigated by the police is an invasion of privacy. There is no crime suspected unless they are alledging indecent exposure.
 @memory9 he was referred for indecent exposure.
@memory9 How about conducting personal business on city time?
This would be a story if he got the BJ while driving a city vehicle and drinking a glass of wine. And really the only bad part of that scenario as far as I am concerned is the drinking. But, from the sounds of it he waited a few hours which is more than enough time for his body to process one glass of wine. Mayors do not make a lot of money to begin with and in general they put in way more hours than they are getting paid for.
This is not even worth reporting. Get Real !
More opportunism by the non accountable. He was justified in his hours long lunchbreak with wine. Is that Mayoral post a volunteer position?
@FreeCoffeeNow! It may as well be a volenteer position. I have know 2 mayors of 2 seperate small towns and they each had 2nd jobs.
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 @msouthj That is true! It happens in the small town I live in- every mayor I can recall has definitely had another job because they'd be homeless on what the town can pay.
Unfortunately, the other small town thing caught up with this guy - everyone knows you, there is no hiding and things tend to get blown out of proportion in the re-telling.
@two loons hmmmâ¦.. A pun for a euphemism?
Hope he didn't use the city credit card to pay for lunch.
I wonder who the caller was?
I was wondering the same thing....his wife?
Well, in my opinion, "having an affectionate moment" "kissing another woman NOT his wife" is WRONG, but lets get real, happens all the time, someone wanted him "caught" in an affectionate moment with someone other than his wife, who cares, except the "wife" maybe, this is not news, it's gossip...and what, the city attorneys office has nothing better to do? says he wasn't arrested or detained, so what the hell is the crime here for them to get involved, watch out guys....if you kiss a woman and she's not your wife, big brother might just be watching........this is stupid to waste space on this and tax payer dollars sending it over to the city attorney......
 @MC Probably some busy body neighbor.
 @MC Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
Ah..........recently seperated from his wife.........has affectionate moment, a kiss with another woman........
I guess its just me but I kind of have an issue with being on the clock, taking a multi hour lunch after having a drink and bringing a non city employee into a city car, then doing whatever it was that might be construed as an intimate moment . If this guy was a typical state worker, you'd all be all over this screaming to have them fired.Â
 @thirtysomethingnwnative I have no issue with his 'intimate moment'...but like you, my issue is with him taking a lunch break that was several hours long and included drinking then driving!!
I totally agree. Let's stick to the facts folks on both sides. @k_did  @thirtysomethingnwnativeÂ
Absolutely hilarious! I am sitting here in the middle of the night, reading this story, and splitting a gut laughing at the term "oral sexual activity". Obviously, the Lacey police don't have enough to do, as to think up such a prudent phrase to describe a kiss. Next thing you know, they'll observe a friendly HUG and call it "a public display of bodily contact". You guys in Lacey need to get a life, and get off the mayors case.
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I'm still laughing so much that I am visualizing my nephews' up-coming wedding. And when the minister pronounces them husband and wife, "You may now have oral sexual activity with your bride"......still laughing.
You must remember this.... a kiss is still a kiss.....
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But in Tenino its "oral sexual activity".Â
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.... as time goes by.....
Well, we now know where Mrs. Kravitz (geezer cultural reference alert!) moved to. Geez, get a life people. Now if it was ON  the car...
@Sid Vishess LOL! I had to pause a minute there with the Mrs. Kravitz and then I did remember - I used to absolutely hate that woman! LOL... good acting however when someone can drum up that feeling but she sure played that nosy neighbor quite well.Â
Bewitched.
I know, I might qualify as a geezer. I swear IÂ was only in grade school at the time.
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P.S. I would have responded sooner but I go to bed at 7:00. Damn, another geezer clue.
 @Liberal_Illness I hate being the old geezer.
 @Sid Vishess  @Liberal_Illness You kids stay off my lawn, ya hear?? Young ruffians! Back in MY day they would've known how to handle uppity whippersnappers like you.Â