Tenino mayor under fire over 'intimate moment' in city car
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TENINO, Wash. -- Tenino Mayor Eric Strawn is under fire for allegedly performing lewd acts with a woman in a city owned car.
Strawn denies those allegations, saying he and his female friend only shared a passionate kiss, but witnesses who came forward Thursday say they saw a lot more than that.
The town of Tenino is abuzz, and some residents are even calling for Strawn to resign. Others simply say the whole situation is an embarrassment.
Staff and patrons at a Lacey fitness club say they couldn't believe what they saw on Monday inside what appeared to be a Tenino police car.
"It was oral sex. She was very passionate. It was appalling," said witness Kasey Louis.
Another witness said he, too, is sure of what he saw.
"They're just going at it right in the front seat," said Nathaniel Howdeshell. "Right there, right in the middle of this whole complex. They were just like on top of each other. The seat is reclining back. Ugh, it was gross, really."
Whatever was happening inside the car, it was enough for Louis to call 911. Police showed up moments later and filed a report about the incident.
For his part, Strawn says he did nothing wrong.
"I'm confident I did nothing wrong, so I am confident to stand here and tell you this," he said on Wednesday. "I am confident to stand here and tell anybody listening that I did nothing wrong."
Strawn said he was using a decommissioned police car for city-related business, but he stopped for a brief moment with a lady friend.
"I merely had an affectionate moment - a kiss - with another woman, which I am allowed to have," he said.
A kiss is one thing, but Louis said that's not what was going on.
"We had no intention of calling the cops when someone's kissing. If you're kissing, you're kissing, but when you go beyond that," Louis said.
Strawn insists whoever made the police report exaggerated.
"Being it was a very busy parking lot, being in a city vehicle. That would not happen. It's very embarrassing," he said.
Many Tenino residents agree with Strawn on that point.
"I think it's extremely embarrassing. It's embarrassing to live in Tenino with all of this stuff going on," said resident Becky Nygard.
Lacey police took a lengthy report on the incident and forwarded it to their city attorney, but no charges are going to be filed for lewd conduct or indecent exposure because witnesses say they didn't actually see any exposure.
Strawn said he will not resign and he doesn't believe the city council has any power to reprimand him.
Strawn denies those allegations, saying he and his female friend only shared a passionate kiss, but witnesses who came forward Thursday say they saw a lot more than that.
The town of Tenino is abuzz, and some residents are even calling for Strawn to resign. Others simply say the whole situation is an embarrassment.
Staff and patrons at a Lacey fitness club say they couldn't believe what they saw on Monday inside what appeared to be a Tenino police car.
"It was oral sex. She was very passionate. It was appalling," said witness Kasey Louis.
Another witness said he, too, is sure of what he saw.
"They're just going at it right in the front seat," said Nathaniel Howdeshell. "Right there, right in the middle of this whole complex. They were just like on top of each other. The seat is reclining back. Ugh, it was gross, really."
Whatever was happening inside the car, it was enough for Louis to call 911. Police showed up moments later and filed a report about the incident.
For his part, Strawn says he did nothing wrong.
"I'm confident I did nothing wrong, so I am confident to stand here and tell you this," he said on Wednesday. "I am confident to stand here and tell anybody listening that I did nothing wrong."
Strawn said he was using a decommissioned police car for city-related business, but he stopped for a brief moment with a lady friend.
"I merely had an affectionate moment - a kiss - with another woman, which I am allowed to have," he said.
A kiss is one thing, but Louis said that's not what was going on.
"We had no intention of calling the cops when someone's kissing. If you're kissing, you're kissing, but when you go beyond that," Louis said.
Strawn insists whoever made the police report exaggerated.
"Being it was a very busy parking lot, being in a city vehicle. That would not happen. It's very embarrassing," he said.
Many Tenino residents agree with Strawn on that point.
"I think it's extremely embarrassing. It's embarrassing to live in Tenino with all of this stuff going on," said resident Becky Nygard.
Lacey police took a lengthy report on the incident and forwarded it to their city attorney, but no charges are going to be filed for lewd conduct or indecent exposure because witnesses say they didn't actually see any exposure.
Strawn said he will not resign and he doesn't believe the city council has any power to reprimand him.
This dirtbag is the mayor???? LOL!!!!!!!! Â What a great town. I can't believe that someone of this caliber gets elected mayor. What a joke.
Ok so the mayor was getting a BJ Who gives a rats ass? With so much other stuff happening right now let his wife deal with him and move on T90 is a great little community like none of you would turn down oral sex from a woman cmon grow up
All of you folks out there who assume he is guilty make me laugh. Go to the KISW website look up the @bjshea morning experience and listen to the 9:00am podcast...you can stream it.....he was on there talking about it...
we should all be fricken lucky enough to have a city attorney in our back pocket....... :-)
So the stoner ex-con gets busted for getting oral sex on/in government property.... are we talking about Clinton again???
I think this mayor has all his friends on here trying to make excuses for him. Â Two strangers don't separately call 911 and say the same store, unless it was really happening. Â
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Public oral sex is now acceptable? Â Good to know. Â
@sfvcyco "Two strangers don't separately call 911 and say the same story, unless it was really happening."Â Unless of course it was a setup by people that are trying to oust the Mayor.
Sucks to be him right now. :)
 @TheShadowKnows Unintentional pun?
Here is an example of a why elected officials have public relations and press agents. How this mayor allowed himself to be paraded on the evening TV news, looking like he just got off the all-night shift at 7-11 is the crime. Who cares if he got a little smooch in his city owned vehicle? Additionally, when the Lacey cops take the time and resources to write reports on silliness like this, they have too much time on their hands.
 @Harrison But the Tenino City Mayor is married with 2 kids. He knows right from wrong.
 @Harrison A little smooch?  Oral sex is now considered a little smooch?  Is this what you tell your wife?
they probably should have been more discreet about the choice of vehicle...."Chevy Van" would've been a better choice
So what! The guy isn't with his wife anymore so he was with his friend. He had a little fun. Good for him! I think you're all jealous, because you woundn't even try this. Tenino go have a drink and chill. There are worse things to worry about.
 @DDG No, I wouldn't try having oral sex in a car in a public parking lot, especially if I were the mayor.  Shame on you for not condemning this type of behavior. Â
@sfvcyco Oh no! Shame on you for not even trying! Prude!
 @sfvcyco  I do think that Eric has all his friends on here commenting on this article, everyone should be embarrassed if this was their city Mayor. I think that someone needs to make him resign before he ruins the town of Tenino. Heck, I still am scratching my head on how he was voted in being a pot head and no diploma and no government background. I guess when the town of Tenino wakes up it will be too late for them, Eric will have demolished the town.
No, Mayor or not he's human. And all humans make mistakes. And No I don't even know Eric.
People are way too uptight. Who hasn't made out in a car at some point in their lives? Granted, most get it out of their system before they're 20, but still....who cares! I certainly don't.Â
Who cares. Big deal! NOT! If I was walking by, i'd just glance in, think to myself, "whatever, enjoy yourselves", and continue on my way. No big deal. No harm done, unless your a prude. And calling 911, that was a total waste of taxpayers money. Â
 @Glen Really, and what if you were walking with a child?  You would feel the same way?  A public official is supposed to be held to a higher standard.  Shame on you.
I wish I'd been interviewed about this. "No, I'm not embarrassed to live here, besides, I don't have a job and my unemployment is used up, gas is going up, economy is tanking, and WW3 is about to start in the mid-east. I have other things to worry about."
Has anyone interviewed the accused female involved in this unproven debauchery?Â
@Jaymes Hopefully her husband
Better Love than Hate... Aren't we to love our neighbors?
I had no idea sex was lewd. Gawd, I feel so dirty.
That picture looks so deep and forthcoming. Like you can almost taste the leadership.
Cut your hair you sex loving hippie! Â :-)
Whats the problem...nobody's kissed the previous mayor of Tenino in years.Â
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So, why are we interested in his sex life? Am I missing something?Â
 @Lenette No, we are disturbed by his lewd conduct in public and in a city vehicle.
@sfvcyco @Lenette Who's "we". I'm certainly not disturbed.Â
@sfvcyco @Lenette Oh lighten up already. It's just a comment board.
 @Shelly  @sfvcyco  @Lenette We the people that are disturbed, are the "we" I speak of.  If you are not disturbed by this, you are not part of that "we".  It's called reading comprehension. Â
@sfvcyco City car? Still, not illegal. A bit of bad judgement, maybe. But again, who seriously cares about his sex life? Was he cheating on his wife?
 @Lenette Did you miss the part about lewd conduct?  So, everyone should have oral sex on the city bus too (since it is a city vehicle)?  Actually, that's not a bad idea.
http://wtfcontent.com/wtf-8090-oh-death.html
So what? If he's getting some, good for him.
 @STKEspecially in Tenino...
"I think it's extremely embarrassing. It's embarrassing to live in Tenino with all of this stuff going on,"...
Of course that kind of "stuff" never happens in a place like Tenino...do they still roll up the sidewalks after dinner time, when everyone is safe and pure at home?
""It was oral sex. She was very passionate. It was appalling," said witness Kasey Louis." - OK, what was appalling, the act or the fact that it was passionate? Apparently you did at least a double take if not a long stare to make sure what was happening and most people here would have either taken a picture or moved on. Like the other posters, where's the evidence? Are you just waiting for the news to offer big dollars?
@Beam_Me_Up Sounds to me like Kasey Louis is jealous, & clearly not getting anything himself (herself?).Â
 @Beam_Me_Up "where's the evidence?"
What color dress was she wearing?
Did anyone have a smart phone to record this? Sounds as if some one should have. Otherwise, this is just a steamy moment and nothing further. Wait a minute, this is a liberal/democratic state that does not hold people accountable, correct? Heck, Obama nor Clinton was or is being held accountable. Sheesh!
@heyjoe And Bush was?
Time to step down! Â Who does he think he is, Bill Clinton?
He should be so lucky!
So they stayed around to watch? Sounds like Pilgrims. Did they throw rotten fruit at him, too? Oh, that's what 911 is now. Mind your own business, people. Just because she has no depth perception or a gag reflex, you get all bent out of shape and wasted 911 resources because you produce diamonds from your posterior? Hot dogs and apple pie for everyone! No wait, hotdogs are phallic. Tofu and apple pie for everyone! No wait.....pie. Tofu and green sprouts for everyone!
I have to go with the witnesses on this. Normal people don't call 911 for a "kiss". What a scumbag on many counts.Â
 @thirtysomethingnwnative "Normal people don't call 911 for a "kiss""
In a town like Tenino, hmmm?
@OrcasThunder@thirtysomethingnwnativeÂ
LOL I think we all forgot or didn't read the entire article he wasn't even in Tenino at time of said passionate mouth swabbing... he was parked near a fitness gym in Lacey which is busier and even less discreteÂ