A Trump-supporting congressional candidate running in California’s 25th district is in a bit of trouble over a cheeky request. Tax attorney Jeffrey Moffatt, a Republican from Lancaster, CA, is running against GOP incumbent Rep. Steve Knight.
He has, however, hit a bit of a speedbump: He was recently disbarred over allegations of misconduct. Specifically, Moffatt admits that in October 2013 he sent a message to a woman on Facebook asking her for nude photographs.
“I happen to have a male drive that on occasion will come out,” he told the Santa Clara Valley Signal. “In this case, it was an inopportune time.”
Though Moffatt practices in California, he handles federal cases and his license is through Arizona. The State Bar of Arizona filed charges against him in November of 2015, after a complaint was made by the woman Moffatt asked for pictures. Judge William J. O’Neil signed the order of disbarment on April 19.
He claims the judge in the case has a history of targeting Republicans.
“I’m being taken down for asking an out-of-state chick for a nude over Facebook three years ago,” he said.
Documents released by the State Bar of Arizona show findings of fact that Moffatt asked the complainant, a grandmother who lives in New Mexico and runs a daycare, for nude pictures. These pictures were allegedly solicited as a form of “payment” for legal services — with the possibility of physical contact in exchange for legal services also raised by Moffatt.
Moffatt has appealed the Arizona decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth District.
The California primary will take place on June 7.
