Last updated on February 8th, 2013 at 08:16 pm
If you were wondering why Representative Mike Horner (R-Kissimmee) took down his campaign website, it’s because he’s been named as a “client” in a racketeering and prostitution case against Mark Risner, who is accused of running a brothel out of his home.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that Horner has not been charged or arrested. Rather, he is named as “a client in a racketeering and prostitution-related case, according to a law-enforcement source.” Horner may end up as a witness in the case.
The married Horner is known around town as a guy who pitches in and helps out.
A Baptist, he has a young son and is the president of the Kissimmee/Osceola Chamber of Commerce.
Rumors were swirling that Horner’s down campaign site meant he might resign, while others suggested it was a name mix up with a porn star who shares the same name as the Republican. Wikipedia says Mike Horner shares his name with the male porn star, and the Miami New Times suggests that Mike Horner the porn star once played a Bill O’Reilly-like character in a Sarah Palin look-a-like porno.
Not to worry, it was the Mike Horner and he has resigned this morning. Horner’s statement reads:
I deeply regret decisions I made that are causing my family unjustifiable pain and embarrassment. While current press accounts from this morning are erroneous, my family still deserves better from me, as do all my friends, supporters and constituents.
So today, I am announcing I will no longer seek reelection to the Florida House.
I’ve had no greater honor than serving the people of Florida, but I have no greater priority than doing the right thing for my family. I pray to have the chance to earn back their trust and respect during the remainder of my life.
Horner was in the midst of a campaign against Democrat Eileen Gam. The bad news for Republicans is that Horner was expected to win this race, but his Republican replacement will have to run under his name on the ballot.
Horner is a pro-gun Republican now, but apparently long ago he was a blue Democrat.
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