Young Republicans Leader Pleads Guilty To Rape Attack

We'll just go with the standard AP-style newspaper headline for this one, because sometimes you want your headline to actually tell the basics of the story instead of making seven inside jokes or whatever. So, America, meet your next generation of Republican Stars. Michigan Federation of Young Republicans chairman Michael Flory, 32, was in Cleveland for a Young Republicans conference, at which he repeatedly   raped a college student. 

Today, when his rape trial was to begin in Cleveland, he instead plead guilty to "sexual battery" in hopes of getting a shorter prison sentence. And then Michael Flory gave a heartfelt speech about his crime and his selfishness.

Ha ha, not really:

The teary-eyed college student he overpowered in a downtown hotel room gasped and dabbed her eyes as Flory replied to Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Peter Corrigan's question, "Are you indeed guilty?"

"Sure -- yeah," Flory said.

It is, according to prosecutors, one of many sex crimes committed by Flory -- and they plan to present some of these rapes as evidence at his sentencing. Oh, and how did he spend the time between raping the girl last summer and finally pleading guilty when prosecutors had multitudes of witnesses ready to testify?

 The Cleveland Plain-Dealer reports:  

She and some supporters lamented when the incident became public last winter that Flory and his followers within the Republican organization had been smearing her reputation in retaliation for accusing Flory of rape. Skutnik said she found that to be true.

"People were using every opportunity to try to trash her, on Web sites or whatever," the prosecutor said. "He's been running around telling everybody what a piece of trash she is, so she was very happy to see him plead guilty."

He's a lawyer and insurance broker, too. Besides up to five years in prison, the judge said Flory will likely lose his licenses to practice law and broker insurance.

And while "Young Republican leader from Michigan" may not sound like much on the National Scene, turns out Flory was a "rising star" of the right and actually gave a televised speech at the 1992 Republican National Convention in Houston.

Oh, and obviously he was on the Young Leaders Committee or whatever for John McCain's campaign.

 Michigan Young Republican pleads guilty in sex case [Cleveland.com]