The Democrat mayor of College Park, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C. and home to the University of Maryland, has been arrested on 56 counts of possessing and distributing child pornography.

Patrick Wojahn, a mentee of Pete Buttigieg who was first elected mayor in 2015, resigned his position after he was taken into custody this morning by the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to local news reports, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children first notified police on February 17 of a social media account operating within the county that was distributing child pornography. Investigators determined that Democrat Wojahn owned the account in question and that the disturbing images and videos had been uploaded in January of 2023.

They then took possession of cell phones, tablets, and storage devices after serving a search warrant on Wojahn’s home. Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz noted:

“We send a clear message to anyone involved in this type of material that units like this are looking, they’re working every day to make sure that we have a safe county and a safe state.”

Wojahn, a gay man, recently made headlines in the DC area when he and his husband, Dave Kolesar, attended the signing of the so-called “Respect for Marriage Act” at the White House. Wojahn remarked at the time, “It feels like it’s a sort of a turning point and a crossroads, a moment where we’re really gonna look back in 20 years and remember this day, as a date that really signified something important in our history and the history of our country.”

The pair achieved their leftist bona fides back in 2004 when they sued the state of Maryland for banning same-sex marriages. Wojahn used that momentum to win a seat on the local city council, then worked his way up to mayor.

Along the way, he struck up a close friendship with embattled Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. Wojahn told a local gay news site, “I actually met Mayor Pete Buttigieg shortly after I was elected mayor in 2015. I went to the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Winter Meeting in D.C. in January and he was assigned to be my buddy.” The two apparently forged a close friendship and partied together at the White House during the Obama administration.

In his resignation letter, Wojahn acknowledged the police raid on his house, the ongoing investigation into his questionable digital habits, and his “mental health” issues. The full text:

“It has been a profound honor and privilege to serve the City of College Park since 2007 as a City Councilmember and your Mayor. However, effective immediately, I must resign my position.

On February 28, 2023, a search warrant was executed on my residence as part of an ongoing police investigation. I have cooperated fully, and will continue to cooperate, with law enforcement.

While this investigation does not involve any official city business of any kind, it is in the best interests of our community that I step aside and not serve as a distraction.

I have great trust in the ability of Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell, the City Council, and our staff to carry forward what we have accomplished.

Many of you have already reached out with well wishes and thoughts, and I am eternally grateful. I am stepping away to deal with my own mental health. I ask that you continue to keep me and my family in your prayers.

Sincerely,

Patrick L. Wojahn”

Wojahn is expected to appear before a judge on Friday, according to his attorney.

Pete Buttigieg was unavailable for comment.