Sen. Randy McNally – Photo: Tennessee Senate; Franklyn McClure – Photo: Instagram
A Tennessee lawmaker has accused Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) of “grooming” a young man with whom McNally interacted on Instagram and demanded that his fellow Republican resign from office.
State Rep. Todd Warner (R-Lewisburg) argued that McNally’s social media activity is inappropriate, and has embarrassed the Republican-led legislature by commenting on a 20-year-old gay Instagram user’s racy photos, some of which showed the young man, Franklyn McClure, in various states of undress.
“Not only have Tennessee Republicans now become the laughingstock of the nation, the bottom line is this: Randy McNally is a predator,” Warner said in a statement.
Noting that McNally first began commenting on the young man’s Instagram photos three years ago, Warner accused the lieutenant governor of “sexually grooming his victim when he was a 17-year-old minor” by “relentlessly” commenting on his social media posts, sending him private messages, and calling him.
McNally’s comments were first reported by the left-wing news site Tennessee Holler, which reported that McNally, using his official account, commented on a photo of McClure in underwear. “Finn, you can turn a rainy day into rainbows and sunshine!” McNally wrote, using McClure’s nickname. On another photo, the lieutenant governor remarked, “Great picture, Finn! Best wishes for continued health and happiness.” Still other photos were commented on using heart and fire emojis.
When confronted with the Tennessee Holler‘s reporting, a spokesperson for the lieutenant governor brushed off speculation about anything sinister or untoward. The spokesperson also noted that McNally, who is 79 and married, frequently comments on social media posts from Tennessee residents and offers them encouragement.
In an interview with The Cut, McClure claimed that McNally had begun following him and commenting on his photos three years ago, when he was 17, and would occasionally send him private messages “checking on my mental health, compliments, and random things about his life and what he’s going through.”
While he’s not sure how McNally ended up discovering his Instagram account, McClure thinks it may have to do with having formerly participated in musicals at a playhouse in Oak Ridge, where the lieutenant governor hails from. McClure said he and McNally first connected on Facebook, but have never met in person.
Although McClure’s Instagram account didn’t include as many racy photos when McNally first started following him three years ago, the content has significantly become more mature over time.
However, McClure told The Cut that when McNally first began following him, he was unaware of politics, taking the lieutenant governor’s comments as compliments.
“I was thinking, ‘It’s kind of random, but I’m grateful that someone’s being nice to me,'” McClure said.
He denies McNally was ever inappropriate with him.
“Randy never asked me for nudes,” he said. “He never asked me to date. I really don’t have anything to be angry about.”
McNally has since apologized for the negative press brought on the state due to his actions, deleted the comments on McClure’s photos, and made his Instagram account private.
According to the LGBTQ online magazine them, Warner says the apology isn’t enough. He claims McNally offered McClure a job in state government for which the 20-year-old is unqualified, and accuses McNally of engaging in similar online interactions with others — although he doesn’t provide their names or any details of such interactions.
“These are not the actions of a ‘grandfather’ working to ‘encourage’ Tennesseans,” Warner wrote, referring to the statement from McNally’s spokesperson. “These are the actions of a perverted 80-year-old man looking to fulfill his closeted sexual desires. These are the actions of man [sic] using his authority to manipulate others for sexual gratification. These are the actions of a hypocritical man caught red-handed in a scheme to take advantage of at least one underage young man.”
Warner has called for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to scrutinize McNally for “possible violations of Tennessee criminal law related to the sexual exploitation of a minor” and demanded that McNally resign from the legislature.
As of Monday, no other lawmakers besides Warner had called on the lieutenant governor to resign.
“I serve at the pleasure of the members of the Senate and my caucus,” he said in a statement. “As long as I have their confidence, I am committed to the important work of this state.”
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A Tennessee lawmaker has accused Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) of “grooming” a young man with whom McNally interacted on Instagram and demanded that his fellow Republican resign from office.
State Rep. Todd Warner (R-Lewisburg) argued that McNally’s social media activity is inappropriate, and has embarrassed the Republican-led legislature by commenting on a 20-year-old gay Instagram user’s racy photos, some of which showed the young man, Franklyn McClure, in various states of undress.
“Not only have Tennessee Republicans now become the laughingstock of the nation, the bottom line is this: Randy McNally is a predator,” Warner said in a statement.
Noting that McNally first began commenting on the young man’s Instagram photos three years ago, Warner accused the lieutenant governor of “sexually grooming his victim when he was a 17-year-old minor” by “relentlessly” commenting on his social media posts, sending him private messages, and calling him.
McNally’s comments were first reported by the left-wing news site Tennessee Holler, which reported that McNally, using his official account, commented on a photo of McClure in underwear. “Finn, you can turn a rainy day into rainbows and sunshine!” McNally wrote, using McClure’s nickname. On another photo, the lieutenant governor remarked, “Great picture, Finn! Best wishes for continued health and happiness.” Still other photos were commented on using heart and fire emojis.
When confronted with the Tennessee Holler‘s reporting, a spokesperson for the lieutenant governor brushed off speculation about anything sinister or untoward. The spokesperson also noted that McNally, who is 79 and married, frequently comments on social media posts from Tennessee residents and offers them encouragement.
In an interview with The Cut, McClure claimed that McNally had begun following him and commenting on his photos three years ago, when he was 17, and would occasionally send him private messages “checking on my mental health, compliments, and random things about his life and what he’s going through.”
While he’s not sure how McNally ended up discovering his Instagram account, McClure thinks it may have to do with having formerly participated in musicals at a playhouse in Oak Ridge, where the lieutenant governor hails from. McClure said he and McNally first connected on Facebook, but have never met in person.
Although McClure’s Instagram account didn’t include as many racy photos when McNally first started following him three years ago, the content has significantly become more mature over time.
However, McClure told The Cut that when McNally first began following him, he was unaware of politics, taking the lieutenant governor’s comments as compliments.
“I was thinking, ‘It’s kind of random, but I’m grateful that someone’s being nice to me,'” McClure said.
He denies McNally was ever inappropriate with him.
“Randy never asked me for nudes,” he said. “He never asked me to date. I really don’t have anything to be angry about.”
McNally has since apologized for the negative press brought on the state due to his actions, deleted the comments on McClure’s photos, and made his Instagram account private.
According to the LGBTQ online magazine them, Warner says the apology isn’t enough. He claims McNally offered McClure a job in state government for which the 20-year-old is unqualified, and accuses McNally of engaging in similar online interactions with others — although he doesn’t provide their names or any details of such interactions.
“These are not the actions of a ‘grandfather’ working to ‘encourage’ Tennesseans,” Warner wrote, referring to the statement from McNally’s spokesperson. “These are the actions of a perverted 80-year-old man looking to fulfill his closeted sexual desires. These are the actions of man [sic] using his authority to manipulate others for sexual gratification. These are the actions of a hypocritical man caught red-handed in a scheme to take advantage of at least one underage young man.”
Warner has called for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to scrutinize McNally for “possible violations of Tennessee criminal law related to the sexual exploitation of a minor” and demanded that McNally resign from the legislature.
As of Monday, no other lawmakers besides Warner had called on the lieutenant governor to resign.
Warner has a history of introducing anti-LGBTQ legislation, voting for colleagues’ bills to ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors, and banning drag performances in public spaces where they might be viewed by minors.
McNally seems to have no intentions of resigning.
“I serve at the pleasure of the members of the Senate and my caucus,” he said in a statement. “As long as I have their confidence, I am committed to the important work of this state.”
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