UPDATE: Pa. Sen. Folmer resigns day after being charged with possession of child pornography

State Sen. Mike Folmer, who has been charged with possession of child pornography, is losing a key leadership post in the state Senate.

State Senate Republican leaders said Folmer is being removed as chairman of the Senate State Government Committee. Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati and Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman issued a joint statement announcing Folmer’s removal as chairman late Tuesday night.

The state Attorney General’s Office announced the charges against Folmer Tuesday night.

Scarnati and Corman said other actions in the wake of the charges against Folmer would be revealed in the coming days.

“We are shocked to learn tonight of the allegations made against Senator Folmer," Scarnati and Corman said in the statement. "We will fully cooperate with law enforcement regarding this deeply disturbing matter.

“Given the severity of these charges, Senator Folmer is immediately being removed as Chair of the Senate State Government Committee. Further action in response to these charges will be taken by Senate Leadership in the coming days.”

Officials said the investigation of Folmer began as a result of a tip that social media site Tumblr had uploaded an image of child pornography using their application.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a news release Tuesday the investigation led them to Folmer’s home in Lebanon. A search warrant executed Tuesday found images of child pornography on Folmer’s phone.

Folmer told investigators that he was dealing with “some personal problems” and that he received child pornography through his Tumblr blog, according to charging documents.

A Lebanon County Republican, Folmer played a key role as one of the lead sponsors of the law allowing medical marijuana in Pennsylvania. He helped push the bi-partisan effort to pass the bill, which Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law.

Folmer, who had been dubbed “Marijuana Mike” for his efforts to pass the measure, was present at the governor’s bill signing ceremony in 2016. When Wolf signed the bill, Folmer said, “It’s law.” He has touted the medical marijuana law as his most important legislative accomplishment.

Folmer was first elected to the state Senate in 2006. He scored an improbable win over a powerful Republican, then-Sen. David Brightbill, in the GOP primary that year. His upset over Brightbill was one of the most noteworthy victories in that election cycle, fueled by outrage over an infamous legislative pay raise in 2005.

Before joining the state Senate, he served on the Lebanon City Council.

Editor’s note: This story was updated to correct the year of the legislative pay raise.