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State senator accused of sexting grad student, sending penis pic

A state senator in Texas is accused of sending an explicit text message and a photo of his genitals to a University of Texas graduate student — telling her, “I just really want to f–k you,” according to unnamed university officials.

Three senior officials at the university told the Austin American-Statesman that the school was probing the allegations against state Sen. Charles Schwertner, who met the graduate student at an on-campus event this summer. The student told the married Republican she was interested in politics, particularly working at the Legislature, prompting them to exchange messages on LinkedIn before taking the conversation to text message, two officials told the newspaper.

Schwertner, 48, then interrupted an otherwise professional exchange regarding the student’s political career with a blunt disclosure, writing, “I just really want to f–k you” and sent an image of his genitals apparently taken in a shower, according to a university official who had seen the graphic exchange. The lewd picture did not include the lawmaker’s face.





The student then told Schwertner he had acted inappropriately and the lawmaker did not respond. The student then reported the explicit exchange to university officials, leading to an investigation that could result in Schwertner being banned from campus, two university officials told the newspaper.

The University of Texas is also considering bringing in outside counsel to further probe the student’s accusations, a third official said.

Schwertner, meanwhile, said he “categorically denies any knowledge of the accusations” and pledged to cooperate in the investigation, according to the statement to the newspaper.

“The Senator categorically denies any knowledge of the accusations leveled against him and only became aware of this allegation when contacted by the media late [Tuesday],” a spokesman for Schwertner said in a statement. “The Senator is eager to cooperate with the University of Texas and hopes to make clear he played no part in the behavior described.”





A university spokesman declined to discuss any ongoing investigation.

“The University of Texas takes all allegations of wrongdoing seriously and encourages members of the campus community to report them immediately,” UT spokesman Gary Susswein told the newspaper. “We strive to investigate complaints thoroughly and quickly while respecting the confidentiality of students and employees who file complaints and those accused of wrongdoing,”

Attorneys for Schwertner denied the claims in a statement to The Post, adding the lawmaker is “devastated over these allegations” and is “concerned” for the unnamed victim.

“We have spent hours with Senator Schwertner and others regarding these claims,” the statement read. “Senator Schwertner did not send any inappropriate texts as alleged. Period.”

Schwertner’s website describes him as a “physician, family man and life-long conservative” who lives in Georgetown with his wife, Belinda, and three sons.

After joining the House of Representatives in 2010, Schwertner was later elected to the Senate in 2012. A year later, he was named “Senate Freshman of the Year” by Texas Monthly Magazine.





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