The co-founder of the anti-Trump group, “Christians Against Trumpism,” is facing charges of lewd/lascivious conduct and two counts of luring a 15-year-old boy for sex.
The news comes just days after the leader of the Democrat LGBTQ Diversity Council Chair, Michael Knaapen, was caught attempting to solicit a 14-year-old boy for sex.
Knaapen visited the White House on several occasions as Vice President Kamala Harris‘s guest for a ‘Pride’ event.
According to social media claims, Knaapen was pictured with Lincoln Project co-founder Rick Wilson. However, the man in the photo isn’t Michael Knaapen; it is Joel Searby, the co-founder of Christians Against Trumpism and Political Extremism.
Joel Searby was the chief strategist for Evan McMullin's 2016 presidential campaign.
— America 2100 (@America_2100) June 22, 2024
He was just arrested in Florida for allegedly soliciting sex from a teen boy.
This is the second major figure from the Lincoln Project circle to be accused of soliciting sex from underage men. pic.twitter.com/QAgYoe98cJ
Searby allegedly contacted the young boy on the Snapchat app on June 19th. Police found the anti-Trump group leaders’ contact in the boy’s phone, which linked to his Snapchat account.
According to the Alachua County Sheriff’s deputy, several pictures also clearly showed Searby’s face.
The conversation between Searby and the boy is what many consider as ‘grooming.’
The Alachua Chronicle reports:
Searby then allegedly told the boy about a “secret crush” he had in high school with a man in his 40s: “Eventually we got a chance to be alone and he made a move on me to kiss me and I liked it. Then we did more stuff in secret whenever we could. He kinda like taught me stuff. It was fun… Don’t regret it lol. What you think?”
Searby allegedly asked the victim if he would ever do something like that and went into more detail about his sexual experiences with the older man while he was in high school, including oral sex.
Searby allegedly sent a shirtless photo of himself and asked the victim for a photo: “Sending me a pic of you helps me know I can trust you. But no pressure.”
Searby allegedly asked the victim if he would be willing to “just try stuff and you could say yes or no? Like I could walk you through it… That’s how it was for me with the guy when I was younger… I’m super secret I have to know you will keep it between us. It’s a huge deal.”
Searby then allegedly asked if the victim could come over to his house the next morning and help him with something. Searby allegedly sent another photo, showing a bulge in his underwear, and later sent two more shirtless photos. He told the victim that if he came over, they could do “some of what I described before” and reiterated that he had to “KNOW that you will keep it our secret. Forever… But as [sic] could both get in trouble if anyone finds out. Especially me. And NO ONE knows.”
The sheriff’s deputy took over the conversation from the boy’s phones and asked Searby to send a fake text message so the victim could show his parents to justify him going over.
Searby replied, writing:
“Hey bud hope all is well! Are you able to come help me this morning by chance? Have some things to move and a couple big limbs and need a hand. Let me know. Thanks! Would probably take an hour or a little more.”
The deputy then asked Searby:
“When you mentioned yesterday about jerking off. Is that all we would be doing?”
Searby replied telling the boy they could “take it one step at a time” and that they could stop if he felt uncomfortable.
“I’ll walk you through it.”
Searby was the chief strategist for Evan McMullin’s 2016 presidential campaign.
