Republican State Rep. Bob Allen

John McCain just can’t catch a break. And those Republican Florida lawmakers just can’t keep their hands off the boys.

State Rep. Bob Allen (R-Merritt Island) was arrested yesterday for soliciting prostitutes in the men’s restroom of a public park. Until his inconvenient nabbing, he was set to serve as co-chair for Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign in the Florida House of Representatives. Bummer.

According to police, the park was under surveillance today by a detail of undercover Titusville Police officers. Officers noticed Allen acting suspicious as he went in and out of the men’s restroom three times. Minutes later, he solicited an undercover male officer inside the restroom, offering to perform oral sex for $20. *

Officers realized he was a public figure after the arrest.

Allen, as he was taken out of the Titusville Police Department to be transported to Sharpes, called the situation “a very big misunderstanding,” in comments to WFTV Channel 9.

“This is disgusting,” Allen said.

Well he got that part right anyway. It really is disgusting for someone to be such a hypocrite and to exhibit so much self-hatred and denial.

Allen is a former Little League volunteer who also donated time to the Boys and Girls Club, serving on its board of directors. Allen is married and has a teenage daughter.

The good news is that Allen might not be in all that much trouble. He is only charged with a second degree misdemeanor, which is no biggie in a legislative body. Heck, everyone’s got a few of those.

Allen faces a maximum sentence of 60 days in jail.

* Editor’s Note: My research from all the available sources indicates that although this account makes it sound like Allen was offering to sell a blow job, he was in fact offering to buy one. Maybe that was the misunderstanding he alluded to?