{"id":191,"date":"2018-02-22T10:39:00","date_gmt":"2018-02-22T15:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?p=191"},"modified":"2018-03-01T14:52:21","modified_gmt":"2018-03-01T19:52:21","slug":"heres-what-the-texts-between-steve-montenegro-and-female-staffer-said","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?p=191","title":{"rendered":"Here&#8217;s What the Texts Between Steve Montenegro and Female Staffer Said"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"oas_Top\" class=\"ads top\" data-vmg-ad=\"Top\" data-vmg-format=\"normal\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"stickyRail\">\n<div id=\"subSticky\" class=\"side-sub\">\n<div id=\"wbtz-placeholder\">\n<div id=\"wbtz-rail\" class=\"wbtz-box\">\n<div class=\"wbtz-widget-recommend-bar\">\n<div class=\"wbtz-widget-clips-container\">\n<div class=\"wbtz-widget-clips-container-table\">\n<div class=\"wbtz-widget-clip\">\n<div class=\"wbtz-widget-clip-poster\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wbtz-created-by-container\">\n<div class=\"wbtz-created-by-text\">Powered by<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"objid10167508\" class=\"content-view cv1\" data-feed-only=\"true\" data-st-customerid=\"ce088a811d10684a3d367a569e14f937\" data-st-section=\"824e358a-9348-11e7-b051-002590d1a41a\">\n<div class=\"the-story\">\n<div class=\"img-box bulge first-image \">\n<div class=\"inner-img-box\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/images1.phoenixnewtimes.com\/imager\/u\/745xauto\/10167541\/steve_montenegro_by_gage_skidmore.jpg?ssl=1\" alt=\"A woman who exchanged intimate messages with congressional candidate and State Senator Steve Montenegro stepped forward on Thursday.\" \/><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"inner-img-box\">\n<p><a class=\"expand-link sprite\" title=\"CLICK FOR FULL SIZE\" href=\"https:\/\/images1.phoenixnewtimes.com\/imager\/u\/original\/10167541\/steve_montenegro_by_gage_skidmore.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">EXPAND<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"insert\">\n<div class=\"cap\">A woman who exchanged intimate messages with congressional candidate and State Senator Steve Montenegro stepped forward on Thursday.<\/div>\n<div class=\"cred\">Gage Skidmore<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-info \">\n<div class=\"by-auth\"><span class=\"byline\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.phoenixnewtimes.com\/authors\/joseph-flaherty-9448204\">JOSEPH FLAHERTY<\/a><\/span>\u00a0|\u00a0<span class=\"pubdate\">FEBRUARY 22, 2018<\/span>\u00a0|\u00a0<span class=\"pubdate\">6:14PM<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cs-box side-soc\">\n<div class=\"text-size\" title=\"Toggle text size\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"story-body\">\n<p>An attorney released text messages exchanged between his client, a former staffer in the Arizona Senate, and State Senator Steve Montenegro. In a statement, the woman identified herself as having been in a relationship with Montenegro that involved her sending the state senator photos of herself &#8220;in various states of undress.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Attorney Tom Ryan released copies of the text message exchange between Stephanie Holford, who says she started working as a digital coordinator in the state Senate in January 2017, when she met Montenegro. They communicated via text message often and occasionally late at night, and the exchanges grew more flirtatious.<\/p>\n<div class=\"city-color-border related rel-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"city-color\">RELATED STORIES<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.phoenixnewtimes.com\/news\/revenge-porn-scandal-may-not-hurt-steve-montenegro-in-race-10166143\">&#8216;Revenge Porn&#8217; Scandal May Not Hurt Steve Montenegro in CD8 Race<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.phoenixnewtimes.com\/news\/revenge-porn-staffer-sent-steve-montenegro-topless-photo-10156050\">Revenge Porn? New Details About Topless Photo Sent to Steve Montenegro<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.phoenixnewtimes.com\/news\/construction-workers-on-steve-montenegro-mailer-on-his-team-10146426\">Don&#8217;t Ask the Hard Hats on Steve Montenegro&#8217;s Mailer to Build a House; They&#8217;re on His Team<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>&#8220;I felt comfortable enough with the relationship that I began to send pictures of myself in various states of undress. Senator Montenegro asked me to send them on Snap Chat instead,&#8221; Holford said in a statement. &#8220;We engaged in sexual conversation about these pictures. These were detailed and intimate.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"mobile-fold ex-fold\">\n<div class=\"pdf-wrap\">\n<div><span class=\"pdf-expand city-color\">Expand<\/span>\u00a0\/\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/images.phoenixnewtimes.com\/media\/pdf\/20180222140234243.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>According to Ryan, Holford&#8217;s ex-boyfriend stole images from her computer, where he accessed the messages between Holford and Montenegro via the Apple messaging app.<\/p>\n<p>The ex then, according to Ryan, offered to show the messages to the media.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I am considering what legal actions I may have for his involvement in this matter,&#8221; Holford said in the statement.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.phoenixnewtimes.com\/news\/revenge-porn-staffer-sent-steve-montenegro-topless-photo-10156050\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>New Times<\/i>\u00a0reported Holford&#8217;s name and image Wednesday<\/a>, which Ryan said prompted his client to step forward. Previously, Holford had been unidentified in reports that\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.12news.com\/article\/news\/local\/valley\/arizona-candidate-got-topless-selfie-from-legislative-staffer-messages-reveal\/75-520359163\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said Montenegro had received a topless photograph from a female legislative staffer<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It was never my intent to make this affair public,&#8221; Holford said in the statement, a copy of which her attorney provided to the media on Thursday. &#8220;But now that my name and image have been brought out in public I am taking accountability for my part in all of this. I apologize profusely for my involvement in this matter. I want to move on in my efforts to rebuild my life.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Montenegro, who is married and a minister, is currently running for the Congressional seat vacated by alleged sexual harasser Trent Franks, who resigned in December. The Republican primary in Arizona&#8217;s Eighth Congressional District is on February 27.<\/p>\n<p>Ryan characterized the relationship between Holford and Montenegro as one where the politician was &#8220;grooming&#8221; the staffer for a sexual relationship via the messages. Ryan said that Montenegro did not send any nude photos of himself.<\/p>\n<p>Holford &#8220;was taken advantage of by one of the most powerful men sitting in the state Senate,&#8221; Ryan said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In an effort to do her job she was communicating with Senator Steve Montenegro &#8230; who started to make the affair not professional and very personal,&#8221; Ryan added.<\/p>\n<p>Montenegro\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azcentral.com\/story\/news\/politics\/elections\/2018\/02\/21\/steve-montenegro-congress-campaign-roiled-flirty-text\/357581002\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">has called<\/a>\u00a0the reports &#8220;tabloid trash.&#8221; In an\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/steve-montenegro-leading-congressional-candidate-to-succeed-rep-trent-franks-accuses-opponents-of-peddling-revenge-porn\/article\/2649727\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">interview<\/a>\u00a0with the conservative\u00a0<i>Washington Examiner<\/i>\u00a0on Wednesday, Montenegro gave an unequivocal denial.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want you to know I did not have any inappropriate relationships with this woman,\u201d\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/steve-montenegro-leading-congressional-candidate-to-succeed-rep-trent-franks-accuses-opponents-of-peddling-revenge-porn\/article\/2649727\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Montenegro told the\u00a0<i>Examiner<\/i><\/a>\u00a0. \u201cAt no time have I been inappropriately involved with any staffer \u2014 nor have I ever. I have not solicited inappropriate material via text message or any other message.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>However, in the same interview, Montenegro confirmed that the texts quoted in news reports were his.<\/p>\n<p>The messages between Montenegro and Holford discuss into the state senator&#8217;s work in the legislature, his travel and hobbies such as running and his taste in music.<\/p>\n<p>In one exchange on November 30, 2017, Holford sent Montenegro an image,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.12news.com\/article\/news\/local\/valley\/arizona-candidate-got-topless-selfie-from-legislative-staffer-messages-reveal\/75-520359163\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">identified by 12 News as a topless selfie<\/a>, followed by a message: &#8220;You have to delete these.&#8221; Montenegro replies, &#8220;Snap.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>On December 7, the day Franks announced his resignation, Montenegro asked Holford to call him. &#8220;It&#8217;s crazy stuff happening,&#8221; he wrote in a text. &#8220;Did someone call you out?&#8221; Holford replied.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Nope.&#8221; Montenegro said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Are you afraid someone might?&#8221; Holford asked. &#8220;Just lining my ducks in order,&#8221; Montenegro wrote back. Holford assured him, &#8220;Yeah you would never ever have to worry about me. So I hope that puts you at some ease.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-footer\">\n<div class=\"authorPicBox\">\n<div class=\"authorPic\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.phoenixnewtimes.com\/authors\/joseph-flaherty\">\u00a0<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"authorInfo\">\n<div class=\"bio\"><b>Joseph\u00a0<\/b><b>Flaherty<\/b>\u00a0is a staff writer at\u00a0<i>New Times<\/i>. Originally from Wisconsin, he is a graduate of Middlebury College and Columbia University\u2019s Graduate School of Journalism.<\/div>\n<ul class=\"follows\">\n<li class=\"legend\">CONTACT:<\/li>\n<li class=\"em em-a\"><a class=\"city-color\" title=\"email\" href=\"http:\/\/www.phoenixnewtimes.com\/about\/contact?author=9448204\">Joseph Flaherty<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"follows\">\n<li class=\"tw tw-a\">Twitter:\u00a0<a class=\"city-color\" title=\"twitter\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/flahertyjoseph\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@flahertyjoseph<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Powered by EXPAND A woman who exchanged intimate messages with congressional candidate and State Senator Steve Montenegro stepped forward on Thursday. Gage Skidmore JOSEPH FLAHERTY\u00a0|\u00a0FEBRUARY&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":297,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-state-politics"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/I%E2%80%99m-writing-in-regards-to-an-incident-that-occurred-with-my-brother.jpg?fit=721%2C484&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8VBh7-35","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":189,"url":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?p=189","url_meta":{"origin":191,"position":0},"title":"Revenge Porn? New Details About Topless Photo Sent to Steve Montenegro","author":"Donnie","date":"February 21, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"RAY STERN\u00a0|\u00a0FEBRUARY 21, 2018\u00a0|\u00a02:56PM The state Senate staffer at the heart of a steamy scandal involving a prominent Arizona GOP candidate for Congress believes she is a victim of revenge porn, her lawyer said on Wednesday. The scandal involving\u00a0Steve Montenegro, a former state Senate president who lives in Litchfield Park,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;The Family&quot;","block_context":{"text":"The Family","link":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?cat=15"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/I%E2%80%99m-writing-in-regards-to-an-incident-that-occurred-with-my-brother.jpg?fit=721%2C484&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/I%E2%80%99m-writing-in-regards-to-an-incident-that-occurred-with-my-brother.jpg?fit=721%2C484&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/I%E2%80%99m-writing-in-regards-to-an-incident-that-occurred-with-my-brother.jpg?fit=721%2C484&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/I%E2%80%99m-writing-in-regards-to-an-incident-that-occurred-with-my-brother.jpg?fit=721%2C484&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":187,"url":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?p=187","url_meta":{"origin":191,"position":1},"title":"Kwok: Don&#8217;t regret voting for Steve Montenegro or Debbie Lesko (yet)","author":"Donnie","date":"February 27, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Abe Kwok, opinion columnistPublished 6:23 a.m. MT Feb. 27, 2018 |\u00a0Updated 6:13 a.m. MT Feb. 28, 2018 Five Republican candidates in the race for the 8th Congressional District seat give their thoughts on personal behavior, bipartisan efforts and congressional groups during the azcentral debate Jan. 24, 2018.\u00a0azcentral Abe Kwok: Did\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;National Politics&quot;","block_context":{"text":"National Politics","link":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?cat=11"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_14-23-25.jpg?fit=532%2C398&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_14-23-25.jpg?fit=532%2C398&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/2018-03-01_14-23-25.jpg?fit=532%2C398&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":992,"url":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?p=992","url_meta":{"origin":191,"position":2},"title":"Here\u2019s how Sarah Sanders responded to reports of a White House staffer mocking John McCain","author":"Donnie","date":"May 12, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"By\u00a0Christina Prignano\u00a0GLOBE STAFF \u00a0\u00a0MAY 11, 2018 EVAN VUCCI\/ASSOCIATED PRESS White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. 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(She just did.)","author":"Donnie","date":"April 2, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"By Stephanie Ebbert GLOBE STAFF APRIL 03, 2018 Caution doesn\u2019t always cut it. Running like a man often doesn\u2019t work. Fed up with the damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don\u2019t advice heaped on female political candidates, some of the many women running for office this year are doing whatever they damn well want. In\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;State Politics&quot;","block_context":{"text":"State Politics","link":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?cat=13"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/2018-04-02_22-29-34.jpg?fit=770%2C424&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/2018-04-02_22-29-34.jpg?fit=770%2C424&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/2018-04-02_22-29-34.jpg?fit=770%2C424&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gopplaybook.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/2018-04-02_22-29-34.jpg?fit=770%2C424&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1126,"url":"https:\/\/www.gopplaybook.com\/?p=1126","url_meta":{"origin":191,"position":4},"title":"Unreported Sexual Assaults Surge at Military Academies, Pentagon Finds","author":"Donnie","date":"February 1, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Graduating cadets at the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. 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