Sometime in the recent past, he was trying to hook up with some guy on Grindr. He ended up sending a bunch of pics to the guy, including a few shirtless pics, as well as some pictures of his penis. That person made screen-grabs of Coburn and send the images to Groves City Hall, as well as a local television and newspaper.
Others in leadership have acknowledged receiving the pictures and admit that Coburn didn't break any laws, but aren't happy about it:
“I would like it to be known that the City is aware of this, the allegations of photos of private areas,” (Groves Mayor Brad) Bailey told the newspaper. “We have met and discussed it with our police department and HR department. It will be an issue. Personally I think it’s unbecoming of a public official, regardless of age.”There has been some talk about a recall election, if there are enough signatures.
For his part, Coburn is pretty much non-repentant:
“That is my personal life, and no one should know about it,” Coburn told the news station. “I’m sorry if anyone took it the wrong way, but it’s nothing more complex than this is my private life.”He and his attorney has stated that he feels targeted because he's a young gay man and that the person who used his images in this fashion likely committed a felony under Texas law. The images were originally shared with the expectation of privacy, so the person who sent the pics to the city and the media may be guilty of unlawful disclosure of intimate material.