HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — A Hampton councilman is urging a fellow councilman to resign.
This comes after a sextortion case that allegedly happened last year.
Councilman Steve Brown has asked Chris Bowman to step down.
As 10 On Your Side has reported, court documents have revealed that Bowman paid a prostitute $200 at a hotel in 2022.
When he returned, Bowman found his phone stolen from his car.
He tried to pay a man $5,000 to get it back, but the man ran off.
Bowman was censured by the City Council last month over his encounter with the prostitute.
10 On Your Side reached out to Bowman, who referred us to his attorney, Carter Phillips.
Brown’s full statement calling for Bowman to resign:
As a member of the Hampton City Council, I have found the last few weeks to be very challenging, as I have been deluged with inquiries about the actions of my colleague, Councilman Chris Bowman. Wherever I am, people are talking about the poor judgment he exhibited in soliciting the services of a prostitute, which everyone knows is illegal in Virginia.
In 2016, I sought this office because I felt I had something to offer my beloved hometown of Hampton. I carefully considered what the qualifications were and pondered whether I wanted the public scrutiny that came along with the office. During that campaign, I myself faced scrutiny over my failure to pay personal property taxes on time prior to running for office. I was then current on taxes and have remained so. I apologized to the citizens and was open and willing to discuss the issue.As a Pastor, I am fully aware that God gives us a measure of grace and forgiveness when we fall and make wrong choices. I have learned that humans are frail and imperfect, so we will always be subject to making bad decisions or using poor judgement. However, that does not absolve us from the consequences of our actions. If I were to solicit the services of a prostitute and it came to my church leadership’s attention, I would be asked to step down immediately as the congregational leader. I would still be allowed to attend services, but my actions would have disqualified me from a position of leadership. Being an elected official is no different. When trust is broken, it is broken – no matter what role or title you have. My congregation would admonish me to get the help I needed and to hopefully be restored.
My prayer is that Mr. Bowman will seek out help and give his full attention to his personal issues so he may find restoration and healing. I am hereby urging Mr. Bowman to take the high road and resign from City Council immediately, so that our City can heal and be restored as well.
Hampton Councilman Steve Brown statement
We must move our All-America city forward and tackle the city’s issues. That has proven difficult with Mr. Bowman in office. This Council remains committed to serving the citizens of Hampton. As a member of Council, I will not and cannot allow the poor choices of one member of this body to deprive the Hampton citizens of the excellent leadership they deserve.
