California senator agrees to discontinue ‘fun-loving’ noogie practices

State Sen. John Moorlach, R-Costa Mesa, promises he will stop giving noogies to members of the public. The vow comes in response to a formal complaint that he delivered an unwelcome noogie while posing for a photo.

An investigation into the matter confirmed the woman’s allegation that he put her in a headlock and gave her a noogie on one occasion, which she said made her feel uncomfortable.

In a letter sent to Moorlach earlier this week and released publicly on Friday, the Senate Rules Committee urged him to discontinue the practice.

“The behavior, while not sexual in nature, was clearly unwelcome,” the Senate Rules Committee concluded.

Moorlach told investigators he frequently engages in noogies. Pictures of him engaging in the practice have appeared on social media, and he said that it is done in fun and “usually goes viral.” The committee urged him to take the matter more seriously, and he responded by confirming he will put an end to the practice.

“I am a fun-loving individual who is guilty of occasional playfulness,” Moorlach said in a statement. “I apologize for giving a ‘noogie’ to someone who requested a photo. It was done during a light-hearted moment with others present. However, I will discontinue this innocent and gregarious behavior in the future.”

This story was originally published August 31, 2018 at 5:23 PM.