Two Albuquerque Republican lawmakers defending Gov. Susana Martinez following a highly critical magazine profile this week attacked some Democrats for alleged “hypocrisy.” One of those under attack was gubernatorial candidate Lawrence Rael.
“In a finance report filed just this week, Lawrence Rael accepted a contribution from Larry Neely, a convicted sex offender who now travels the country opposing child sex offender laws, including Megan’s Law,” said the news release from Republican state Reps. Paul Pacheco and Monica Youngblood. “This pro-sex offender activist has even testified against sex abuse bills in front of the New Mexico Legislature. … Why would this man support Lawrence Rael and why would Rael accept his support if he’s such a defender of women’s rights?”
A spokesman for the Rael campaign said Thursday that the campaign contribution in question was for $25 and that Rael would contribute that amount to the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) program, which helps crime victims.
“Lawrence would not knowingly take money from a convicted sex offender,” said Kyle Armstrong. The campaign received money from more than 500 donors during the last reporting period, Armstrong said.
He said the first the campaign had heard of the contribution was in a New Mexican article Thursday morning.
There was a link in the Pacheco/Youngblood news release to an October 2013 story in the New York Times quoting a man named Larry Neely, who was convicted of multiple counts of sexual indecency with a child dating to 2003. Neely had a attended a conference in Los Angeles for a group that believes laws aimed at all sex offenders are unconstitutional and ineffective.
According to the Reform Sex Offender Laws Inc. website, there is a New Mexico resident named Larry Neely listed as part of the group’s administrative team. The website says Neely also is on the board of the New Mexico chapter of the group.
There are several people named Larry Neely listed in Albuquerque, so it’s not clear that Rael’s contributor is the same one associated with the group. The state sex offender registration does not list anyone with that name.
But whether or not the contributor is the same Larry Neely, Armstrong said Rael would make the donation to CASA.
A contributor with the same name also donated $10 to secretary of state candidate Maggie Oliver and $25 to the Conservation Voters New Mexico Action Fund. ..Source.. by Steve Terrell
It is pathetic that anyone thinks this is worthy of a news story and really pathetic that candidates or critics think that candidates shouldn't take campaign contributions from RSOs. Is free speech now supposed to be rescinded because of a past offense? People who are this paranoid don't deserve any money or votes anyway. Sadly, it is difficult to find any politicians these days with real character.
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