In case you missed it – the Senate unanimously passed a resolution yesterday to hold Backpage.com in contempt of Congress. More than 400 cases of child sex trafficking have been traced to the website and lawmakers say company executives have refused to comply with the investigation.
Despite the disturbing nature of child sex trafficking charges, the liberal ACLU, of which Deborah Ross is a former lobbyist, has defended the site.
Deborah Ross has a history of backing the ACLU’s extreme positions, including when she sided with sex offenders to oppose an online registry claiming that it wouldn’t protect children.
Given her radical record on child safety, Deborah Ross owes North Carolinians an answer – would she have joined every other Senator to hold Backpage.com in contempt of Congress? Or would she have sided with the extreme ACLU whose positions she represented for nearly a decade?
BACKGROUND:
"A former lobbyist for the state American Civil Liberties Union, Ross served in the Legislature for 10 years and now works for Triangle Transit." ("After Hagan’s no, Democrats wait for Burr challengers," Associated Press, 8/23/2015)
In 1997, Ross Was Opposed To An Online Sex Offender Registry In North Carolina Saying “It Will Have Unintended Consequences” And It Won’t Protect Children. “People checking offender lists might be surprised by what they find, some skeptics predict. They might discover people they know – not strangers who threaten their children. And even though victims’ names are supposed to remain private, those involving family members won’t be too hard to figure out. ‘It will have unintended consequences,’ said Deborah Ross, director of the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina. ‘It’s another high-profile attempt to deal with the problem,’ Ross added. ‘The question is: Is this going to protect the kids?’ Her answer: no. Ross said the state could do much more to protect children by improving treatment for sex offenders and by helping families at risk of sexual abuse.” (Foon Rhee and Kathleen McClain, “Senate Broadens Sex Offender List,” Charlotte Observer, 5/22/97)
Ross Said “There Are Serious Concerns About What People Do With This Information” And Warned Of “Vigilantism.” “At the same time, a registry this public could pose a threat to the idea of community itself. ‘There are serious concerns about what people do with this information,’ says Deborah Ross, director of the North Carolina affiliate of the ACLU. ‘There’s no oversight, and there’s no specific rules about how to use it–that’s where we will get into the problems of improper identification and vigilantism.’” (Austin Bunn, “Digitizing Megan’s Law,” The Village Voice, 4/21/98)
Ross Said “One Would Hope That Law Enforcement Would Enforce The Law Against Vigilantes And Harassers Of Sex Offenders As Much As They Do Against Sex Offenders Themselves.” “The passing of Megan’s Law drew critical attention to the risks of violence against children, but online registries like North Carolina’s walk a fine line between civic duty and ‘exploiting paranoia,’ says the ACLU’s Ross. ‘One would hope that law enforcement would enforce the law against vigilantes and harassers of sex offenders as much as they do against sex offenders themselves.’ But with their past on public display, it’s hard to believe these offenders will ever be granted the gift of privacy.” (Austin Bunn, “Digitizing Megan’s Law,” The Village Voice, 4/21/98)