As noted in Politico Morning Score – The NRSC released a new web video, “Like A Good Lobbyist,” highlighting Deborah Ross’ fumble from last week’s debate after she defended her opposition to the North Carolina sex offender registry by stating she was being a good lobbyist.
In case you missed it on Friday – WBTV issued a fact check investigating claims that Deborah Ross opposed the North Carolina sex offender registry. The claim was rated true.
WATCH: “Like A Good Lobbyist”
[youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKvL8ANM6KI&feature=youtu.be"]
From Politico Morning Score:
North Carolina: The NRSC is out with a web video attacking Democrat Deborah Ross for her answer during the debate ("like a good lobbyist"), explaining her position on the state’s sex offender registry. Watch the video here.
More North Carolina: WBTV rates Deborah Ross’s claim that she voted 18 times to strengthen the sex offender registry as "false," as well as her defense that she didn’t oppose the state sex offender registry.
TRUE – Burr’s claim: “Deborah Ross opposed the North Carolina sex offender registry” (WBTV)
…
To support the ad’s claim, the Burr campaign points to a memo Ross wrote as the executive director of the North Carolina chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union in 1995 summarizing legislation passed during the recently-concluded legislation session.
…
“This bill requires sex offenders, who have already served their time, to register with local authorities whenever they move to a new location,” Ross wrote. “Any member of the public would have access to the sex offender list, complete with address. Despite the fact that this bill would make it even harder for people to reintegrate into society and start over and could lead to vigilantism, it passed both houses and is now law.”
A spokeswoman for Ross’ campaign refused to answer a question posed by On Your Side Investigates asking if Ross lobbied for or against SB53, saying only that she voiced concern. Follow-up questions about whether Ross voiced her concerns to lawmakers about the language in the final version of SB53 that was passed in her role as a lobbyist also went unanswered.
…
In an article highlighting the launch of the online sex offender registry published in the Raleigh News & Observer in April 1998, Ross was again critical of the impact the registry could have on sex offenders.
“It’s going to be interesting to see if citizens act responsibly with the information, and what are the repercussions going to be for the sex offenders and their families,” Ross is quoted as saying.
…
Later in the article, Ross is quoted raising additional questions about the impact the online sex offender registry would have on victims who are related to the sex offender.
“The real concern is about people who have committed sex offenses within their families and what (public notification) will do to their families,” Ross is quoted as saying.
But that point, one that the Ross campaign says was the basis for Ross’ original concern with the sex offender registry, is not mentioned in her 1995 ACLU memo about the bill that first established the registry.
…
Both the 1995 ACLU legislative memo and Ross’ comments in the 1998 article present a consistent message from Ross that cast doubt on the efficacy of a sex offender registry. The opening line of her 1995 memo indicates that she was involved in lobbying against the original legislation that created the sex offender registry.
For those reasons, we rate Burr’s claim as true.
…