In an interview today with MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam was unable to defend his staunch support for the automatic restoration of rights for violent felons, without proper screening or due diligence. Northam stated that the new ad highlighting his policy is “inaccurate,” but failed to provide any evidence to support his claim.
Watch HERE:
RALPH NORTHAM: “…The ads are inaccurate. ”
The facts of the case are clear: John Bowen, a non-law abiding citizen, had his rights restored two months after being arrested with one of the largest caches of child pornography ever recovered in Virginia – as many as 1.7 million images and videos.
In his campaign for governor, Northam has accepted credit for and adopted the flawed policy on restoration of rights, recently calling it “one of our greatest feats,” and confirming that he would “absolutely” continue the current policy.
So, Ralph Northam, what exactly is “inaccurate” about the TV ad?
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Background:
October 14, 2016: John Bowen is arrested with one of the largest caches of child pornography ever recovered in Virginia – as many as 1.7 million images and videos. The collection included depictions of sexual abuse of children of a wide variety of ages, some as young as babies, and including files of bestiality, and sadistic and masochistic conduct. Bowen’s collection accumulated over nearly a decade of downloading child pornography. (Delmarva Now, 11/1/16)
December 9, 2016: John Bowen’s rights are restored.
January 19, 2017: John Bowen pleads guilty, pursuant to the terms of a written plea agreement.
June 6, 2017: John Bowen is sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. Upon his release, he will be placed on supervised probation for the rest of his life. Contributing to the length of Bowen’s prison sentence is his previous conviction of aggravated sexual battery and indecent liberties with a minor in 2001. (The United States Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Virginia, 6/6/17)
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