A registered child sex offender has sparked outrage after launching a Hail Mary bid to get on a California city council.<\/p>\n
Rene Campos announced this week he will run for the District 7 seat on Fresno City Council. He pleaded with voters to overlook his twisted past, which includes being charged for possession of child sex abuse material.<\/p>\n
Rene Campos is a registered sex offender and is running for public office. rene-campos.com<\/p>\n
The move sparked outrage in the city, with his rivals demanding he is banned and pointing out he would never be able to visit a school if he wins.<\/p>\n
Despite the crime, due to California law Campos is perfectly entitled to run for public office.<\/p>\n
Nav Gurm, a small business owner and attorney who is also running for District 7, told the California Post: \u201cI think it should be a disqualification to serve in public office.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I\u2019m the next councilmember in District 7 and I can\u2019t show up to a school site, how can I best represent the people in the neighborhoods I want to serve?<\/p>\n
Campos wants to run for Fresno City Council. ABC30<\/p>\n
\u201cIf someone is a registered sex offender they can\u2019t be on campus at a school site, how are you going to be able to fulfill the duties of the job?<\/p>\n
Gurm said he has reached out to some state legislators about bringing in a bill that would prevent it from happening in the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt should be California law that if you are a registered sex offender, you can\u2019t run for public office,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
James Kus, Fresno County Clerk and Registrar of Voters. ABC30<\/p>\n
Campos was charged with being in possession of child sex abuse material in 2018. He pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge.<\/p>\n
He told ABC 30: \u201cI believe Fresno deserves leaders who are honest from the very beginning, not the end. Going into this, I am putting my life out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
On his website he promises to \u201ctarget repeat crime areas with coordinated police, mental health and city response teams.\u201d \u201cI\u2019ve been given a chance to rehabilitate through the courts and go back into the system,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey say let\u2019s choose somebody outside the box, somebody who knows the system from the inside out, because I\u2019ve experienced the laws that we are trying to reform right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fresno County Clerk and Registrar of Voters James Kus said state law<\/a> does not prevent Campos from running for office.<\/p>\n Campos said he\u2019s not hiding from his past. ABC30<\/p>\n \u201cOnce you leave prison, you\u2019re on probation, you actually are allowed in California to reapply and become a registered voter again, which would then make you eligible to run as long as you\u2019re living in the proper jurisdiction,\u201d Kus said.<\/p>\n Under California law, you only lose your right to vote if you are currently incarcerated in a prison for a felony conviction.<\/p>\n Your rights are restored and you can register to vote immediately after your release, according to the Department of Justice<\/a>.<\/p>\n In most states you lose your right to vote if you are convicted of a felony, a misdemeanor does not restrict your voting rights, per the DOJ.<\/p>\n In Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan, you only lose your right to vote if you are currently incarcerated for a criminal conviction (misdemeanor or felony)-Pretrial detention, probation, and parole do not restrict your voting rights.<\/p>\n Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/p>\n California Post News: Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a> In Utah, Massachusetts, Maryland, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. you lose your right to vote if you are currently incarcerated.<\/p>\n In Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, or Washington State a misdemeanor or probation does not restrict a person\u2019s right to vote.<\/p>\n Only in South Carolina and Missouri, do you lose your right to vote if you are on probation. Calls to Campos from The Post were not immediately returned.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe California Post is here. Sign up for Morning Report.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGet the perfect blend of news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t
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