FACT CHECK: Author of NC's Sex Offender Registry Calls Burr Attack "Total Misrepresentation of the Facts"

Press Release

This morning, retired State Senator Fountain Odom published an op-ed in the Charlotte Observer that debunked Senator Burr's absurd and misleading attack on Deborah's work to improve the state's sex offender registry. He called Burr's attack "a total misrepresentation of the facts," saying "I should know since I wrote the law."

In 1997, Senator Odom authored the bill to create a public sex offender registry in North Carolina. His bill and the registry has been the subject of attacks by Senator Richard Burr and national Republicans in Washington, D.C. Yet today, Senator Odom condemned Burr's attacks as an "attempt to deceive voters in order to save his job." He praised Deborah's leadership, her willingness to ask "tough questions," and her work "to make my bill and our state's sex offender registry better."

Charlotte Observer Op-Ed: The Truth About Deborah Ross and the Sex Offender Registry

Sen. Richard Burr has recently and falsely attacked his opponent, Deborah Ross, saying she fought against the creation of a sex offender registry. The attack is a total misrepresentation of the facts -- and I should know since I wrote the law.

In 1997, I authored a bill to create a public registry of sex offenders in North Carolina. At the time, the internet was hardly in the mainstream so the prospect of an online registry raised questions about how we could best protect the privacy of victims.

Deborah Ross showed leadership, asked tough questions and worked with me to make my bill and our state's sex offender registry better.

Now, her leadership on an issue that should rise above petty politics is being used against her as she runs for the U.S. Senate.

I for one am tired of the half-truths and lies being spun by politicians like Burr. If people want to know why our political system is such a train wreck these days, they need look no further than Burr's attempt to deceive voters in order to save his job and win an election.

Our children -- especially the victims of sexual abuse -- should never be used for a person's political gain. Burr should be ashamed.

Deborah Ross worked to make the registry better, she worked to make sure families were protected and she worked to make sure the names of victims were kept private.

What's Richard Burr's record? He voted against millions of federal dollars for the sex offender registry.

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