June 30, 2006
The Hoosiers' Willie Horton?
If the NRCC has its way, child molester Matthew Long would be the Hoosier version of Willie Horton. He's now the poster boy in new TV ads against Vanderburgh County Sheriff Brad Ellsworth (D) in IN 08.
During Ellsworth's trip to DC earlier this month, Long was mistakenly released from prison and is still on the loose. The story's getting big play in the Evansville media market, and Rep. John Hostettler (R) said he'll bring up the issue on the trail.
Ellsworth aired a response ad criticizing Hostettler's voting record and touting his own credentials. But he hasn't commented directly on the Long case.
The controversy expedited the NRCC's funding of this race. Usually, the cmte doesn't make such decisions until after Labor Day. And Hostettler's refusal to fundraise always puts him at an early disadvantage. But Ellsworth gave them an opening to hit early and often.
Will elections be decided at the local or nat'l level? If nat'l issues dominate, Dems have a fighting chance with Ellsworth. But if this local issue draws traction, the sheriff may have an uphill battle. [JOSH KRAUSHAAR]
UPDATE: Long was re-arrested on Tuesday night, per this report from WFIE-TV.
Posted at 02:45 PM
Comments
Actually, Ellsworth has spoken directly about Long. Excerpted from the Evansville Courier & Press:
"Ellsworth accused the Republicans of 'trying to make political hay' out of last week's accidental release from jail of a man accused of sodomizing a child.
"The sheriff acknowledged he was in the midst of a two-day campaign-related stay in Washington, D.C., when a deputy accidentally released accused child molester Matthew J. Long from jail Wednesday.
"Ellsworth added, however, that hundreds of sheriff's department employees process more than 12,000 jail inmates annually, and he could not have done anything to stop Long's release.
"'If I had been in the very next room, nothing would have changed,' he said. '(The deputy) wouldn't have called me and said, 'Sheriff, should I let this guy go?''
...
" 'My agency will work hard to catch (Long),' he said. 'We're doing what we can to get him back.'"
Ryan Nees | 06.30.06 04:47 PM
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