NEW HAMPSHIRE
The Union Leader
RAY BURTON’S defenders are making one argument to justify keeping him in office: Yeah, he hired and rehired a convicted child sex offender, and escorted that offender on trips through his sprawling district, but he’s such a darn good executive councilor.
So, only ineffective politicians should resign for enabling child sex offenders?
People made similar excuses for Cardinal Bernard Law and Bishop John McCormack. Sure, those two let pedophiles run rampant throughout the church, but look at all the good things they did in the meantime, their defenders said.
The people of New Hampshire are supposed to excuse Ray Burton for parading a man he knew was a convicted child sex offender around the state — and possibly finding him state jobs — because Burton is such a hard worker for his constituents?
Sorry, but that just doesn’t wash. Burton’s effectiveness on the Executive Council does not enter into the equation. Whether he is good or bad at his job, the fact remains that he endangered the safety of New Hampshire children. And now he won’t say if his offenses were compounded by using his connections to get the child sex offender state jobs.