Scott Wiener’s Disturbing Push for Pedophile Exceptions in Political Office Bill

The progressive frontrunner for Nancy Pelosi’s congressional seat is under fire for inserting outrageous exceptions for pedophiles into a proposed California law designed to keep sex offenders out of political office.

State Senator Scott Wiener faced intense scrutiny during a hearing on Tuesday regarding the newly added exemptions to California bill AB 2691, which aims to prevent individuals convicted of felony sexual assault or human trafficking from holding elected positions.

The carveouts redefine sexual assault involving minors under 18, excluding acts of sodomy, oral copulation, and sexual penetration. They also allow individuals over 21 to engage in sexual acts with those younger than 16 without facing felony charges.

Greg Burt, vice president of the California Family Council, expressed disbelief at the hearing, stating, “Our honest reaction was that it could not be real. We assume we’ve misread it. We sat in our office and tried to imagine how anyone could stand up and defend it.”

Burt demanded answers, asking, “So I’m here today generally hoping someone will tell us why crimes against children are being carved out of this bill.”

This legislation is one of two introduced this year in response to public outrage over a Fresno child sex offender, Rene Campost, who attempted to run for city council. It also follows allegations of sexual misconduct against former Representative Eric Swalwell, once a leading gubernatorial candidate.

Conservative groups have accused Wiener of undermining efforts to block sex offenders from seeking office. David Bolog, representing the Serving Family Values Alliance, stated that the exemptions forced his organization to oppose the bill.

“It is now in contradiction with what it seems to be the intent of the author. I’m baffled with this current legislation,” Bolog said. “I don’t know how anybody thinks these exceptions, these exemptions, would be acceptable with its prior intentions.”

As AB 2691 awaited review by the state senate’s elections committee last week, amendments were made that excluded certain criminal statutes from being classified as “sexual assault.” Specifically, violations of three state penal codes covering sodomy, oral sex, and sexual penetration with a minor were removed from the definition.

Wiener chairs the state senate’s elections committee and his office confirmed that his committee collaborated on these changes.

On Tuesday, Wiener opposed another bill, AB 2753, which sought to bar registered sex offenders from running for office. That bill failed but may be reconsidered.

The senator, who identifies as gay and advocates for LGBTQ rights, argued that the sex offender registry disproportionately targets gay men. He stated, “It’s hard to overstate how extreme and broken the California sex offender registry was,” referencing the arrest of Bayard Rustin, a prominent gay civil rights leader.

Wiener elaborated, “Whether you were a sexually violent predator or whether you were a gay guy who had sex in a park or in a car and got arrested, like for example Bayard Rustin did…you were on for life.”

Wiener’s office claimed the exceptions added to AB 2691 were intended to protect young adults who were recently minors from excessive punishment. He argued that the original version “could have swept in an 18-year-old who had sex with a 17-year-old partner,” even though such cases are typically treated as misdemeanors.

“There were no felonies in any of the amendments removed out, no felonies,” Wiener insisted during Tuesday’s hearing.