Assembly Candidate Distributing List of Registered Sex Offenders
The Republican candidate for the 44th Assembly District, in a challenge to California law, began distributing a booklet Thursday listing 938 registered sex offenders in the San Gabriel Valley.
The candidate, Ken LaCorte, who last year distributed the names of sex offenders on the Internet, said he decided to publish the names, crimes and ZIP codes of the area’s so-called high-risk and serious sex offenders because most people do not have Internet access.
“You do have the right to know who lives next door to you,” La Corte said. “Pasadena alone has over 300 sex offenders.”
La Corte said the state’s practice of keeping the list of sex offenders only available at local police departments discourages review.
Although state law makes it a misdemeanor to distribute sex offender information taken from police lists, Pasadena police officials said Thursday that they would seek the attorney general’s advice before taking any action.
La Corte said he does not expect Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren to seek his arrest.
Critics say publications such as La Corte’s could endanger sex offenders.
He dismisses such fears. “We have no obligation to let them get on with their lives,” La Corte said. The pamphlet, he said, will only be mailed to people who are not registered sex offenders.
La Corte is challenging incumbent Democratic Assemblyman Jack Scott in November for the seat that represents Pasadena, South Pasadena, San Marino and La Canada.
Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter
Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond. In your inbox three times per week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
