June 15, 2012 07:17 PM UTC

Randy Baumgardner's Got Some 'Splaining To Do

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• by: Colorado Pols

FOX 31’s Eli Stokols reports that a certain law-and-order Colorado Republican representative, in the thick of a cutthroat primary, has got a problem on the home front. A big problem.

State Rep. Randy Baumgardner, who is challenging Sen. Jean White in a Republican primary for her senate seat, is benefiting from mailers questioning White’s values after she voted in favor of civil unions.

But FOX 31 Denver has confirmed that Baumgardner, R-Hot Sulphur Springs, is currently harboring an unregistered sex offender in his home, a decision that has his neighbors questioning his own values. [Pols emphasis]

“This is an ignorant, arrogant individual who has no place in public office,” one of Baumgardner’s constituents wrote in an email to FOX31 Denver. “If you are running on morals, then have some.”

…He was arrested at Baumgardner’s home on April 12 for failing to register as a sex offender.

Baumgardner paid the $2,000 to bail him out.

Rep. Randy Baumgardner told FOX 31’s Stokols that the sex offender in question, Michael K. Frierson, “was arrested but no charges were filed.” This ignores the rather obvious problem that one must be convicted of a crime in order to be required to register as a sex offender. In fact, Mr. Frierson pled guilty to a charge of sexual assault on a victim more than ten years younger–a crime committed when he was 25, meaning the victim was 15 years of age or younger. Also, Mr. Frierson, who Rep. Baumgardner claims has never been “anything but respectful” while living in his home, has a mile-long rap sheet on a variety of other charges.

Here’s Michael Frierson’s most recent arrest report, and his lengthy CBI arrest record.

We’ll be interested in seeing if the law-abiding GOP primary voters in SD-8 find this worse than Sen. Jean White’s vote for civil unions. We’d objectively have to say they, um, ought to.