TRUTH TEST: National Republicans target Perlmutter vote

KUSA - Throughout the 2006 election season, 9NEWS will hold accountable candidates or groups who run negative commercials on our station.

Sources for every assertion made in the commercial are cited below.

This "Truth Test" looks at a 30-second attack ad against Democratic 7th Congressional District candidate Ed Perlmutter. The commercial is paid for and authorized by the National Republican Congressional Committee. The NRCC is an organization dedicated to electing Republicans to Congress. (Source: NRCC)

The 7th District race is between Perlmutter, Republican Rick O'Donnell, Green Party candidate Dave Chandler, and American Constitution Party candidate Roger McCarville.

QUOTE: Ed Perlmutter promises to support laws that will keep our kids safe.

TRUTH: This is true.

On Perlmutter's campaign Web site, under his "Issues" section, "Protecting Our Children" is listed as his number one priority. (Source: Perlmutter Campaign Web site).

QUOTE: But he killed a plan for informing sexual assault victims that a sex offender lived in their neighborhood.

TRUTH: This is false.

The measure in question is House Bill 1257 from 1997. It was a measure designed to require the sex offender treatment board to come up with policies when an offender was to be released as to who should be notified, how they should be notified and when they should be notified. (Source: Colorado General Assembly)

After the measure passed the State House, it went to the Senate Judiciary Committee where it sat until the final day of the legislative session, May 5, 1997. Audiotapes from the committee hearing indicate the Senate sponsor of the measure, Sen. Dottie Wham (R-Denver), saying "It's not the bill I wanted. I suspect that we ought to just (postpone it indefinitely)." Following her motion, all seven senators in the committee (four Republicans and three Democrats), including Perlmutter, voted to shelve the bill. One senator was excused from the vote.

There is no record of any testimony taken on the measure and phone calls to Sen. Wham, to inquire why she moved to kill her own bill, went unreturned. Perlmutter says Wham delayed her own proposal because local police chiefs had concerns over the lack of local control in the program and that she wanted to address the issue in a more comprehensive matter the following year. (Source: Perlmutter campaign spokesman Scott Chase e-mail to 9NEWS, 10/22/06).

It should be noted Wham is supporting her former colleague in this 7th District race and she is one of the co-chairs of a group called "Republicans for Perlmutter."

QUOTE: If Perlmutter had his way, staff at nearby schools, child care centers, former victims wouldn't be told.

TRUTH: This is false as well.

Following the measure which failed in 1997, Perlmutter came back to support House Bill 1177 in 1998 and House Bill 1260 in 1999. The measure in 1998 set up a sex offender registry in Colorado for those convicted of 25 separate sex offenses who were set to be released. It set up a process where those people were required to register with the local law enforcement agency supervising the area they were moving and set up a process by which that police agency could alert those who needed to be alerted for public safety.

The exact language in the measure read, "When necessary for public protection, a local law enforcement agency may release information regarding any person registered with the local law enforcement agency pursuant to this section to any person residing within the local law enforcement agency's jurisdiction. Any person requesting information pursuant to this paragraph (b) shall show proper identification or other proof of residence."

Legislative records from March 30, 1997 show Perlmutter voted for the measure on the floor of the state Senate. (Source: CO General Assembly)

The measure in 1999 strengthened the sex offender registration law and on two separate occasions, Perlmutter voted for that measure in the Senate. (Source: Colorado General Assembly, April 28, 1999 Senate Journal, May 4, 1999 Senate Journal)

QUOTE: We can't keep our children safe with false promises.

TRUTH: This is political rhetoric, not a statement of fact.