Ferminist Congresswoman Woolsey Attempts To Interfere With Sentencing Of Rapist

[Brent]

A self-described 'feminist' Congresswoman attempts to interfere with a lawful judicial process on behalf of one of her staffers. This is NOT the kind of person I'd want to represent me in Congress.

Woolsey apologizes after seeking lenient sentence for rapist

Congresswoman wrote to Marin judge on behalf of son of staff member

February 10, 2004
By SPENCER SOPER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Rep. Lynn Woolsey sought a lenient sentence for a convicted rapist who is the son of one of her staffers, igniting a political firestorm over the weekend.

The Petaluma Democrat quickly apologized after a Marin County newspaper reported she intervened on behalf of Stewart Pearson, who pleaded guilty last fall to raping a 17-year-old Terra Linda girl and covering her face with a rag soaked in household chemicals in an attempt to incapacitate her.

Pearson, 20, had volunteered on Woolsey's campaign and is the son of an employee in the congresswoman's San Rafael office.

"Stewart Pearson is a young man from a supportive family," Woolsey wrote in a Dec. 2 letter on congressional stationery to Marin County Superior Court Judge Terrence Boren one month before Pearson was sentenced. "I believe he has a promising life ahead of him, and I urge you to consider these factors when deciding upon a suitable sentence."

The letter was signed, "Lynn Woolsey, Member of Congress."

Pearson pleaded guilty to rape in September in a deal that dropped other charges, including assault and sodomy. Woolsey's intervention did nothing to sway the judge, who sentenced Pearson in January to eight years in state prison, the maximum allowed under law.

The attempt to influence the court outraged a Marin County deputy district attorney who prosecuted the case.

The assault was "as bad as it gets," prosecutor Alan Charmatz told the Marin Independent Journal in a story published Saturday.

"It's hard to imagine that after someone has committed a brutal crime like that they (Woolsey's office) would want to write a letter," Charmatz said.

Woolsey issued a statement over the weekend apologizing for the letter.

"Mr. Pearson's mother is a faithful employee, who I wanted to help, but I should not have intervened," Woolsey said.

"Given my support for both women's rights and victims' rights, my constituents and my community are right to be shocked by my action. I apologize to them. But most of all I apologize to the young woman and her family.

"I apologize for making a horrible situation worse, and I am sorry that they have been forced to relive this heinous crime by reading about it in the newspaper, again."

Woolsey is seeking her seventh term in the 6th Congressional District, which includes Marin and most of Sonoma County. A liberal in the left-leaning North Bay, she is considered the heavy favorite to win the Democratic primary in March and re-election in November.

Gloria Young, executive director of the Santa Rosa rape crisis center United Against Sexual Assault, expressed disappointment that Woolsey was trying to help a rapist when his teen victim "will live with the memory of this attack for the rest of her life."

The news was especially troubling because Woolsey has always had a "pro-feminine, anti-violence agenda," Young said.

"My disappointment was that she was intervening on behalf of someone who was convicted of raping a 17-year-old girl and it was a very brutal rape," Young said, adding she was glad to hear Woolsey has apologized.

San Rafael Police Lt. Jeff Franzini said Pearson and the victim were acquaintances. Pearson spent the night on the victim's sofa last July and sneaked into her bedroom in the morning while she was sleeping, Franzini said.

Pearson tried to incapacitate the teen by covering her face with a rag soaked in chemicals and then forcibly raped her when that failed, Franzini said.

On Monday, Marin District Attorney Paula Kamena issued a statement, saying, "Accessibility and openness is at the core of the court process. An interested party should be able to express their opinion. It is a personal choice as to whether a person would do this on an informed or uninformed basis."

Two of Woolsey's political opponents accused her of misusing her office.

Mill Valley communications consultant Renn Vara, who is challenging Woolsey for the Democratic nomination in the March 2 primary, said it was "terribly inappropriate" for Woolsey to use her office to try to benefit a convicted criminal because it was her employee's son.

"My concern overall is that she let a letter like that go out," Vara said, adding he was pleased Woolsey apologized. "It's just another example of her being asleep at the wheel."

Paul Erickson, a Santa Rosa real estate appraiser who is running unopposed for the Republican nomination, said he could understand why Woolsey wanted to help her employee's son, but she should not have used her congressional office to do it.

"She represents a lot of people," he said. "I can't imagine any of them agree with her on that letter."

News researcher Teresa Meikle contributed to this story. You can reach Staff Writer Spencer Soper at 521-5257 or [email protected].

[Kitty C.]

Looks like she can kiss her chances at re-election goodbye!  What an idiot!

[Brent]

>Looks like she can kiss her chances at re-election goodbye!
>What an idiot!

Yep. She tried to use her power as a member of Congress to unfairly affect the outcome of a trial. No way I'd vote for someone who did that.

[Peanutsdad]

Pssst,,

Hey Brent,, if we do it THAT way,, there wont be anyone left to vote for ..... ;)

[StPaulieGirl]

"I apologize for making a horrible situation worse, and I am sorry that they have been forced to relive this heinous crime by reading about it in the newspaper, again."

[p]Noooonoooo, what she really meant was, "I'm sorry a newspaper got hold of this story.  I'm sorry that by my blatant attempt to get this POS off with a lighter sentence backfired.  I'm really, really sorry that some of my supporters might get a little pissed off at me.


[p]They're all the same.

[richiejay]

You hit the nail on the head.  There never seems to be remorse until they are caught.

[StPaulieGirl]

The greatest sin is getting caught.  Lots of sociopaths running around in politics these days.  Feminists are just the bottom of the barrel.  Remember how they stuck by Bill Clinton?  What kind of feminist would support a man like that?  I mean isn't that what feminism is all about..... Getting rid of predatory males? /sarcasm

Btw, Kerry has just been sandbagged by a "bimbo alert", courtesy of General Wesley Clark, //www.drudgereport.com,  and Rush Limbaugh.  1,750 + replies to the post on FR.  

Looks like Edwards is the annointed one.  Want to guess who he'll pick for VP?