Labour party ‘paid sex offender’
By politics.co.uk staff
A convicted sex offender was paid £2,560 by the Labour party for helping its 2005 general election campaign, it has been reported.
The BBC said Tim Russo has been convicted of harassment and attempting to disseminate matter harmful to juveniles in the US in 2002, three years before he worked as a coordinator in the East Midlands for Labour.
It reported Russo had attempted to arrange to have sex with a 13-year-old boy, resulting in him receiving a community service order and a year on probation in Ohio.
A statement from the Labour party quoted by the BBC said it provided “reasonable expenses” were often provided for volunteers helping in campaigns, like “all other major political parties”.
“The Labour party had taken legal advice and the party’s view is that in Mr Russo’s case and on the separate issue of paid consultants the party has always acted within the law. Any suggestion otherwise is entirely false.”
