Posted on 04/24/2011 3:35:44 PM PDT by smokingfrog
PEORIA, IL — A Peoria man who’s running to represent the 18th Congressional District is a convicted felon who’s still on probation.
Matthew Woodmancy calls his conviction “a huge, stupid mistake” and says everyone deserves a second chance.
The 27-year-old Democrat, who is trying to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Peoria, released his criminal record to the media Thursday. No laws prohibit a convicted felon from running for or holding a congressional seat.
“I learned the most from the felony. It was stupid. There are no, and there should not be, any excuses for it,” Woodmancy said Thursday. “I know it makes things more difficult. I’ve always thought things worth doing in life weren’t supposed to be easy. It was a huge, stupid mistake, but everyone deserves a second chance.”
Woodmancy, who is on probation until 2013, said he was convicted of criminal theft for stealing from a family member and that person’s now-shuttered Bloomington-based business in 2006. He was sentenced to jail time, probation and $45,000 in fines and restitution, Woodmancy said.
In 2008, Woodmancy was charged with misdemeanor battery and pleaded guilty. He explained he was defending his mother during an altercation.
He also pleaded guilty in 2009 to driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol and has more than a dozen other traffic tickets, including driving with a suspended license. Woodmancy said his license has been revoked and most of his fines from the traffic tickets have been referred to collections.
Woodmancy announced his candidacy last week at Festival Park. He also filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission in early February; no financial disclosures have yet been reported.
(Excerpt) Read more at galesburg.com ...
Lemme guess he is a Democrat? yup!
he was convicted of stealing other people’s money, he’ll fit right in with the Democrats.
He learned his lesson- he can make a lot more stealing from the taxpayers~!!
Well as long as he is running for congress, he should be a welcome member to the club.
Yep,convicted felon running as a Democrat.He’s a natural.
This guy was born to be a politician.
He will fit right in and you watch, he will win in a landslide.
Not going to happen.
Theft, assault and battery, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, a dozen other tickets including driving with a suspended license, and who knows what else he wasn’t caught for?
Yes, he definitely sounds like a typical Democrat politician. What he doesn’t seem to understand is that you’re supposed to get elected first and then commit the crimes, not the other way around.
Why does the name “Kennedy” come to mind?
That would cover 99.99999% of all of us the way laws are written these days.
Just sayin....
“Matthew Woodmancy calls his conviction “a huge, stupid mistake” and says everyone deserves a second chance.”
And, had the conviction been the man’s only mistake, *and* had he walked the straight and narrow for say, the last 15 years, I might go along with him on this. I’ve known more than a few people who’ve done something really stupid in their lives (myself included) and got straight after getting a second chance. Nothing violent or dangerous, mind you, just bad choices.
But a 27 year old man who continues to do stupid and criminal things even after supposedly learning his lesson? Uh-uh, baby. No way.
Being a convicted felon is a huge plus for politicians in America these days.
"I am, a Gay man with a deep seated love of this country and of the people in it. I firmly believe that my past has given me insights that most people will never understand. I will not falter or be distracted from this campaign; I intend to do everything in my power to serve my Country and fellow Americans." Candidate Woodmancy
Gay and stupid is no way to go through life....
This one is just way to easy. I’m not even going to comment.
Oh boy...
DUmocrats scraping from the bottom of the barrel and have resorted to petty thieves for congressional candidates. How long until they’re combing the ranks of gang-bangers and meth addicts to dredge up potential candidates?
Seriously?
That face and that record combined with that arrogance?
This reminds me of those Idol auditions with all the people who have been told they can’t sing, but don’t believe it.
The incumbent needn’t worry.
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