Citing decades-old molestation allegation, AR Young Democrats urge Monte Hodges to drop out of congressional race

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Rep. Monte Hodges (D-Blytheville) is sticking with his campaign to claim the congressional seat currently occupied by Republican Rick Crawford, even as debate swirls about a 20-year-old accusation of child abuse.

Hodges was never charged in connection with the incident, and said he’s innocent. Still, some leading Democrats are asking him to drop out.

On Monday night, the Young Democrats of Arkansas put out a statement asking Hodges to step away from the race. Click on the tweet below to read their full statement.

Rep. @MonteforAR should NOT file for AR-01 after ’03 molestation allegations and his threats to a mother seeking justice for her son have come to light.

Read more from YDAR Chapter Presidents, the Exec team, and leaders in @youngdems and @CollegeDems ➡️ https://t.co/wVdbBq8p8t

— Young Democrats of Arkansas (@YDArkansas) February 22, 2022

State Democratic Party Chairman Grant Tennille has also said Hodges should drop his bid for Congress. Tennille shared this statement today:

This is a difficult situation in that we are talking about a man who is known to everyone in this building, who has served five terms in the House and two as a city councilman, who was accused 20 years ago of a crime but was never arrested , prosecuted or convicted.

I asked Rep. Hodges to withdraw from this race, not because of 20-year-old allegations, but because I believe that these accusations will be extremely difficult for him to explain to voters, and because I think these accusations could become a distraction for Democrats across the state .

The Democratic Party cannot prevent a qualified candidate from filing to appear as a Democrat on the ballot. Under Party rules and state law, Rep. Hodges is a qualified candidate and will appear on the ballot as a Democrat. Democrats will determine for themselves how to respond as Rep. Hodges’ candidacy moves forward.

But Hodges said earlier this week that he has no plans to drop out.

His candidacy raises really tough questions. If someone is innocent until proven guilty, is it fair for Hodges to give up his political pursuits? Would that set a precedent in which any candidate’s campaign could be ruined by an unproven allegation? At the same time, is it realistic to wage a campaign when such a dark cloud hangs over it?

Arkansas Young Democrats say the letter Hodges’ lawyer sent to the mother of the boy who made the allegations, which threatened a defamation lawsuit unless she stopped talking, is enough for them:

Knowing that Rep. Hodges’ lawyer sent a letter threatening a defamation suit to a mother trying to get justice for her son is all we need to know: the Democrats deserve a better candidate for the First District.

That letter from Hodges’ attorney is included in this 2003 police report. The report also references a lie detector test, which Hodges failed. Polygraph results have proven to be unreliable, and are generally not admissible in court.

What Arkansas voters might think of the allegations against Hodges is another question that’s currently unanswerable. Voters have repeatedly sent Rep. Jack Ladyman (R-Jonesboro) to the state Capitol, despite allegations that he is a domestic abuser. Ladyman broke his wife’s ankle by pushing her down stairs, according to his wife’s request for a restraining order. But Ladyman was never charged. He has served in the state House since 2015.

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