A former GOP chairman representing Cobb Country in Georgia, Joseph Dendy, got recently arrested under child molestation charges. He’s accused of molesting two boys, 4 and 12 years of age.
After the charges were pressed, Dandy disappeared and is currently pursued as a fugitive. Meanwhile, his lawyer, William McKenney, made a statement to the press that Dandy will plead not guilty:
“Mr. Dendy will plead not guilty to all charges and will commence his own independent investigation into the motivation and credibility of individuals now claiming acts which allegedly occurred over nine years ago and which were never reported to anyone,” was the official statement made to Marietta Daily Journal, a local publication.
In the past, Joseph Dandy served twice (each time two-year terms) as Cobb GOP chairman. There were other incidents of politicians accused of sexual crimes, but mostly minor figures, thus unlikely to affect the debates taking place this year as both the presidential and congressional elections are approaching.
Nevertheless, such accusations make the political parties look bad. How the case of Mr. Dendy will unwind (whether he’ll turn himself in voluntarily) is still to be seen.
All accused are innocent until proven guilty, but if proven guilty charges of child sexual abuse carry very long sentences, while those convicted as pedophiles are under special protection in many prisons due to threats to their lives posed by other prisoners.
Indeed, prisoners have their own “code of honor” where a serial killer could be a celebrity, while pedophiles are a threatened species within the prison walls.