Governor’s race fact check: Did Bob Ferguson release a sex offender who raped again? | 4thepeople-elections-coverage [Video]

OLYMPIA, Wash – The race for Washington governor will focus largely on public safety this fall, including claims about the housing of sexually violent predators on McNeil Island.

A social media ad for candidate Dave Reichert highlights a former resident of the Special Commitment Center. 

The SCC is run by the Department of Social and Health Services. After offenders serve their time, the attorney general’s office can petition them to be civilly committed indefinitely.

In recent years, judges have released more of the sexually violent predators, including a man named Paul Harell.

The ad supporting Reichert says “Bob Ferguson let a sex offender free who went on to commit a violent act at knifepoint against a 74-year-old woman in her home.”

It goes on to say that Ferguson “ignored expert medical advice” and let Harell go.

The ad is misleading.

“We don’t release anybody. Just to be clear, that’s up to a judge. We …