Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico (D) has been called a 'Total Dirtbag' after the family of a child sex abuse victim publicly disputed his claim that his campaign had been in contact with them.
Victim's family disputes Talarico's claims.
The controversy stems from a July 9 press conference where Talarico accused Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton of giving former Waco attorney Adam Hoffman what he described as an "Epstein-style sweetheart deal."
When asked whether he had spoken with the victim's family, Talarico responded that his campaign team had been in contact. However, Melissa Deiterich, a friend and spokesperson for the victim's family, publicly disputed that claim.
According to a statement she shared on behalf of the family, "We have not given any statement to Talarico. We have not spoken to him."
Dieterich also said the family is "tired of being used in this election" and tired of the lies."
Republicans respond
The Republican National Committee criticized Talarico following the family's statement.
RNC spokesman Zach Kraft accused Talarico of exploiting the case for political purposes.
Zach Kraft said, : "James Talarico has never cared about the victim in this case... Talarico needs to honor the victim's family by stopping immediately and apologizing for the senseless pain he has caused."
Other scrutiny
Talarico is also facing scrutiny over his continued support for Democratic congressional candidate Bobby Pulido.
Pulido has been criticized over his past relationship with former bandmate Frankie Caballero, who was convicted in 2014 of indecent sexual conduct with a child.
Recent reports have also highlighted social media posts in which Pulido argued that child molestation was "not necessarily rape or murder" while discussing sex offenders.
Talarico has endorsed Pulido's congressional campaign, campaigned alongside him, and appeared on Pulido's podcast.
Campaign donor scrutiny
Campaign finance records have also renewed attention on LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, Talarico's largest individual donor.
Recent reporting highlights previously released Department of Justice records regarding Hoffman's past communications with Jeffrey Epstein after Epstein's conviction, including reported visits to Epstein's properties and email correspondence referenced in media reports.
The Bottom Line
The controversy adds to ongoing scrutiny surrounding Talarico's Senate campaign as Republicans continue to challenge his handling of the child abuse case and his political associations.
As of this writing, Talarico has not publicly addressed the family's statement or responded to the latest questions regarding Pulido and Hoffman.
