Patty Wetterling

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Patty Wetterling
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Board member ofInternational Centre for Missing & Exploited Children
SpouseJerry Wetterling
Children4, including Jacob

Patricia Lynn Wetterling (born November 2, 1949) is an American advocate of

Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidate in 2004 and 2006, losing to Republicans Mark Kennedy and Michele Bachmann
respectively. In September 2016, the remains of her son Jacob were discovered and positively identified.

Biography

Born in

Adam Walsh Act unconstitutional and contrary to public safety.[9] On September 14, 2007, Wetterling reiterated her perception of the harm that current sex offender laws are causing.[10]

Political career

In the 2004 race for U.S. Representative from Minnesota's 6th District she challenged incumbent Republican Mark Kennedy. Wetterling decided to enter the race after Stillwater lawyer Janet Robert withdrew. Wetterling received a $1,000 campaign contribution donation from U.S. Senate candidate Barack Obama, one of only 3 political contributions listed for Obama that year.[11] Kennedy won the election with 54% of the vote to Wetterling's 46%.

Wetterling then entered the race for

Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
, who won the election.

After leaving the Senate race, Wetterling was publicly asked by Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Mike Hatch to run with him as Lieutenant Governor. Wetterling declined Hatch's offer. On February 3, 2006, Wetterling announced that she would once again run for Congress in Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District. Wetterling's opponent for the DFL nomination was Elwyn Tinklenberg, former mayor of Blaine, Minnesota. A third DFL candidate, Scott Mortensen, dropped out early on.

On May 13, 2006, Wetterling won the DFL endorsement to face Republican state senator Michele Bachmann for the U.S. House seat. Wetterling lost the general election to Bachmann, 50% to 42%.

Son's abduction

In 1999, for the 10th anniversary of Jacob's abduction, Patty Wetterling decided to write an open letter to the abductor. Minnesota newspapers agreed to print it for her. Wetterling consulted the FBI for advice on how to word the letter. In the letter, Wetterling asks the abductor if Jacob is still with him. She offers compassion for the abductor, and says that all little boys, including the abductor when he was one, deserve a happy childhood. She tells him she's sorry if he did not have one, that she does not see him as an ugly, dirty old man, and that she hopes that if he ever goes fishing and catches something he cooks it for Jacob. She writes that she and her family are looking for answers, that only he can answer them, and that she wants to know what became of Jacob after the kidnapping. The letter generated some tips, but nothing substantial.

Also in early 2004, news reports circulated that new evidence was being considered in the abduction of her son. News outlets in the

Twin Cities indicated that another boy had been assaulted not long before Jacob disappeared. Police
were also ruling out the long-held belief that the abductor had gotten away in a car.

On September 1, 2016, a person of interest named in the investigation reportedly decided to cooperate with authorities and led investigators to human remains.[12] On September 3, Wetterling told television station KARE, a local NBC affiliate, that the remains found were indeed those of Jacob's. She said, "All I can confirm is that Jacob has been found and our hearts are broken. I am not responding to any media yet as I have no words."[13][14]

Philanthropy

Patty Wetterling (in purple) with the Board of Directors of the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children

Wetterling is a member of the Board of Directors of the

child sexual exploitation, child pornography, and child abduction.[15]

Electoral history

References

  1. ^ Pesta, Abigail (July 28, 2011). "Teens Charged as Sex Offenders - Accidental Sex Offenders". Marieclaire.com. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  2. ^ "Patty Wetterling questions sex offender laws | City Pages". Archived from the original on November 13, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  3. ^ Gunderson, Dan (June 18, 2007). "Sex offender laws have unintended consequences". MPR news.
  4. ^ Mellema, Matt (August 11, 2014). "Sex Offender Laws Have Gone Too Far". Slate. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  5. ^ Sethi, Chanakya (August 15, 2014). "Reforming the Registry". Slate.
  6. ISBN 978--0-8261-1109-8. Archived from the original
    on July 10, 2015.
  7. ^ "Remains of missing Jacob Wetterling found decades after disappearance". News.com.au. October 22, 1989. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  8. ^ "Sex offender laws have unintended consequences | Minnesota Public Radio NewsQ". Minnesota.publicradio.org. June 18, 2007. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
  9. ^ "American Chronicle: SEX OFFENDER LAWS UNDER FIRE". Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved August 31, 2007.
  10. ^ "Opinion - Patty Wetterling: The harm in sex-offender laws - sacbee.com". Archived from the original on February 14, 2008. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
  11. ^ "Donor Lookup: Find Individual and Soft Money Contributors". OpenSecrets. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
  12. ^ "Sources: Jacob Wetterling's Remains Have Been Found". KTSP. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  13. ^ "Patty Wetterling". Northland News Center. Archived from the original on September 4, 2016. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  14. ^ "Jacob Wetterling Remains Found After 27 Years, Authorities Confirm". Patch. September 3, 2016. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  15. ^ "ICMEC Board Members". Icmec.org. Archived from the original on July 3, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2016.

External links

Official
Articles
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