[BREITBART] A brutal new ad will hit Democrat Joe Radinovich in Minnesota over his history with criminal convictions, license suspensions, and having been charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, Breitbart News has learned.The ad, from the House GOP leadership-backed Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF), is perhaps one of the most brutal this cycle. It literally shows an illegal aluminum foil drug-smoking device to illustrate how Radinovich was charged by police back on Feb. 4, 2005, with possession of drug paraphernalia.
But that’s not all: The ad counts off Radinovich’s 18 various criminal charges, dozens of traffic violations, multiple driver’s license suspensions, and argues that this Democrat is not fit to serve in Congress due to his record.
"Joe Radinovich wants to go to Congress to make laws, but he’s spent his life running from the law," CLF front man Michael Byerly said in a statement accompanying the ad. "Radinovich’s run-ins with the law include 18 different crimes, five drivers’ license suspensions, even a possession of drug paraphernalia charge. Joe Radinovich isn’t fit to serve in Congress. Minnesota families deserve better."
Court records obtained by Breitbart News show that Radinovich was charged on Feb. 4, 2005, with possession of prohibited drug paraphernalia and he pled "not guilty" on March 21, 2005. The case went to trial on July 6, 2005, and Radinovich received what is known as a "continued for dismissal" disposition on the drug paraphernalia charge.
In Minnesota, prosecuting attorneys will sometimes offer a continuance for dismissal on charges pending compliance by the defendant with certain terms for a period of time when the case is later dismissed. Per the court records, Radinovich agreed to comply with random drug testing at his own expense. But those records also show Radinovich‐a month after receiving the continuance‐received a delinquent payment notice.
Two months after the continuance on the drug charge, Radinovich’s driver’s license was suspended. In December 2005, Radinovich was found guilty of driving without a license‐while it was suspended. Later, in 2006 and 2007, he was convicted and found guilty of driving with a revoked or suspended driver’s license in two separate incidents.