Although he is free, without that official exoneration, Haynesworth remains a convicted sex offender and his photo is on the state sex offender registry. Cuccinelli said he knew it would be tough for Haynesworth to get a job as a convicted felon. So the month after Haynesworth left prison, he put him on the state payroll.
The relationship between the prosecutor and the parolee has surprised some because of the reputation Cuccinelli has cultivated.
“People perceive Cuccinelli as a hard-right figure on a number of issues,” said Mark Rozell, a George Mason University political scientist. “They don’t tend to see him as having a soft side.”
Cuccinelli said he sees no conflict between his support for Haynesworth and his politics. “The proper conservative is careful about the exercise of government power — even judicial power,” he said.
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