Mysterious Group Attacks Huckabee

Dec. 4, 2007 — -- A mysterious group calling itself Iowans for Some Semblance of Christian Decency has begun waging a campaign against former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, insinuating that not only is the Republican presidential candidate not a true conservative, he's not a real Christian.

The group is urging the media to take a closer look at Huckabee's record, including the story of Wayne Dumond, a convicted rapist whom Huckabee urged the Arkansas Parole Board to release from prison who went on to commit at least one homicide.

In fliers put under the doors of reporters at the Marriott in Des Moines, where Huckabee was staying Monday night, the organization, whose members are unknown, lays out its interpretation of how the former Baptist minister's views run contrary to the Bible.

Huckabee's support of educational opportunities for the children of illegal immigrants is portrayed, for instance, as "justification for violating the 8th commandment (stealing from U.S. citizens)." A lighthearted video clip where he pretends to talk to the Lord (watch HERE) is portrayed as "sacrilegious mocking of God for political gain."

Most pointedly, however, the raised the controversial case of Dumond, the flier also raises the controversial case of Wayne Dumond, a convicted rapist whom Huckabee publicly suggested should be freed from prison.

After Dumond was freed by the parole board, whose members later said they had been influenced by Huckabee, Dumond sexually assaulted and murdered a woman named Carol Sue Shields. Dumond died in prison in Missouri in 2005.

Huckabee was asked about the parole of Dumond in November on Fox & Friends, and he downplayed his role in meeting with the parole board and urging Dumond's release.

"I did originally support a parole, but governors don't parole anybody," he said.

Generally Huckabee has portrayed the story as a smear, telling Hannity & Colmes a couple weeks ago that "the parole board was all Democrats appointed by (former Arkansas Governors Bill) Clinton and (Jim Guy) Tucker. The idea that I went in there and persuaded them to do something is ludicrous on its face."

But Deborah Suttlar, appointed to the Parole Board by Democratic Gov. Tucker, says Huckabee "was influential" in the board's decision to parole Dumond.

"He planted a seed for the board to change their vote on Wayne Dumond. Then the governor turned his back on the board and pretended that he had no influence."