107: Ted Klaudt – Republican Sexual Predators

Ted Klaudt was a Republican state representative in South Dakota from 1999 to 2006 when he was term-limited out. He lost to the Democratic candidate when he ran for state Senate. A social conservative, he pushed bills to prohibit schools from distributing birth control and requiring doctors to inform patients considering abortion about the health risks. Anti-abortion and anti-gay. In an ironic juxtaposition to his crimes, he also pushed for stronger sex offender laws including community “safety zones” and participation in the National Sex Offender Registry.

One of his victims had come forward in 2006 and he threatened her into recanting. He told his foster daughters they could make money by donating eggs but they needed an examination which he was happy to do. Then he raped them. In 2007, he was charged with eight counts of rape, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one of sexual contact with a child younger than 16, two counts of witness tampering, and one count of stalking.