CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A school board candidate has dropped out of the general election citing misinformation from public comments and the county Republican Party.
Anthony L. Schmidt was one of the seven candidates running for the Laramie County Community College Board of Trustees but dropped out, he confirmed in a statement to Cap City News on Wednesday. Schmidt’s decision comes a day after Cap City News reported on his status as a sex offender in the state of Wyoming.
“I have decided it is in the best interest of my family and myself to withdraw from the race,” Schmidt stated via email. “This decision was not made lightly. I genuinely believed I had ideas that could benefit our community, but unfortunately, I will not have the opportunity to see them through. The misrepresentation of my past — whether it be an error in the LCRP statement or, worse, in the court documents — is simply too significant to overcome.”
In his statement, Schmidt is referring to a letter released by the Laramie County Republican Party on Tuesday. The letter was posted on the party’s Facebook page and has received over 50 comments at the time of reporting. School board trustees are nonpartisan positions.
“I will continue to live a law-abiding life and ensure my voice is heard when necessary,” Schmidt said in his email Wednesday. “Although I will not seek political office again, I remain committed to advocating for positive change in our community.”
Schmidt, 46, was convicted in 2002 for sexual exploitation of a child, per his registration page. He has been on the state’s offender registry since 2007.
It’s unclear how Schmidt’s criminal history would have impacted his ability to perform as a trustee. Under Wyoming statute, anyone registered as a sex offender cannot remain on the premises of any school or school ground. An offender cannot be on the property if they have reason to believe youth under the age of 18 will be present or when children are present 30 minutes before or after scheduled school activity. LCCC does provide programs for students under the age of 18.
Cap City News reached out to LCCC for comment on Tuesday but has not received a response.
Voters will be able to decide the future of the LCCC Board of Trustees on Nov. 5. Four seats are open on the community college board.
