A Republican candidate running to succeed longtime U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky in the largely suburban 9th District was convicted of a sex crime against a juvenile decades ago.

Paul S. Friedman, 55, of Chicago was found guilty of misdemeanor fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in Michigan in 1999, public records show.

The crime occurred in Washtenaw County in 1998, when Friedman was 27 and the victim was 13, records indicate.

In a telephone interview, Friedman said the charge was filed after he greeted a young customer at an Ann Arbor skateboard and snowboard shop he co-owned by kissing her cheek. The girl made other accusations, too, he said.

Friedman said he pleaded no contest to the charge and avoided a trial. He was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to register as a sex offender, documents show.

Because the conviction was set aside by a Michigan judge in 2010 at Friedman’s request, police and court records no longer are publicly available.

But Friedman remains on the sex offender registry in North Carolina, where he lived for a time after the conviction. That record is accessible through the U.S. Justice Department’s national sex offender website, too.

Friedman’s efforts to have his record removed from the registry have been unsuccessful but are ongoing.

An unemployed former software writer, Friedman is one of four Republicans running in the 9th District. The district includes parts of Cook, Lake and McHenry counties.

Schakowsky, an Evanston Democrat, isn’t seeking reelection after 26 years in Congress.

The other GOP candidates in the March 17 primary are John Elleson of Arlington Heights, Mark Su of Chicago and Rocio Cleveland of Island Lake. Seventeen Democrats are running to be that party’s nominee.

Friedman is a first-time candidate, and he expected his conviction would come up during the campaign. He predicted it will scare off some potential donors.

“I’m toxic because of that,” he said.

Still, Friedman said he thinks Republican voters are more forgiving than Democrats and believe in redemption. He pointed to President Donald Trump’s reelection despite 34 felony convictions as an example.

“It just makes no sense (for me to run),” Friedman said. “But here I am. Deal with it.”

Friedman’s rivals for the GOP nomination have had varied reactions to his criminal history, as have suburban party leaders.

Cleveland surprised Friedman by loudly disclosing Friedman’s status as a registered sex offender during a candidate meet-and-greet last month in Northbrook. A Cleveland campaign aide then asked Friedman about the case while filming the conversation. That video subsequently was shared with the Daily Herald.

When asked about Friedman’s past via email this week, Su said no elected official should have a history of sex offenses.

Elleson expressed reluctance to comment on Friedman’s conviction, saying he didn’t know the details. A church pastor, he said everyone deserves a second chance.

“I believe in giving everyone the benefit of the doubt,” Elleson said in an email. “None of us know the whole story.”

Cook County Republican Party Chair Aaron Del Mar called Friedman’s conviction “entirely disqualifying” and said he should drop out of the race.

“Voters have every right to expect basic decency and transparency from anyone asking to serve in Congress,” said Del Mar, who’s campaigning for lieutenant governor as Darren Bailey’s running mate. “Someone with this kind of conviction has no business running for federal office, and it is an insult to the voters of the 9th District to pretend otherwise.”

Lake County Republican Party Chair Keith Brin noted that political parties have no control over who runs for office. He encouraged voters to research candidates.

https://www.dailyherald.com/20251205/us-congress-politics/9th-district-congressional-candidate-was-convicted-of-sex-crime-against-a-juvenile-records-show/