Kansas Senate Race Intensifies Over Church Predator Allegations

The U.S. Senate race in Kansas has taken a contentious turn as incumbent Republican Roger Marshall's campaign launched an advertisement accusing Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton of failing to report a pedophile who worked at Hamilton's church.

Allegations Against Hamilton

The advertisement, part of a $1.2 million statewide buy, alleges that Hamilton, lead pastor at Church of the Resurrection for over three decades, allowed Scott Moore, a church volunteer accused of molesting teenage boys at two retreats in 2005 and 2006, to continue working at the church. The ad claims that after victims reported Moore to church leaders, parents were ignored and Hamilton never alerted law enforcement. The ad further states that Moore returned as a camp counselor in 2006 after allegations surfaced and was later convicted of more child sex crimes.

"Adam Hamilton protected a pedophile. He should never be our senator," the ad's narrator says.

Hamilton has denied the accusations, with his campaign spokesman Tyson Brody stating, "These smears from Roger Marshall were already examined in the primary by local reporters who found the church reported the incidents to law enforcement, and Adam later personally worked to help get this predator convicted." Brody also accused Marshall of resorting to "desperate lies and false attacks" and highlighted Marshall's record on issues such as arresting pregnant mothers and voting to block the release of Epstein files.

Details of the Allegations

Scott Moore was convicted in 2013 of misdemeanor sexual battery for inappropriately touching his son’s friend at a sleepover in 2010. Teenagers from Church of the Resurrection, whom he allegedly victimized in 2005 and 2006, testified against him during the trial. According to trial testimony, in November 2005, two boys were allegedly preyed upon at the church’s annual camp. One 15-year-old testified that Moore touched his private area, while a then-14-year-old recounted Moore thrusting his hand into his sleeping bag. Both teenagers reportedly brought their concerns to church leadership the following day, but were allegedly told they were slandering Moore.

Two church officials investigated the 2005 allegations but cleared Moore of wrongdoing. He was allowed to return as a counselor in November 2006. The boys' mothers expressed frustration at not being informed of the investigation's findings. At the time, church officials Randy Meyer and Nancy Brown were involved in the probe, though Hamilton reportedly did not attend a meeting with parents to discuss it.

Church Response and Subsequent Events

Church of the Resurrection fired Moore the following year and referred him to the Linn County Sheriff’s Office for allegedly touching a 15-year-old boy at a 2006 retreat. However, the county attorney's office declined to pursue charges, citing that the teenage victims provided detailed statements but could not positively identify Moore as their abuser at the time.

Prosecutors stated in court documents that due to this, "the non-experienced church investigators decided that they were not to report the disclosures to social services or law enforcement." Hamilton told the Kansas Reflector that while he would handle things differently today, "There was no attempt at a cover-up." He acknowledged meeting with one of the boys and his parents at the time of the allegation.

Moore was released from prison on probation and was later found dead in 2015 after being discovered in a car with a teenage boy. He had been convicted of sexual battery in an unrelated incident in 2010. The Church of the Resurrection implemented an overhaul of its policies in 2006 following the second set of claims against Moore. In 2010, a fourth alleged victim reported Moore for abuse in 1979, after speaking with Hamilton and being encouraged to come forward.

Political Context

Current polling indicates that Marshall is leading Hamilton by a narrow margin ahead of the November election. This ad campaign represents a significant escalation in the race, drawing attention to Hamilton's past role at the church and his handling of the allegations against Moore.