Mike Deeson of Tampa Bay 10 News reports:

Some Florida Democrats called Kevin King a rising star amongst the ranks of Democrats, but others, like the head of the Pinellas Democratic Party, Ed Helm, had doubts.

King was arrested in 2001. A judge ordered the St. Petersburg Police Department to seal all records regarding the arrest. King admits that the arrest stems from when he was a substitute teacher. He was arrested for computer solicitation to commit a lewd and lascivious act and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

According to published reports, King sent e-mails or instant messages to two female students, aged 14 and 15, trying to get them to skip school and drink alcohol with him. In addition, the reports say that King also asked the 14-year-old to perform a sexual act on him.

What is in the water down in Florida?

King, who admits he was arrested, insists he did nothing wrong and points to the fact that the records were sealed and he was not found guilty of anything. King would not appear on camera for this story.

Public records obtained from the Pinellas School District state that it was initially substantiated that he was committing or convicted of a felony. King convinced the school district to change the record to say that it was “misconduct in office where a student was related.”

Parents in the district should be up in arms. What other records have they altered?

King resigned his paid position in the Democratic Party after the primaries to care for his parents. Two weeks ago, however, he was elected [to] a Democratic committee member position in Pinellas County. The position concerns Ed Helm, who had earlier asked the Florida Democratic Party leadership to relieve him of his duties in Pinellas County, “or terminate him.”

Here is the Pinellas Democrats website.