John Raymond, a 62-year-old Louisiana Republican official, minister, and former reality TV contestant, was convicted of three felony counts of child cruelty for taping students’ mouths shut and holding his hand over a 4-year-old child’s mouth during his time as headmaster of the Christian school he founded. He has denied the allegations and is scheduled for sentencing on October 23.
The Louisiana Republican Party is expected to remove Raymond from their state central committee following the verdict. Chairman Derek Babcock confirmed that a vote will be held as required by their bylaws. Republican State Rep. Mike Bayham believes the GOP leadership should remove Raymond to end the embarrassment, citing the bylaws that allow it with a two-thirds vote of the executive committee.
Raymond is the lead minister of New Horizon Church in Slidell and operates a Christian radio station. He also appeared on “Survivor: Thailand” in 2002 but was the first person eliminated. He has testified in support of bills in the state Capitol, including those requiring schools to post “In God We Trust” and allowing historical Bible courses in public schools while opposing LGBTQ restrictions.
Despite the conviction, Raymond maintains his innocence and believes he will be fully exonerated in a fair judicial process. He attributes the charges to disgruntled ex-employees with an axe to grind. The sentencing outcome and the decision by the Louisiana Republican Party regarding Raymond’s membership remain to be seen.
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