Convicted sex offender nearly wins GOP award

SUFFOLK -- A previous commitment will keep a Suffolk man from traveling to Washington, D.C., to accept a Republican of the Year award: He's serving a 26-year state prison sentence.

Spokesmen for the National Republican Congressional Committee, an arm of the Republican National Committee that raises millions of dollars to elect GOP candidates to the U.S. House of Representatives, acknowledged Tuesday that convicted sex offender Mark A. Grethen was invited to accept the award at its Business Advisory Council's luncheon in March. U.S. Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., chairs the NRCC.

``We weren't aware of his current predicament. Otherwise, (the invitation) never would have been extended,'' said Carl Forti, an NRCC spokesman. The award was rescinded after the NRCC learned of Grethen's crimes, Forti said Tuesday.