Meet Matt Rexroad. He is an ex-Marine who describes himself
as “an influential part of California politics for more than 25 years.” The
Sacramento Bee calls him “A no-nonsense political consultant who works to elect
Republicans.” His clients have included the state Republican Party the McCain
presidential campaign and the Koch brothers-funded Americans for Prosperity.
He’s also a former mayor of the city of Woodland, in Yolo County, near
Sacramento, and a current member of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors.
About four years ago, Rexroad and his wife took in a foster
child, an infant he liked to call “Bonus Baby.” The Rexroads took the boy in
because, according to the Bee, they believed “their family could handle a new
addition and because of their Christian faith.” We don’t know Bonus Baby’s
race, but the odds are about two in three that he is nonwhite. The odds are
even greater that his family is poor.
After two years, the Rexroads decided that Bonus Baby would
be better off with them. They applied to adopt the little boy. The Child
Welfare Services division of Yolo County’s Department of Health and Human
Services felt that Bonus Baby could safely return to his own home. The Rexroads
hired a lawyer, went to court, and lost.
But the real story is what happened next. The number of
children taken from their parents skyrocketed, and child safety worsened. Read about it in NCCPR's column for WitnessLA
