FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The Fresno City Council just moved forward with its motion to ban registered sex offenders from running for public office.

The move came on Thursday at a city council meeting attended by Rene Campos, the man who prompted the change after he announced his bid to run for city council.

“I object the false prejudicial statements being made about me. I’m not disrupting. I’m not a threat,” he said during the meeting. “You call me violent, a rapist. I’ve never done anything of the type.”

Campos, a registered sex offender, was arrested for possession of child pornography in 2018.

However, since then, he says he has turned his life around. He filed for candidacy on Mar. 6, but failed to get the required signatures to appear on the ballot.

His time in the spotlight was tainted with strong community backlash, ultimately culminating in a bill aiming to ban sex offenders from running for office.

That resolution passed Thursday, but not without controversy.

“Cross that constitutional line. Go for it. Put it through to a judge. Do whatever you have to do,” Campos said. “Miguel, you even stated you’re willing to use taxpayer dollars to pay me.”

In addition to the accusations, the atmosphere was also strained by Campos’ proximity to children just hours before. City council confirmed that a class of students was in the same room as him earlier in the day.