Thirty-seven-year-old Deshawn Bailey was featured on stage with Lawrence at the Aug. 27, 2025, event decked out in Michigan State University gear. He calls himself an “organizer,” “activist,” and “one of the founding members” of Lawrence’s Rent Is Too Damn High Coalition, a tenants’ union pushing for “affordable housing for all in the Lansing area.”

According to court documents obtained by the Free Beacon, Bailey repeatedly raped his half-sister, starting when she was in the third grade. Some of the assaults took place when Bailey was over 18 and his victim younger than 13. He was released from prison in May 2024 after 14 years behind bars. He joined the Rent is Too Damn High Coalition on April 23, 2025, according to internal group records reviewed by the Free Beacon.

The revelation raises questions both for Lawrence, who is running against Republican incumbent Tom Barret in one of the country’s most high-profile House races, and for national Democrats.

House Democrats’ campaign arm recently added Lawrence to its “red-to-blue” program, which is reserved for “top-tier” candidates who receive extra financial support. And while it’s unclear whether Bailey has a formal role with Lawrence’s campaign, he has posted photos and videos from Lawrence campaign events, including his primary victory party.

Lawrence, 36, has called for “a world without police and prisons,” and for the “abolishing the institution of marriage” and “destroying the American way of life.” He has also pushed for legislation prohibiting Michigan landlords from asking housing applicants about their criminal histories and felony convictions. freebeacon.com/democrats/exc…