State Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, a Democratic candidate for governor, says she doesn't believe people will find anything objectionable in a character reference letter she wrote for a legislative attorney found guilty of possession of child pornography.

The Alma Democrat was one of about a dozen people who wrote character reference letters for David L. Lovell, a former Legislative Council attorney who was found guilty in June of five Class D felony counts of child pornography possession. Vinehout was the only sitting legislator to write in Lovell’s support.

"My mother taught me to hate the sin but not shun the sinner," Vinehout said in an emailed statement. Her campaign spokesman said she was not available to discuss the letter by phone.

Vinehout’s letter, printed on her official state letterhead and dated Nov. 11, 2015, describes Lovell as a "hardworking, intelligent, persistent, dedicated public servant" with "extraordinary diplomatic skills." Lovell was the Legislative Council staff member assigned to a committee she chaired for four years. Vinehout worked with him on that committee and in several other instances, during which he "went above and beyond the call of duty in his work."