BREAKING: Tim Ballard speaks out against ‘false allegations’ leveled at him after announcing potential Senate run

Ballard read from a press release from his nonprofit, The Spear Fund, which read, "Rescuing kids and fighting child trafficking is an ugly and dark business, especially when—as the result of my work for more than 20 years—we continue to expose members of the powerful, well-funded child trafficking cartels.

"Evil pedophiles will stop at nothing, and they have allies in government, in the media, in big corporations, and even in public institutions. They continue to lie about and attempt to destroy my good name…and they will never stop," he said.

Ballard said he wanted to let everyone know " that I and our vast army of supporters will likewise never stop. We will keep fighting for the vulnerable all over the globe, and we know that the truth will always prevail."

"I am a faithful Member in good standing in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I believe in Jesus Christ, the Holy Scriptures, and I believe in our faith with my whole heart. That will never change."

Ballard said that it has been alleged that an anonymous LDS spokesperson "issued a statement about me through a tabloid that is often hostile to people of faith. Further, my church has not publicly verified its authenticity."

He said that they are also "highly suspicious" about the timing of the allegations, given the proximity to Mitt Romney’s announcement that he is retiring, and Ballard announcing that he is considering running for office.

"In any event, nothing will change my core beliefs. If someone within the church did release this statement, I am absolutely confident that the right people will step in and ensure that proper due process is followed as the rules of our church dictate."

"I, my family, and the Spear Fund team will confidently move forward and focus on our mission of saving children from the horrors of sex slavery, and remaining fierce defenders of freedom. We invite anyone who shares this passion to join us."

This is a breaking story and will be updated.