Eight North Carolina television stations pulled down an attack ad from the National Republican Senatorial Committee because it “contained false statements.”
WSOC-TV and WAXN-TV first pulled down the ad with a representative for their stations saying they “will not run the ad when it contains false statements on material issue.” As the News & Observer reported, “six other media outlets have pulled the ad” due to its “incorrect” allegations that are “patently false.”
Read the highlights below:
News & Observer: NC TV stations pull ad attacking Senate candidate Beasley over its ‘false statements’
June 3, 2022
An attack ad against U.S. Senate candidate Cheri Beasley and her campaign no longer will be seen on some North Carolina TV stations after Cox Media Group determined it contained false statements.
Six other media outlets have pulled the ad, at least temporarily, while their legal teams review the statements made against Beasley.
The main point of contention: The ad incorrectly alleges that Beasley set a child pornography offender free.
That’s why Cox Media Group announced this week that it is taking the ad off of WSOC-TV in Charlotte and WAXN-TV in Kannapolis, CBS News first reported. Cox Media Group did not respond to McClatchy DC for comment but said in a letter obtained by CBS News that “CMG will not run the ad when it contains false statements on material issue.” The media outlets reviewing the ad include Viamedia, Raleigh’s WRAL, WNCN, WRAZ and Charlotte’s WJZY and WMYT, The N&O confirmed.
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Dory MacMillan, Beasley’s campaign spokeswoman, said the “false attack was rightfully taken off television.” “Washington Republicans have been caught lying about Cheri Beasley’s record,” MacMillan said. “Voters know Cheri worked with law enforcement to hold violent offenders accountable, and she will continue to keep our communities safe as North Carolina’s next U.S. Senator.”
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Beasley is a trailblazer in North Carolina’s judicial system who last served as North Carolina Supreme Court’s chief justice until losing her reelection by just 401 votes to Paul Newby in 2020. She was the first Black woman to serve in that role, and the first Black woman to be elected to a statewide office in North Carolina without first being appointed to the position by a governor. She has also served as a public defender, a District Court judge and a Superior Court judge.
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The ad discusses three cases Beasley worked on in the Supreme and appellate courts, though the latter of the cases mentioned is patently false.
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Original source can be found here.
