RALEIGH — Attorneys representing Citizens for Buck Newton, a PAC advocating for Sen. Buck Newton (R-Wilson) in the race for N.C. attorney general, have sent cease and desist letters to media outlets Saturday demanding they stop airing an ad produced by Protect North Carolina’s Future, claiming it is demonstrably false.
“The television ad at issue contains patently false information,” states the letter to media from attorney Brad Overcash. “Specifically, it states that “[Senator Buck Newton’s] business was dissolved.” That is not true.”
The business referenced in the ad is New-Boy Properties, LLC. Records documented with the N.C. Secretary of State shows that the business was never dissolved after the office corrected for a previous internal erroneous filing showing such a dissolution. The Secretary of State’s office confirmed that the business was never dissolved.
Protect North Carolina’s Future is registered as a 527 political organization set up to fund expressed advocacy during the 2016 elections. The ad in focus was produced to benefit Newton’s Democrat opponent, former N.C. senator and Raleigh attorney, Josh Stein.
“Regardless of whether the advertisement sponsor acts to remove its false claim, your station must stop running the advertisement,” asserts Overcash to media airing the ad. “Failure to stop airing the false advertisement may result in potential liability for airing false and deceptive charges.”
The race for North Carolina attorney general has been hotly contested between the two state senators, offering sharp contrasts in policy positions and backgrounds to voters. Newton has lambasted Stein for his support of current Attorney General Roy Cooper (D) as his longtime deputy, while Stein has criticized Newton’s support for House Bill 2 and claimed he lacks the experience for the position.
