Fathers of murder victims, loaded accusations, and news stories accusing Roy Cooper of releasing 3500 prisoners early. But is that actually what happened?
Recently Michael Whatley, who is the Republican and Trump endorsed candidate for Senate, has released two ads featuring fathers Ronald Hayes and Steven Federico whose children were supposedly victims of prisoners that Roy Cooper let out early.
Roy Cooper has since dropped an ad of his own which fact-checks these attacks. It points out how Michael Whatley’s team misledRonald Hayes, one of the fathers featured in one of the commercials.
According to an interview Ronald Hayes had with Politifact, Hayes was put under the impression that the people interviewing him were part of an independent anti gun group.
Hayes said in an interview that he felt that his words were twisted. “That’s not what I said but, but the way they changed it up, edited it….”
Hayes also says that he actually plans to vote for Roy Cooper in the mid term election according to WRAL.
In his interview, Stephen Federico talks about his 23-year-old daughter Logan, who was shot and killed in a home invasion. However, that incident happened in Columbia, South Carolina, not in North Carolina under Cooper’s jurisdiction.
According to Keith Acree, who is a North Carolina of Adult Correction spokesperson, neither of the criminals responsible for these killings were released early by Roy Cooper. The ad dropped by Roy Cooper concludes by proclaiming that Micheal Whatley lies and should never be in the Senate.
President Donald Trump, who supports Michael Whatley, came to North Carolina to campaign with Whatley in an attempt to salvage a win in a very important mid term election. But right now, Trump’s appearance may not help Michael Whatley, as president Trump currently has a 32 percent approval rating, according to Reuters.
According to Center Square News, Roy Cooper now leads Michael Whatley by 5.9 percent.
