New TV Ad, "Reputation," Slams Roy Cooper for Dirty Political Attacks | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    Raleigh, N.C.     Prominent Raleigh attorney and former investigator for the Watergate Committee Gene Boyce is featured in Pat McCrory's latest TV ad taking Roy Cooper to task for lying about Pat McCrory and using many of the same dirty campaign tactics he has used in the past to win elections.

    "North Carolinians need to know that Roy Cooper has purposely lied about his opponents in the past to win elections, and he's doing it again to try to defeat Pat McCrory at any cost," said Russell Peck, Pat McCrory's campaign manager. "Roy Cooper has no choice but to lie about Pat McCrory and his record because he hasn't done his own job as attorney general."

    For 14 years, Gene Boyce waged a libel suit against Roy Cooper after Cooper ran a vicious attack ad purposely lying about Boyce to malign his integrity and honesty during the 2000 race for attorney general. In 2014, Cooper was ultimately forced to pay a $75,000 settlement and publicly apologize for running the false TV ad about Boyce.

    Cooper currently faces a Bar Association complaint for professional misconduct stemming from his handling of the false Boyce TV ad. The N.C. Bar Association, which Cooper represents as attorney general, ignored the complaint for months and has sought to squash it in court. The case is currently working its way through the court system.

    In 2016, Cooper and his liberal allies have spent millions falsely attacking Pat McCrory in the race for governor. Last week, a report by the Center for Public Integrity showed that total TV ad spending has passed the $20 million mark, with Cooper and his allies airing 60% of all ads in the race for governor. Cooper and his allies have launched false ads attacking Pat McCrory on everything from taxes and the economy to water quality and education funding, and many of the claims have been rated false by independent fact-checkers including Politifact North Carolina, WGHP, WFMY, WSOC and WRAL.


    Gene Boyce: Oh, I know Roy Cooper. He ran a vicious attack ad that lied about me. I had to fight for fourteen years to get my reputation back. Cooper fought to protect his lie. But, the courts knew the truth. He lost all eight appeals. And Cooper had to pay thousands in legal fees and apologize. He's doing the same to Pat McCrory right now.

Background:

• Roy Cooper ran against Gene Boyce's son, Dan Boyce, in the campaign for North Carolina attorney general in 2000. (Charlotte Observer, 4/17/2014)
• When polling showed Roy Cooper trailing Dan Boyce in the campaign, Cooper authorized a TV ad against the Boyces falsely claiming Dan Boyce "charged $28,000 per hour" to represent taxpayers in a class action lawsuit. (Charlotte Observer, 4/17/2014)
• Boyce filed a libel lawsuit against Cooper in November 2000 and fought to get his reputation back for the next 14 years (Charlotte Observer, 4/17/2014)
• In 2014, Cooper was forced to settle for $75,000 and publicly apologize for the false TV ad: "Cooper's insurer will pay $75,000 in legal costs to the Boyce family" (Charlotte Observer, 4/17/2014)
• Roy Cooper was the target of a state bar complaint for professional misconduct: "State Bar Complaint Targets Roy Cooper... Boyce alleges professional misconduct by AG, inaction by State Bar" (Carolina Journal, 1/12/2016)

• Contact: The Pat McCrory Committee
•     media@patmccrory.com