Dan Forest issues "Cease and Desist" notice to State Employees Association of NC, SEIU Local 2008 

Read the "Cease and Desist" Notice Here

(Raleigh, NC), The Dan Forest for Lt. Governor Campaign Committee today retained the legal services of Ogletree Deakins, Attorneys at Law, and issued an official "Cease and Desist" notice to Dana Cope, Executive Director of the State Employees Association of North Carolina, SEIU Local 2008 in regards to the television ad(s) the union is running to benefit the Linda Coleman campaign.

At issue is the following:

The State Employees Association of North Carolina, SEIU Local 2008 has issued a television commercial via their political action committee, Employees Political Action Committee (EPAC) to benefit Linda Coleman's candidacy.  That television ad is illegal under North Carolina General Statute 163-278.39A

Under that statute, all political action committees running television ads either in support of or in opposition to political candidates, must contain "an unobscured, full-screen picture containing the disclosing individual either in photographic form or through the actual appearance of the disclosing individual on camera," and that this "unobscured, full-screen picture be featured throughout the duration of the disclosure statement."

The television ads being run by EPAC on behalf of Linda Coleman do not meet this requirement and therefore are in violation of the law.

The cease and desist letter is attached to this email for your reference. Please note the cease and desist letter contains the full statute for your reference as well.

The Forest Campaign today also issued a letter to the North Carolina State Board of Elections seeking an investigation into the matter.

"The people of North Carolina have a right to know that the Unions are bankrolling Linda Coleman's campaign. The fact that they tried to hide it by breaking the disclaimer law speaks for itself," said Forest.

"The State Employees Union is running Linda Coleman's campaign.  They issue press releases and hold press conferences on her behalf, built an attack website on her behalf, are running television commercials on her behalf, purchase and distribute yard signs on her behalf, issue social media attacks on her behalf and now have broken the law on her behalf.  Will they be running the office of Lt. Governor on her behalf if she is elected?" said Forest.

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