Republicans accuse U.S. Rep. Jeff Jackson, the Democratic nominee for North Carolina attorney general, of embracing and praising the child sex offender.

Jackson and Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop tight race The attorney general nomination is held by Democrat Josh Stein, who is currently running for governor. Bishop’s campaign airs television commercial The photo shows Jackson hugging a Charlotte man named Chad Turner, whom the Bishop campaign described as a “child molester.”

“In 2016, child molester Chad Turner became one of Charlotte’s most notorious sex offenders. A few years later, Jeff Jackson received an award from Chad Turner and embraced him,” says a narrator in the Bishop ad.

The ad then includes a clip of Jackson on stage at the microphone, saying: “I’m so grateful for what you’ve done.”

The ad ends with voters saying: “This is wrong. It’s terrible. Everybody knew this guy. How could the mother of a child trust Jeff Jackson? There’s no word when it comes to kids. I’ve voted Democrat before. I can’t vote for Jeff Jackson.” .”

Bishop’s attack on Jackson could be important in the attorney general election. A. SurveyUSA/WRAL News Poll The survey, conducted between October 23 and October 26, found Jackson leading Bishop by 44% to 42%. 14% of the participants stated that they were undecided. But the ad omits some context about Turner and Jackson that could give voters a different impression of their interactions. Jackson’s campaign said Jackson had no relationship with Turner. The company demanded that Bishop stop running the ad, saying it contained “incorrect” statements and insinuations.

Who is Chad Turner? Turner, formerly Chad Severance, registered sex offender In North Carolina. State records show that in 1998, when he was 20, Turner was accused of committing a lewd act on a 15-year-old boy in South Carolina, a charge for which he was convicted in 2000. president and chief executive of the Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce in Charlotte, according to the group’s statement. website.

Neither Turner nor the Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce responded to requests for comment.

What does the video show? Bishop’s campaign ad shows footage of Jackson hugging Turner, and the ad’s narrator claims that Jackson “accepted an award” from Turner.

The images are from December 13, 2022. award ceremony Hosted by the Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce. The group, which has several staff members and 10 board members, selected Jackson for the Advanced Equity Award. Turner presented it to Jackson on stage.

What does the video leave out? Jackson’s campaign noted that he was one of several lawmakers and businesses to receive the award. In 2022, the group’s Advanced Equality Award was also awarded to U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, D-NC. NASCAR, New Belgium Brewing Co. and security firm CIS Patrol Services also received awards that year. The Professional Golf Association, Charlotte City Council and Mecklenburg County Commissioners also received awards in 2021.

Who was Jackson praising in the video? Bishop’s ad includes footage of Jackson saying, “I’m so grateful for what you’ve done.” North Carolina Republican Party on social media in question Jackson “praises convicted child molesters like Chad Turner.” Jackson accused Bishop’s campaign of deceptively editing the video. Jackson said his comments in the video were directed at the Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce organization, not Turner specifically. Video footage from Bishop’s ad shows Jackson looking at the crowd as he speaks.

Did Jackson know about Turner’s record? Bishop’s ad shows a woman saying “everyone knew this guy.” Jackson says he doesn’t know Turner’s record. Jackson’s campaign noted in a statement to PolitiFact that the congressman “attended hundreds of events and met thousands of people in North Carolina.” And on October 30, Jackson’s campaign sent a message. letter He called on Bishop to demand that his campaign stop running the ad.

“When he received the award in 2022, Rep. Jackson had no knowledge of Mr. Turner’s criminal record and never had any contact with him,” the Jackson campaign’s letter says. He continued: “Your statements and insinuations are completely false. Even worse, you knowingly published these statements as false in hopes of gaining Rep. Jackson’s support. Your lies must end, and they must stop now.”

Inside replyBishop sent a letter claiming that the ad was not meant as a libel because “the video evidence of Jeff embracing this registered sex offender is indisputable.” Bishop also said Jackson’s claim that he didn’t know about Turner’s record was “ridiculous.”

Bishop and other Republicans criticize Turner’s criminal record various media sales points over the years. For example, the Charlotte Observer reported Turner resigned as president of Charlotte’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce in 2016. it happened later Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce — amid scrutiny from conservative political groups. He rejoined the Observer group in 2020. reported.