MEEK’S PARTISAN POLITICAL ATTACKS ON LES MERRITT BACKFIRE
Democrats Caught In Their Own Hypocrisy 

RALEIGH—North Carolina Democrat Party Chairman Jerry Meek continued his partisan political attacks against State Auditor Les Merritt today.  This time, Meek’s target was the State Auditor’s office’s new public service announcement alerting the public to a hotline the public can call to report fraud, abuse, or waste.  The new ad does not contain the likeness, voice, or name of Les Merritt.  In 2006, the state legislature banned the use of state money to pay for public service announcements that featured the likeness, voice or name of high-ranking state officials.  The impetus for the law was previous abuse by Democrat state officials including Mike Easley, Richard Moore, and Roy Cooper.  Easley was sued in 2001 for his use of public money on ads featuring him while serving as Attorney General and running for Governor in 2000.  

The last time such ads were run by the State Auditor’s office was under the administration of Merritt’s predecessor, Democrat Ralph Campbell, Jr. in 2001.  Jerry Meek objects to the use of the term “taxpayer’s watchdog” in the ads to describe the State Auditor.  However, after Campbell’s defeat in his bid for re-election to the State Auditor’s office, Jerry Meek appointed Campbell as the Treasurer of the North Carolina Democrat Party.  At the time, the NC Democrat Party sent out a press release with the following statement from Chairman Meek, “As State Auditor, Ralph Campbell served as the taxpayers' watchdog. . .”  (NCDP Press Release: Ralph Campbell Appointed Treasurer of the N.C. Democratic Party http://www.ncdp.org/node/211) 

Chris McClure, Chief of Staff of the North Carolina Republican Party, made the following statement: 

“To call Jerry Meek’s attacks on Les Merritt duplicitous would be too kind.  Meek is still chewing sour grapes because Les Merritt won election to the State Auditor’s office three years ago.  The truth is that any State Auditor should be known as ‘the taxpayer’s watchdog’ and Les Merritt has earned that title through his diligent work to ensure that North Carolina government is run fairly and efficiently.  Les Merritt has not used his position for partisan gain, but unfortunately, that has not insulated him from continued political attacks from Jerry Meek.  We should dismiss this latest assault for what it is: rank hypocrisy.” 

For your information, if you would like to contact the North Carolina Department of Insurance and Democrat Commissioner Jim Long, you can do so by dialing 1-800-JIM-LONG.