Belhaven Mayor Adam O'Neal: SBI Investigation Statement | Eastern North Carolina Now

News Release:

    It is amazing how difficult it is to represent the people against the establishment. I have been harassed in a many ways during the hospital fight including having dead animals left at my home and business.

    The latest harassment is a State Bureau of Investigation inquiry about an allegation I bought votes in the last election.

    I have never and would never pay for a vote. There is NO evidence that I bought votes because I didn't. This investigation is just the latest effort by the wealthy anti hospital people to undermine our effort to reopen our hospital.

    These are the same people who are infuriated by the fact that I treat all people equally. I believe all people deserve respect and equal treatment regardless of their economic or racial status. For example, I believe that the Black graveyard should be maintained like the White graveyard in town.

    The SBI complaint is motivated by the wealthy anti hospital people's disbelief that their money couldn't buy the last election in Belhaven. They lost the last Mayoral election despite gathered money from all across the state and spending about 5 times as much as anyone had in the past.

    You might ask yourself why they were so interested in a Mayoral seat in a town of 1,800 people? The reason was that if they could beat me and my supporters they could stop our hospital from reopening. It was worth millions to Vidant Health if they had unseated me.

    Some people ask me why I put up with the assaults and abuse that come with being Mayor of Belhaven? I weathered the relentless storms because I know people are needlessly dying due to the lack of an emergency room. I will continue to do all I can to fight for the people in my area and to reopen our hospital. I will do all I can do because someone's life is depending on it in the future.

    God has given me the strength to carry on this fight and I will continue until our hospital reopens, no matter the consequences. I know God will win in the end. The devil always loses in time. Please keep praying for Belhaven and our people.

    Submitted by    (August 24, 2016)

    Adam O'Neal
        Mayor of Belhaven