Beverly Boswell Campaign Statement on Shameful, Personal Attacks | Eastern North Carolina Now

News Release:

    KILL DEVIL HILLS, N.C. (May 3, 2018)     The Beverly Boswell for N.C. House Committee responds to Bobby Hanig's shameful, personal attacks against Representative Boswell - making her relive her history as a victim of domestic violence.

    Representative Beverly Boswell's Spokesperson, Luke Stancil, stated the following:

• "It's a sad day in eastern North Carolina that liberal Bobby Hanig is making a victim of domestic violence relieve her suffering and pain that occurred nearly thirty years ago. This is the lowest of the low, personal and shameful attacks that have been run by a desperate candidate in North Carolina. Bobby Hanig has taken the same play right out of the failed liberal, democrat playbook that was used against Representative Boswell in 2016."
• "I call on Bobby Hanig to apologize for his shameful attack on Representative Beverly Boswell and all women who have suffered as victims of domestic violence across North Carolina. There should be no place for these types of attacks in politics in eastern North Carolina, and we should show respect and care to the millions of women who are victims of domestic violence."
• "Bobby Hanig has resulted to shameful politics by making a victim relieve her traumatic past in a failed attempt to hide the fact that he stands with Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, and Chuck Schumer and their pro-choice, anti-gun, and anti-Trump liberal agenda."
• "Representative Boswell is a fighter that has an amazing story of courage and commitment to victims of all crimes. Her record in the General Assembly as an 'Values Champion' award winner by the NC Values Coalition; her work with AT&T to provide additional funding to the OBX Hotline that provides crisis intervention, safe house, and prevention education services to victims of domestic violence or human trafficking in the Northern Outer Banks; and history of sponsoring bills to protect the rights of victims in all crimes has made an incredible impact on the lives of thousands of North Carolinians."

    Despite nearly a $425,000 smear campaign by the Democrats in 2016, the voting electorate rejected the slime and sleazy attacks against then candidate Beverly Boswell. In 2016, four urban House Republican lawmakers fell short in the general election - and if it wasn't for Representative Boswell's victory and the three other Republican victories picking up seats that were wins for the Democrats in 2014 - the House Republican caucus would presently be two members short from retaining the super-majority, thus, the 72 that is required to override a veto.

    Likewise, because of Representative Boswell's successful win in 2016, House Republicans were able to override 10 vetoes issued by liberal Democrat Governor Roy Cooper during the 2017 legislative session. And not only did Representative Boswell's 2016 victory solidify the conservative agenda, she also become the first Republican ever elected to represent Dare County in the N.C. House of Representatives.

    Here is an excerpt from Representative Boswell's interview regrettably reliving her traumatic experience as a victim of domestic violence with the Beaufort Observer in September of 2016 after a liberal Super PAC (NC Families First) spent approximately $75,000 on despicable and ethically egregious mailers:

    But the irony here is that what Beverly Boswell experienced as a single mom without a good paying job was what thousands of other single moms and fathers have faced. She was a single mom trying to make ends meet and keep her children fed and clothed. "It was a very tough time for my family, but we hung tough, paid off all the checks and eventually got back on our feet," Boswell told us.

    Yet this N.C. Families First could not find it within their politics to recognize that Beverly Boswell was precisely the type of mother whom they say they want to help make things better for. Had they done a little checking they would have found that Ms. Boswell worked two jobs and struggled like so many other families in North Carolina have struggled. "I know what hard times are like. It is not an abstract issue to me. I lived through times when I would lay awake at night worrying about not having enough money to pay the necessary bills and sometimes wondered if we would have enough to eat or how I was going to pay the utility bills. But I am proud to say that I did it without welfare. I did apply at Social Services but they told me my meager salary disqualified me from assistance, unless I worked 'a few less hours.' They also told me if I said I did not know who my children's father was that they could help me. I refused to play that game. I worked two jobs and sacrificed until I could go to school to get a better job. Yes, I would have accepted welfare if I could have honestly qualified, but I refused to lie to meet their qualifications. When I meet people on the campaign trail who tell me they've lost their job, their business--and so many fishermen have-I know what they are going through. You never forget those times and I will stand up for people like that when I get to Raleigh, because I've been there."

    Here are articles from The Outer Banks Voice and The Beaufort Observer about similar attacks against Representative Boswell in 2016 from the Families First PAC:

    The Outer Banks Voice - October 5th, 2016 - Click Here for the Link

• "In the 40 years that I have covered politics, I thought I had witnessed the worst of the worst when it came to this kind of negative political advertising and character assassination. However, these mailings set a shocking new low."
• "Local and state Democratic Party officials should be ashamed of these ads and disavow them instead of hiding behind the fact they are produced by third parties over whom they say cannot control or cooperate with an official capacity."
• "There is nothing stopping them from asking them to refrain from future such ads and asserting that they do not support the message or the content."

    The Beaufort Observer - September 20th, 2016 - Click Here for the Link

• "There was more to her story, including having been a victim of domestic violence, that Ms. Boswell did not want us to publish the details about. But suffice it to say that her's is an amazing story of courage and commitment to doing what is right.
• "They hypocritically claim to be working for families and then pull a despicable stunt like this against a woman who is the essence of a 'pull yourself up by your bootstraps' American success story."
• "This kind of crap is exactly why good, ordinary folk refuse to run for office."
• "It is junk like this that has turned millions of people off to politics and government."

    In the 2017 General Assembly legislative session, Representative Boswell sponsored or co-sponsored the following bills that have assisted victims who suffer in silence, living in fear for themselves and their children.

    House Bill 125 - Threatened Weapon Inc. in First-Degree Rape

    AN ACT to add the threatened use of weapon to one of the elements of First-Degree forcible rape and of First-Degree forcible sex offense.

    House Bill 343 - Enforcement of DVPO on Appeal

    AN ACT to ensure that domestic violence VICTIMS are protected by clarifying that a valid protective order remains in effect at the trial court level throughout the pendency of an appeal by the AGGRIEVED party unless the court finds that a stay is necessary in the interest of justice.

    House Bill 551 - Strengthening Victims' Rights

    AN ACT to amend the law and Constitution of North Carolina to provide better protections and safeguards to victims.

• Contact: Luke Stancil
•     luke@lookoutstrategies.com