Asheville Watchdog: “I sought comment from Whatley and his campaign spokesman about his support of West by email and text but received no response.”

DC insider Michael Whatley is ducking questions from reporters about new reports that he “champion[ed] the rise to power” of a convicted child sex predator.

When he was NCGOP Chair, Whatley appointed Harvey Lee West Jr. – a “convicted sex offender-turned-party leader” – to a position of power within the state Republican party. 

In direct response to West’s rise to prominence, backed by Whatley, local Republicans in NC pushed a resolution to bar the party from holding events at a venue owned by a convicted felon – which reportedly “was killed at Whatley’s direction when he led the state party.” 

“North Carolinians deserve an explanation from Michael Whatley about why he put a convicted child sex predator in a leadership role at NCGOP,” said Mallory Payne, senior communications advisor for the North Carolina Democratic Party. “Whatley used his power to look out for a child predator – an enormous breach of trust that proves he can’t be trusted to put North Carolinians’ safety first in the United States Senate.”

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