Chris Humphrey's (R-Lenoir) reelection campaign accuses PAC of defamation. | Courtesy Photo
Chris Humphrey's (R-Lenoir) reelection campaign accuses PAC of defamation. | Courtesy Photo
Mailings from Conservation Votes PAC recently appeared in local mailboxes accusing state Rep. Chris Humphrey (R-Lenoir) of securing $50,000 in taxpayer money for a nonprofit connected to his wife, Terry, despite the funding pre-dating his time in office, a news release posted on state Republican Party website said.
Humphrey began his service in the Legislature in January 2019, but the bill that provided funding to the City of Kinston – which subsequently allotted the funding to the nonprofit Pride of Kinston, Inc, – was passed over the veto of Gov. Roy Cooper in December 2018, according to the Aug. 7 news release on the North Carolina Republic Party website defending Humphry.
The release said when the funding was approved, Chris and Terry Humphrey were not even married, and Terry had yet to become an unpaid volunteer with the nonprofit.
Humphry and other party supporters believe the PAC's accusation meets the standard under state law for defamation and demanded the statement be retracted and future assertions of the accusation by Conservation Botes PAC ceased.
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