ICYMI: District Attorney Jim O’Neil calls out AG Stein’s false attacks to distract from his anti law enforcement record

RALEIGH, NC -- Today, Republican candidate for North Carolina Attorney General (AG), Jim O’Neill, held a call with reporters to give an update on the state of the race and call out AG Stein’s multiple lies in campaign ads. Below are some major points Jim O’Neill pointed out during the call that the people of North Carolina deserve to know before the election on November 3. It is clear that it is time for Josh Stein to go because he has no accomplishments to speak of and continues to lie to the public.

AG Josh Stein is lying in his campaign ads to cover up his own failed record on the sexual assault kit backlog.

Jim O’Neill: “When you’re thinking about the differences between the two candidates, and you look at the false commercials that Josh Stein continues to roll out, it’s disheartening and sort of sickening to watch someone who is supposed to be the top prosecutor in the state, who obviously has no idea how the rape kit collection process works. And instead of taking responsibility and ownership for his failures at the state lab he turns around and tries to blame it on local law enforcement and prosecutors.”

Jim O’Neill: “He’s got no accomplishments of his own, obviously, which is why he must go after and try to criticize me. I was the first ever dedicated domestic violence prosecutor in Forsyth County. The first. We were the ones that started the first domestic violence program in the entire state, the Safe on Seven program. And he doesn’t tell the public that. He has no accomplishments of his own, and so he has to resort to try to attack me. And his ads continue to fall, if you’re in the law enforcement community, on deaf ears. Because if you’re in the mix, then you understand the lies that this Attorney General continues to tells to the public.”

AG Josh Stein does not understand the basics of the criminal justice system.

Jim O’Neill: I’m not really sure which is worse: that he is lying to the public or that he really doesn’t understand how the criminal justice system works. I am not sure which is worse.” 

Jim O’Neill: “I was proud to be a prosecutor that worked on the Second Chance Act, that is now going to become law here in North Carolina…I’ll tell you who was NOT at the table – Josh Stein was not at the table.”

Unlike AG Stein who has zero accomplishments, Jim O’Neill has a proven record of protecting public safety.

Jim O’Neill: “It is incredibly sad and disgusting to see that our current Attorney General has absolutely no accomplishments of his own to speak of and therefore he has to resort to making up and lying to the public about my track record. My track record is clear here in Winston-Salem. I’ve been somebody who has worked hard to keep people safe. At the same time, with some of the programs I have instituted, our DATA program, our Susan Frye DATA Program, which was designed to help opioid and heroin addiction as well as alcohol addiction has had unprecedented success. It is something that is the only program of its kind like it. This was an example of me trying to think outside of the box in terms of how we solve programs. I also started the first drivers licenses restoration program of its kind here in North Carolina.”

Jim O’Neill: “Here in Winston-Salem, some of the policies and plans that I have put in place working with law enforcement has made Winston-Salem one of the safest places, the safest city in North Carolina.”

AG Josh Stein used a state employee in a political campaign ad raising serious possible ethical and legal violations.

Jim O’Neill: “Unfortunately, Josh Stein used an employee of his to come out and run a fake commercial as it relates to the rape kits. What Josh Stein of course does not want the public to understand is the process. And again, it may be that he doesn’t understand the process and I go back to what I said before, that I am not sure which is worse: whether or not he is maliciously lying to the public, or he really doesn’t understand.”

Law enforcement throughout the state do not support Josh Stein.

Jim O’Neill: “Josh Stein has turned his back on law enforcement his entire career. Now of course, he can’t understand why it is that as the top prosecutor in the state of North Carolina why it is that the State Highway Patrol won’t support him and endorse him, they support and endorse me. Why is it that the Police Benevolent Association will not support or endorse him, but they support and endorse me. And why is it that the Fraternal Order of Police will not support or endorse him, but instead they support and endorse me. Because they understand the differences between the two candidates. As probably the most liberal person on that ballot, he clearly has aspirations for higher officer and for him this is a stepping stone. And so he has no inclination to do what’s right, as it far as being the top prosecutor and supporting law enforcement is concerned.”  

AG Josh Stein has done nothing to stop the violence in Raleigh and other NC cities.

Jim O’Neill: “Josh Stein did little to nothing and stood on the sidelines while Raleigh was being looted and burned and chaos in the streets. A person like that in that position could have used his pulpit to quell the unrest, or at least try, but instead he just turned a blind eye.”

Jim O’Neill: “He did nothing at all except bury his head in the sand.”

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