A new ad campaign from NC Families First accuses Sarah Stevens, the Republican candidate for North Carolina Supreme Court, of protecting child predators throughout her extensive career in law and politics.
The ad features a sexual abuse survivor, Katie, who went on to advocate for legislation to protect victims.
In the full-length ad, Katie shares her experience fighting for the Safe Child Act– a 2019 bill meant to protect children and give more time for survivors of abuse to seek justice. Katie names Sarah Stevens as “probably the biggest impediment to [the legislation] passing.”
“Sarah Stevens protects predators,” Katie goes on to say. “She won’t protect you.”
There are three key claims about Stevens’ record in the ad. The News & Observer fact-checked each of those claims. While the N&O refrained from offering a final rating, it did provide multiple proof points that validate the claims put forth in the ad.
Claim 1: “Sarah Stevens fought against legislation to protect children from sexual predators.”
The claim refers to a 2019 bill intended to give victims of childhood sexual abuse an extended period to sue their abusers. Stevens, who was serving in the NC House, voted against the NC Senate’s version of the bipartisan bill. She was one of only 10 Republicans to do so.
WRAL reported that Stevens was worried that people could abuse the law to go after politicians, saying that it would be a “nightmare” for those accused to prove their innocence after so many years.
“All you have to do is swear it happened,” Stevens said. “They’re going to go after somebody with deep pockets.”
Stevens pushed for lawmakers to cut down the eligibility period for filing lawsuits from 20 years to 10. She later voted in favor of a separate bill with the reduced period, which passed.
Claim 2: “Sarah Stevens defended a teacher who sexually abused young girls.”
This claim refers to a criminal case in which Stevens, who was working as an attorney in private practice, represented Kemp Phillips, a Mount Airy High School teacher.
Phillips was accused of having a sexual relationship with three minor students. He pleaded guilty to three counts of statutory rape, three counts of sex offense with a student, and five counts of taking indecent liberties with a student.
Court records confirm that Stevens represented Phillips in the case. He was sentenced to at least four years in prison.
After he was released from prison, Phillips was arrested on a felony charge and accused of breaking a law that prohibits sex offenders from attending a site where minors are usually present.
Claim 3: “Sarah Stevens protected abusers in our foster system”
This claim refers to Stevens’ opposition to Senate Bill 625, which would have reformed North Carolina’s child welfare services.
Among the proposed changes was a provision that would have empowered the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) to supervise each county’s social services department. The bipartisan bill’s supporters said more oversight was necessary given that each of the state’s counties administers policy differently.
According to a WRAL documentary on the foster care system, Stevens blocked the bill, calling it “too broad” and saying it would give NC DHHS too much power. SB 625 never made it to a floor vote in the NC House, but it passed unanimously in the NC Senate.
Claims Regarding Stevens Are Growing
This is just the latest instance of Stevens coming under fire for associating with sexual predators.
Stevens has also been criticized for her ties to Harvey West, a convicted sex offender and Republican fundraiser.
West pleaded guilty in 2000 to multiple charges of indecent liberties with a minor and served six years in prison.
Since then, West has become deeply entrenched in the NCGOP. He was appointed to a leadership position in the party by former NCGOP Chair Michael Whatley, who is now North Carolina’s Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.
Stevens attended a fundraising picnic West hosted last year but later claimed that she was unaware of his criminal history.
The NC Families First ad closes by urging viewers to visit sarahstevensfacts.com. Along with multiple news articles on Stevens, the site provides a story from another survivor, Emma, who speaks out against Stevens’ connections to predators.
