While North Carolina Republicans ramp up attacks on Roy Cooper for attending a fundraising event seven years before the allegations and arrest of state House member Cecil Brockman. Cooper was one of the first leaders in North Carolina to call for Brockman’s resignation, vowing that no predator should be elevated to positions of power.
This response could not stand in starker contrast to Republican Senate Nominee Michael Whatley. As NCGOP chair, Whatley promoted to a leadership role a convicted sex offender, Harvey West Jr., who, following three statutory rape charges, pleaded guilty to 16 counts of taking indecent liberties with a child.
West Jr. served six years in prison and was placed on the state’s sex offender registry, according to The Charlotte Observer. His criminal history has been publicly known for years, including in 2012 when he was forced to resign as an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention after media coverage revealed his status as a registered sex offender.
Despite that record, Whatley appointed him to leadership roles within the North Carolina Republican Party and supported his continued involvement in party operations.
Whatley elevated West Jr. to lead the GOP’s 1st Congressional District committee and to chair the party’s powerful Plan of Organization committee, which oversees party rules and structure.
West Jr. has remained active in Republican politics for years, helping organize major fundraising events backed by top GOP leaders and candidates. His role has drawn increasing scrutiny, including from within Republican ranks, where some party members are now pushing to ban individuals convicted of serious crimes from holding leadership positions.
The issue comes as Whatley continues to campaign on attacks, accusing Cooper of being “soft on crime.”
But Cooper called for Brockman’s resignation as soon as charges became public, describing the allegations as “disturbing and disqualifying”. Whatley has not publicly addressed West Jr.’s criminal record.
The contrast is clear. Republicans are attacking Cooper over an association that predates any charges, while Whatley supported and elevated a convicted sex offender into positions of power within his own party.
As the general election campaign unfolds, Whatley’s ties to West Jr. raise serious questions about judgment, accountability, and the standards he applies to himself versus others.
