A new website is putting a spotlight on the North Carolina Republican Party’s ties to Harvey West Jr., a convicted sex offender who has held a prominent role within the party for years.
Progress North Carolina Action launched TheWestFiles.com last week, detailing West’s criminal history and his connections to Republican leaders and candidates across the state, including U.S. Senate nominee Michael Whatley.
West was arrested in 1991 and charged with statutory rape and other sex offenses involving three girls, some as young as 14 years old. He later pleaded guilty to multiple counts of taking indecent liberties with a child and served six years in prison before being placed on the state’s sex offender registry.
Despite that history, West went on to become an influential figure in North Carolina Republican politics.
Reporting from the Outer Banks Insider and Asheville Watchdog documented how West rose through party ranks after his release, building relationships with top GOP leaders and candidates.
West has also hosted annual fundraising events that have become a key source of support for legislative and judicial campaigns, drawing attendance from prominent Republican officials.
“The willingness of our top state Republican leaders to associate with a known sexual predator, from Michael Whatley to Rep. Sarah Stevens, Chief Justice Paul Newby, and Associate Justice Phil Berger Jr., raises serious questions about their ability to do their job and protect North Carolinians,” said Elisabeth Greenleaf, executive director of Progress North Carolina Action, in the group’s press release.
The website compiles those connections and highlights nearly 40 elected officials who have been linked to West through party leadership roles, fundraising events, or campaign activity.
