Michael Whatley’s ties to sex offender illustrate GOP hypocrisy | Opinion
Earlier this month, the National Republican Senatorial Committee issued a press release slamming Roy Cooper for appearing at campaign events alongside former state lawmaker Cecil Brockman, seven years before Brockman was arrested for alleged sex crimes with a minor.
“Roy Cooper lets criminals out of prison and throws birthday bashes for child rapists. Cooper is soft-on-crime to the bone,” an NRSC spokesperson said in the release.
Rather than criticizing Cooper for his inability to predict the future, perhaps Republicans should examine their own candidate’s relationship with known child sex offenders.
The Asheville Watchdog reported this week that Whatley “[championed] the rise to power of Harvey L. West Jr.,” a man who was charged with the statutory rape of three teenage girls in 1999, while he was working as a police officer near the Outer Banks.
West pleaded guilty to 16 charges of taking indecent liberties with a child in 2000. He served six years in prison and became a registered sex offender.
According to the report, Whatley appointed West to prominent executive committees within the North Carolina Republican Party while serving as party chairman, years after West was released from prison. West is also the current chairman of the NCGOP’s 1st Congressional District, and Whatley reportedly supported him in this position.
This has been a point of tension within Republican circles for quite some time. During Whatley’s time as chair, GOP leaders reportedly shot down a proposed ban on convicted felons serving in party leadership positions. Several county parties, including the Mecklenburg County Republican Party, have prepared a similar proposal for this year’s GOP convention.
This also could very well turn out to be a real campaign issue. Whatley’s connection with West undermines his credibility on two of the GOP’s biggest talking points. It’s hard to accuse Cooper of being “soft on crime” when Whatley himself seems to believe even the worst offenders deserve second chances. And it’s hard to paint Whatley as the candidate who will protect women and girls when one of his choices for Republican leadership positions was a man who molested teenage girls while working in law enforcement.
But what stands out the most is the hypocrisy. Republicans are dinging Cooper for his earlier connection to a legislator who was not arrested until 2025, despite the fact that Whatley and other North Carolina Republicans have been supporting a convicted pedophile for years. And for what it’s worth, Cooper swiftly called for Brockman’s resignation last year, saying the charges against him were “disturbing and disqualifying.” So far, Whatley does not appear to have commented on West’s criminal record.
Perhaps Republicans should find a new line of attack — or a mirror.
This story was originally published March 13, 2026 at 10:46 AM with the headline "Michael Whatley’s ties to sex offender illustrate GOP hypocrisy | Opinion."
