What is the context behind the political ad attacking Josh Stein’s rape kit history?

CHARLOTTE, NC (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A political ad denouncing the record of North Carolina’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate is generating controversy and accusations that it lacks important context.

The ad, titled “Women Deserve Better,” is from State Solutions Inc. A Facebook page for the group says it is affiliated with the Republican Governors Association. It features a woman named Amanda, a nurse from Chatham County, speaking about Josh Stein’s past.

“Attorney General Josh Stein took years to Address the backlog in the delivery of rape kitsand he has released violent criminals from prison early,” the ad says. “And now Stein is bragging about his work on rape kits? How dare he. Under Stein’s leadership, rapes in North Carolina have increased by 53 percent.”

The ad is praised for its tone. Stein is is running against Republican Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson.

“This is a lighthearted exchange before things get serious,” said Chris Cooper, a political scientist at Western Carolina University. “If things get bad here, I’ll go without the TV for the next five months because it’s not going to get any better.”

Queen City News showed the ad to Cooper and Dr. Susan Roberts of Davidson College, who is also a professor of political science.

Both noticed the lack of context in the ad.

“When you look behind some of the facts, (and) that takes a while. That requires journalists, not people who see the ad,” Roberts said.

The claim that “it took Attorney General Josh Stein years to clear the rape kit backlog” lacks a more detailed explanation. The backlog of cases dates back to about 2000, and for years the state led the nation in the amount of untested rape kits.

When Stein took office as North Carolina’s attorney general in 2017, he made this a priority. In 2019, there was a bipartisan effort to address the backlog, which is part of a larger national problem and stems from a number of factors, including the way a law enforcement agency prioritizes sexual assault cases or a lack of training or resources.

Stein announced that the backlog was made up earlier this year.

The claims that “(Stein) released violent criminals from prison early” likely refer to a 2021 settlement between the state of North Carolina and civil rights groups that resulted in the early release of 3,500 prisoners. The reason for the releases was largely related to the COVID-19 pandemic and curbing outbreaks in prisons.

Those released were primarily non-violent offenders, although some were violent offenders. Most of those released were on some form of probation.

The claim that “under Stein’s watch, rapes in North Carolina increased by 53 percent” requires additional explanation.

According to figures from the State Bureau of Investigation, the number of rapes statewide has increased since 2013 and is part of a larger, nationwide trend (Stein was only elected attorney general in 2016).

In 2013, the legal definition of rape was expanded. In recent years, more victims have come forward and begun reporting these crimes to authorities, reducing the stigma that has long been associated with sexual assault.

While the number of reported rapes has increased since 2013, the total number of crimes of all types has declined by about 23 percent during the same period. Since Stein took office, that trend has continued, according to SBI data.

Cooper noted that this ad may be aimed at a specific audience – women.

“Josh Stein’s first commercial was about women’s reproductive rights and the horrible things Mark Robinson said about women,” Cooper said.

In a statement about the ad, a spokesperson for the Stein campaign said, “Women across North Carolina deserve justice. That’s why clearing the backlog of rape kit production was one of Attorney General Josh Stein’s top priorities when he took office in 2017. Meanwhile, Mark Robinson has done nothing to protect women from violence. Instead, he repeatedly mocks victims of sexual assault and defends their rapists like Harvey Weinstein.”

Queen City News has contacted the Robinson team for comment.