CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Senator Chris Walters (R-Putnam) is describing radio advertisements against him as “gross” and “barbaric.”
“I will not stand for it. My family won’t and that’s why we’re doing a cease and desist to all these companies,” Walters told reporters during a Monday afternoon press conference at his attorney’s office in downtown Charleston.
Walters said the ad, put out by Katz Media Group of Philadelphia, falsely accuses him of defending a Jackson County man convicted of sexually abusing children.
The ad says, “He testified in court on behalf of a convicted child molester. Called this sexual predator ‘trustworthy.'”
“It’s ridiculous. I’ve never testified in court ever in my life ever on behalf of anybody,” Walters said. “It’s an ad that’s done to trick and mislead the people of West Virginia and to defile my character.”
Walter’s attorney Rusty Webb sent cease-and-desist letters to Katz Media Group and to local broadcasters airing the ads. He said he also planned to file a complaint in court against West Virginia Family Values and Katz Media Group.
Webb said he’s “prepared to go to war” for his client if radio stations do not stop running the ads.
“It would be a lawsuit on defamation of character and we’ll seek a preliminary injunction from the court,” Webb said. “If they don’t voluntarily stop the ads, we’ll ask the court to tell them to stop the ads.”
Walters made it clear during Monday’s press conference that he has stood up for West Virginia children his entire life.
“I was the lead sponsor of Erin’s Law in the Legislature to try and prevent child sexual assault in schools and to teach teachers how to deal with it and help these children when that comes up,” he said. “To come here and try to smear me like this, this close to the end of the Election just so they can win, it’s not worth it.”
Walters said he’s upset his children have to hear the ads.
“I have two kids of my own. My 6 year old has to hear these type of radio commercials. Think about explaining that to her. Think about the questions she’s going to get in school,” he said. “It breaks my heart.”
He added that the group running the ads doesn’t have “West Virginia family values.”
“We have West Virginia values not Philadelphia family values,” he said.