|Photo by Emma Delk| Senator Ryan Weld gives his statement against the "disgusting and completely untrue" political advertisement run by the WV Family Foundation at a press conference held at the Spilman Thomas & Battle office on Tuesday.

WHEELING – State Sen. Ryan Weld hit back Tuesday at accusations made through a West Virginia political action committee and his opponent in May’s Republican primary that a bill he sponsored in 2022 protected pedophiles. Calling the political ads making those claims “false and defamatory,” Weld filed a cease and desist order through his attorney against the West Virginia Family Foundation.

At a press conference Weld held Tuesday, he said the West Virginia Family Foundation was creating “their warped version of the truth” to claim the bill protects pedophiles.

“The legislation they rest this baseless accusation on specifically – and explicitly – protects the identities of the victims of sexual violence,” said Weld. “The legislation that they are trying to use against me specifically and explicitly protects the identities of the victims of the sexual violence.”

The ad posted to the WV Family Foundation’s Facebook page on Monday said Weld was the sole sponsor of Senate Bill 616, a bill the organization called “The Epstein Bill.” The group claims the bill “hides the court records, police reports, flight logs, and investigative documents of convicted pedophiles from the public and newspapers.”

SB 616 was signed into law by Governor Jim Justice on March 9, 2022, with no votes opposing it in the WV Senate or the WV House of Representatives. The bill’s language states that “(a)ll records and information maintained by the courts or any police department of the state or any of its political subdivisions, which contain identifying information of a victim or victims in an arrest, investigation, or complaint” for certain sexual offenses “shall be kept confidential and withheld from inspection, except: (1) when required by law; (2) when necessary for law-enforcement purposes or preparation for court proceedings; or (3) pursuant to an order of a court …”

The Facebook post claims Weld sponsored the bill after “one of his political friends” was “called to task” for serving as a character witness for a “convicted pedophile.”

Weld is running against Scott Adams for the GOP nomination for the West Virginia Senate 1st District. The “Scott Adams for WV Senate” Facebook page also posted a statement on Monday in which Adams takes issue with Weld’s support of SB 616.

“As a former WV State Trooper, serving in the Child Protection Unit, this law is disastrous to public safety and the well-being of our children,” the post reads. “It is incomprehensible to me why anyone would support such a horrific law that places every child in Brooke, Ohio, Marshall and Hancock counties in danger. It shields the perverts that harm our children and prohibits local newspapers from getting details of these court cases and informing our communities.”

For Weld, that ad was “the final straw” in what he saw as a campaign during the past several weeks to “assassinate his character and damage his reputation.”

“Enough is enough,” said Weld. “The accusation that I somehow through their warped version of the truth sponsored legislation that protects pedophiles is disgusting and completely untrue.”

The cease and desist letter was sent to Ray Lambert of the WV Family First Foundation on Tuesday by Spilman Thomas & Battle attorney Robert Dobkin. The letter outlines that the April 22 Facebook post states “without any reference to facts whatsoever” that Weld “allegedly sponsored this legislation as a result of some unnamed and unknown ‘political friend.'”

“These references are made without any citations to support the allegations being asserted,” Dobkin wrote. “Such verbal comments and written social media posts to other persons may constitute slander and defamation insofar as they contain false and misleading statements of an adverse nature and are being made with actual malice.”

The cease and desist details that these allegations “may constitute a violation” of WV Code 3-8-11, which states that no person shall make or publish a false statement regarding any candidate that intends or tends to “affect any voting at any election whatever.”

The letter states that the WV Family First Foundation must “immediately cease and desist from making any further disparaging, defamatory, or fraudulent representations” of Weld.

“Should you continue your unwarranted false and defamatory attacks, you are hereby advised that our Client intends to take all necessary legal action to hold you personally accountable for your defamatory conduct,” said Dobkin.

Apart from taking issue with the ad’s claims of Weld wanting to protect the identity of a “political friend” through the bill, the Senator explained that he was “disgusted” that the PAC would use legislation that “specifically and explicitly protects the identities of the victims of sexual violence” to create accusations against him.

“For someone to now make these types of accusations that the bill is out to protect pedophiles are either unable to read and understand the law or knowingly misleading the voters in a pathetic attempt to win an election,” stated Weld. “Either way, it shows the worst of politics.”

West Virginia Prosecuting Attorneys Association President D. Luke Furbee issued a statement on Tuesday expressing support for Senator Weld and Senate Bill 616.

“As a former prosecutor, Senator Weld has an understanding of the criminal justice system and a desire to fight for those who have been the victims of a crime,” said Furbee. “Senate Bill 616 in no way protects ‘convicted pedophiles.’ Senate Bill 616 protects the confidentiality of the victims of sex crimes while also allowing for the court system to release pertinent information to the public regarding these terrible crimes.

“A large number of states around the country have laws regarding the confidentiality of the victims of sex crimes, and we were happy to see West Virginia join those states with the passing of this legislation,” continued Furbee.

Weld explained he has “strived to be an advocate” for victims of sexual violence as both a legislator and a prosecutor. He detailed assisting the West Virginia State Police in making updates to the state’s sex offender registry laws and assisting WV sexual assault victim advocacy groups in getting legislation signed into law to make spousal abuse a crime.

WV Foundation for Rape and Information Services Board President Katie Spriggs Board President issued a statement in support of Weld on Tuesday. She explained the Senator has “always been a strong advocate for the victims of sexual and domestic violence.”

“From his work to update West Virginia’s stalking and harassment laws, his sponsorship of legislation to protect the confidentiality of the victims of sex crimes, to his fight to eliminate the spousal exception to the felony offense of sexual abuse, he has consistently been a legislator that West Virginia’s victim advocacy groups know that they can rely on and is a strong voice survivor of interpersonal violence in our state,” said Spriggs.

Representatives from the West Virginia Family First Foundation could not be reached for comment as of Tuesday evening. When reached Tuesday afternoon, Adams said he would offer a statement on the PAC’s ad. That statement was not received as of Tuesday night.