Jay Reiff -former Easley Advisor- is Back to N.C. Politics

N.C. Families First, run by fugitive from justice Jay Reiff has just bought more than n $65,000 of issue ads set to run on WTVD from October 7 through October 13.

Reiff worked for former Governor and convicted criminal Mike Easley as his campaign manager in 2000 and 2004. According to an article written by Don Carrington in 2009:

Jay Reiff, Easley’s 2000 and 2004 campaign manager, and the presumed author of several memos outlining the Easley fundraising plan, appeared before the grand jury at the federal courthouse in November. The elections board had attempted to subpoena Reiff but did not succeed because he was working in Virginia at the time and was outside the board’s jurisdiction.

N.C. Families First, under their former name “N.C. Citizens for Progress” spent more than $2.6 million in 2012 for political ads primarily attacking candidate Pat McCrory.

According to State Board of Elections report dated September 14, 2014, Families First was sitting on $1.4 million that is set to be spent in the next few weeks. They are also planning to buy ads on WRAL starting October 7. In documents obtained from the FCC, Families First is planning to spend $43,000 – $98,000 with WRAL each week up until the election.

Families First missed their reporting deadline, they filed an initial electioneering report per GS 163-278.12 more than 10 days after incurring an expense for producing or airing an electioneering communication.  This report was filed on September 19, but they show a disbursement date to of September 3.

Notable connections and contributors to N.C. Families First

Dean Debnam, CEO Public Policy Polling                              $50,000

NC Futures Action Fund (Director Dean Debnam)             $105,000 (No Campaign Report at SBOE filed)

Michael Weisel – Treasurer for Families First (Weisel is also Treasurer for N.C. Centers for Protecting Our Schools which contributed $965,000 to Families First)