Father featured in anti-Cooper Senate ad says political operatives misled him
The father featured in a political advertisement attacking Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Roy Cooper says Republican political operatives misled him about how an interview concerning his daughter’s murder would be used.
Stephen Federico’s 22-year-old daughter, Logan Federico, was killed during an alleged home invasion while visiting friends in Columbia, South Carolina, in 2025.
In an advertisement sponsored by the Republican-aligned Senate Leadership Fund, Federico describes his daughter’s killing before saying Cooper allowed 3,500 incarcerated people to leave North Carolina prisons during the COVID-19 pandemic. The advertisement ends by saying 40 years of Cooper in public office is enough.
Federico subsequently told NC Newsline that he believed the interview would focus on criminal justice failures and legislation he supports. He said he did not initially understand that his comments would be used in an advertisement against Cooper.
The advertisement places Federico’s description of the killing immediately before its criticism of Cooper. However, the South Carolina man accused of killing Logan Federico was not among the people released from North Carolina custody.
Alexander Dickey was released through South Carolina’s criminal justice system. Cooper had no authority over his prosecution, sentence or release.
FactCheck.org concluded that the advertisement creates a false connection between Cooper and the killing, although it does not expressly state that Dickey was released from a North Carolina prison.
The advertisement’s reference to 3,500 releases concerns a 2021 settlement reached after a state judge ordered North Carolina to address prison crowding and COVID-19 conditions. Cooper’s administration had resisted broader demands for prisoner releases before reaching the settlement.
The settlement accelerated releases for people who met state eligibility requirements. Some had been convicted of violent offenses, although many were approaching scheduled release dates or were already eligible for parole under older sentencing laws.
The Senate Leadership Fund did not respond to FactCheck.org’s request for comment about the advertisement. Cooper’s campaign called the attack false and said a Republican political organization was using a South Carolina crime for political gain.
Cooper is running against Republican Michael Whatley for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis.
The Senate Leadership Fund supports Whatley but operates independently of his campaign. Federal law prohibits super PACs from coordinating their spending with candidates.
Editor’s note:
This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.
