CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Former Congressman Robert Pittenger, who previously represented the 9th Congressional District, released a statement Tuesday endorsing Matthew Ridenhour for the District 9 election.
With the statement, he said that state Senator Dan Bishop, also running for the congressional seat, was a primary adviser to the Mark Harris campaign and had knowledge of McCrae Dowless' fraudlent activities.
"Bishop, an attorney and litigator, clearly had knowledge of McCrae Dowless’ fraudulent activities," Pittenger says in the original statement.
Bishop then responded to Pittenger, saying that while he is entitled to endorse a candidates and express opinions, he cannot publish lies about someone else.
In his response to Pittenger, he said he would allow him "30 minutes to publish a complete retraction of these lies by email to the same recipients."
He said if that did not occur, he would sue for libel.
Pittenger then quickly retracted his statement.