Neese Campaign Blows Off Interview After Reports Of Scandals

News 9 has committed to covering both republican candidates for Congressional District 5 for the week leading up to the runoff election. But after we ran a couple of scathing stories last week about candidate Terry Neese, she blew her Monday interview with News 9 off.

The first story centered around training tapes Neese reportedly used at her family business, Neese Personnel. In the tapes, that were leaked to News 9 and other news outlets, Neese appears to be telling employees to lie to clients.

“Pick up the telephone, dial your home phone number, or call a number where you know no one will answer. You’re going to make a fake phone call and you’re going to ask for a doctor.” The voice could be heard saying.

During a debate hosted by nondoc.com, Neese blamed candidate Stephanie Bice for the leak.

“It was you Stephanie,” Neese insisted. “I know the truth.”

Neese later claimed the tapes had been “doctored,” and she never said what appears on the them. Days later, News 9 was first to report the nonprofit Neese runs seems to profit her family business the most. 

For example, in 2014 100% of the money raised by the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women directly benefited Neese and her family business. That included her six-figure salary, and the rent she charges her nonprofit in her own building. 

She blamed her board for setting the rate it pays her and her family business. 

“You could do it for free,” Neese said. “And there’s been many times I‘ve done that for free. Because I put a lot of time and my own money into this thing.”

“Unfortunately every time we agree to these interviews they’ve focused on the negatives and not on the issues we’re running on,” Neese’s campaign spokesman Bryan Piligra said in a text message.