State Insurance Services is demanding Beverly Perdue pull a TV ad.

In the ad, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate says that state Treasurer Richard Moore awarded a contract to allow the company to market insurance products to state and local government retirees because its principals have raised money for his campaign.

The ad also says that retirees are being overcharged.

"It goes so far beyond being just misleading," said Allen Thomas, a Wilson lawyer and a principal of State Insurance Services. "I haven't found very much in here that's accurate." 

The company's attorney sent a "cease and desist" letter to Perdue's campaign Friday. They responded in an e-mail that the ad's run would end "early next week," but spokesman David Kochman said the campaign stands behind it.

"Richard Moore gave a sweetheart deal to his political contributors -- that's what this is about," he said. (N&O)