State auditor probes Charlotte’s secret settlement with CMPD chief
The North Carolina State Auditor’s Office has announced plans to formally investigate the City of Charlotte concerning a reported financial settlement with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings.
According to a report by WBT News, the Charlotte City Council allegedly held a closed-door vote to authorize a payment exceeding $300,000 to Jennings. This payment was reportedly intended to prevent him from filing a lawsuit against the city. The potential lawsuit stemmed from alleged reputational damage Jennings claims he suffered due to comments made by former council member Tariq Bokhari surrounding a controversy with bulletproof vests.
In a letter addressed to Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, State Auditor Dave Boliek expressed “serious concerns” about the situation, particularly regarding the possible use of public funds without appropriate transparency.
“It is my understanding there is a possibility that as much as $100,000 to $300,000 in public dollars may have been given to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Chief Johnny Jennings for a legal settlement that may have been entered into by the City Council,” wrote Boliek. “This is only what has been gathered by the Auditor’s Office from news reports, social media, and conversation. The truth of the matter remains unclear.”
The City of Charlotte has not confirmed that a settlement took place or how much money was paid to the chief, and continues to claim the information isn’t subject to public record.
“The Office of the State Auditor will be asking how much money has reportedly been paid, whether a payment exists, where did money for a payment come from, and several other pertinent questions,” Boliek wrote. “Even if the payment was worth one penny, it should be disclosed to the public in a timely and transparent matter. There is no tax dollar free from public scrutiny.”
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police is currently in the process of surveying its more than 2,000 members on a vote of no confidence against Jennings. As of publication, no results have been publicly released.
“State auditor probes Charlotte’s secret settlement with CMPD chief” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.
