The allegations came after a reported settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings that was reached during a closed-door session on Monday.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and several city council members held a news conference Wednesday to forcefully reject allegations of “unethical, immoral, and illegal activities” made by Council member Victoria Watlington.
Those allegations came after a reported settlement with CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings that was reached during a closed-door session on Monday.
“These allegations are unfounded,” Lyles stated at the beginning of the conference. “If she has any proof, she needs to provide that to the city attorney’s office who is duty-bound to investigate.”
The council’s private talks involving public dollars follow former Council member Tariq Bokhari’s public and private war against the police chief. Lyles said Wednesday Bokhari’s intent was to damage the chief’s reputation and end his career.
Bokhari, who recently resigned to take a role with the Trump Administration, spent weeks in the aftermath of the deadliest police shooting in Charlotte history trying to convince the chief that he should let patrol officers wear outer carrier vests. Bokhari even eventually launched a campaign to raise financial and community support to Shield the Blue as the chief refused to budge. Bokhari said he had hoped outer carrier vests would boost morale at CMPD, better protect the officers and offer additional comfort in the field.
Before the situation escalated, in late May, the chief replied to Bokhari and urged him to “reconsider this and let me make the decisions for my agency.”
“I hope what you are getting ready to do is worth it for you,” the chief texted. “It’s a shame that you would resort to this because we disagree on the topic. I would never do that to you.”
On WCNC Charlotte in June, he said he was “going to war” and said his effort evolved from “trying to convince the chief” to him “telling the chief we have to get this done now.”
Just weeks later on July 6, text messages show Bokhari told the chief “You’ve made a terrible error in judgement (sic)” and told him “I hate what comes next.”
“As your friend I want you to know what happens next: I’ll be demanding your resignation starting Monday. I’ll be hammering you from the press, the private sector, the foundations, the general assembly, congress, and several high profile national organizations,” Bokhari said in a text later that afternoon. “I’ll put maximum pressure on the city manager to fire you from all those angles as well. I may not ultimately win – but I will not stop and it will cripple your legacy you’ve worked so hard for. Just a final bit of food for thought. You have 36 hours to call it all off by compromising in some small way. Otherwise it’s in God’s hands. I want you to know I still have a lot of love for you as a friend. But this is much more important than any of that. I’ve given you several weeks while I’ve been restrained going only 10%. That’s all over starting Monday morning unless you start seeing the light and being reasonable to find middle ground for the rank and file you have a sacred responsibility to support. As I said – I may not win – but I was blessed with a set of skills that I can promise you will be very uncomfortable to experience. This will be my last communication.”
After Chief Jennings changed his stance on outer carrier vests in August, Bokhari sent him an additional text.
“Thank you for allowing more access to vests,” he texted. “I know this was a difficult decision but it means a lot.”
The chief gave the message a thumbs up.
City Attorney Anthony Fox wouldn’t confirm any settlement with Jennings and refused to disclose any details. WCNC Charlotte requested any publicly releasable settlement details and documents from the city of Charlotte on Tuesday, but the city has yet to provide any information.
Fox explained that North Carolina law requires confidentiality for closed session matters and personnel issues, noting that violations could result in criminal sanctions.
“When this council deals with personnel of the council or of the city, it is obligated to comply with the personnel privacy statute that maintains the confidentiality of the information that is contained within an individual’s personnel file,” Fox said.
Council member Malcolm Graham expressed concern about the impact of Watlington’s claims.
“Words like unethical, immoral, illegal activities, disregard for dissenting opinions and the rule of law, they matter a lot,” Graham said. “They echo outside of the building. They echo to potential corporations looking to house [their headquarters] here.”
Several council members specifically defended Jennings, with Lyles calling Jennings “the best police chief in this country,” while Mayor Pro Tem Danté Anderson thanked him for stepping up when there was a “void of leadership.”
Council member Ed Driggs described Watlington’s allegations as “scaremongering tactics” and “wild allegations” without factual basis. Multiple officials highlighted Charlotte’s balanced budget, AAA credit rating, and status as the 14th largest city in the United States with the sixth busiest airport as evidence of strong governance.
Council member Dimple Ajmera, who chairs the Budget Governance and Intergovernmental Relations Committee, offered a measured response to the allegations.
“Let me assure you there is no illegal activity or corruption going on in our city,” she said, while acknowledging, “Obviously there are processes that we can improve on.”
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