Mecklenburg Commissioners Vilma Leake and George Dunlap got into a heated exchange at Tuesday night’s commission meeting. Leake accused Dunlap, the board chair, of trying to undermine her during a discussion about transit. She said he was a Black Donald Trump.
Dunlap and Leake do not have a good working relationship. Their outburst Tuesday — which came in the middle of an otherwise routine meeting — was the latest manifestation of tensions and what some consider dysfunction that often simmer under the surface of the all-Democratic board of commissioners. In years past, Leake has had rows with her colleagues about public prayer and been accused of jabbing a fellow commissioner in the head at a meeting, while other commissioners have been accused of being bullies.
Tuesday's meeting quickly got even worse when Dunlap called Commissioner Pat Cotham to speak instead of Leake.
“I”m sick and tired of it, George,” she said. “And this is all you’ve done, during these two years. You orchestrated to get me off the board.”
She continued.
“And what you’ve shown tonight is the very thing that people said — you’re no good. You’ve done nothing but try to embarrass me saying I was too old to sit up here and I should go home,” Leake said. “You don’t know anything, you don’t do anything.”
She talked for another 90 seconds, finishing by saying she has gotten more votes than he has ever received.
Dunlap finally responded.
“You done?” he asked.
Leake replied: “I hope you’re done.”
Dunlap then said Leake was “Donald Trump if I ever heard it.”
Leake shot back: “You’re Trump. A Black Trump.”
The board has nine members, all of whom are Democrats.
After Leake and Dunlap's exchange, the meeting continued.
