Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden is pushing back against a petition seeking his removal from office, calling the effort politically motivated and filled with false allegations.
The petition was filed by five people, including Mecklenburg state Rep. Carla Cunningham and McFadden’s former deputy chief, Kevin Canty. They allege McFadden threatened Cunningham in an effort to pressure her not to vote with Republicans to override a veto of legislation requiring sheriffs to work more closely with federal immigration officials.
McFadden addressed the allegations Tuesday night ahead of a scheduled meeting about the reopening of the county’s juvenile detention center.
He said the petition is “nothing but a smear campaign designed just before the election,” adding that it is filled with lies. McFadden said he welcomes the investigation and respects the process but declined to comment further.
Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather has asked the State Bureau of Investigation to examine the allegations.
