Charlotte City Council member Tiawana Brown wrote on Facebook over the weekend that CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings received a settlement of $300,000 over threatening text messages he received from former council member Tariq Bokhari.
Jennings had said privately that he might sue the city over the text messages, in which Bokhari, last summer, threatened to try and get Jennings fired. He also said he would try and cripple the chief’s legacy.
In a late April closed session, the city agreed to compensate Jennings, but has declined to provide details, citing the confidentiality of the chief’s personnel file. WFAE previously reported the settlement was for at least $100,000, but Brown’s post put the number higher — at $300,000. Another official familiar with the negotiations confirmed to WFAE that Brown’s number is accurate. The chief’s salary is $280,000.
Brown wrote in her post that she does not support the Fraternal Order of Police, which has called for a vote of no confidence against Jennings, and that she doesn’t think the chief should resign.
But she wrote, “We as a council have to do better as it relates to how we handle the lawsuits, paying the chief 300k over text messages... but want to give the pennies to the people that got hurt in the riots and protest!”
Brown did not attend the April 28 closed session meeting in which council members originally voted on the settlement. She said she was on vacation in California.
WSOC-TV reported that the original vote was 5-2 in favor of settling with Jennings — one short of the six votes needed for an item to pass. However, because one council member left the meeting without being formally excused, their vote was counted as a yes under the council's rules of procedure.
Brown attended a second closed session a week later, during which Interim City Attorney Anthony Fox warned the elected officials not to speak to the media about the issue.
She said a fellow council member told her the settlement was $300,000. Another official familiar with the negotiations confirmed to WFAE that the number is accurate
Accusations and counter-claims
On Tuesday, City Council member Victoria Watlington sent an email to constituents criticizing the city over the settlement. She wrote that the city had shown a “brazen disregard for dissenting opinions and the rule of law.” She also used the word “corrupt” in the message.
That prompted Mayor Vi Lyles and several council members to hold a news conference Wednesday, during which they defended themselves and the city from Watlington’s statements. Watlington later softened her statement, saying, "My fundamental desire is to operate with truth, transparency, respect and authenticity."
Brown said she did not attend the news conference with Lyles because “I have a great reputation.” She added: “I just don’t play politics, and everyone knows it.”
"We have a mess going on in local government," Brown said.
At Wednesday’s news conference, Fox, the interim city attorney, said council members were not allowed to talk about anything that happened in a closed session. He said they would be breaking the law.
After being questioned by WFAE, Fox on Friday revised his statement. saying it is only against the law to release information from an employee’s personnel file.
North Carolina's open meetings law allows governing bodies to meet in closed session to privately discuss certain matters, such as lawsuits, personnel actions and economic development deals. With only a few exceptions — such as personnel records — matters such as legal settlements that are discussed or voted on in closed sessions become public after they're dealt with.
The $300,000 payment to Jennings is not unprecedented. Earlier this year, City Council members agreed to pay former City Attorney Patrick Baker a year’s salary — roughly $300,000, according to people familiar with the matter.
The difference is that Baker was being pushed out of the position by Lyles and City Council members. He received the payout when he left, while Jennings remains employed as police chief.
His contract called for six months of severance, but he received more than that — partly because the city’s plan to end his employment was disclosed to WFAE.
