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In a surprise, Republicans praise Charlotte leaders, but blast Sheriff McFadden
By Steve Harrison
February 8, 2026 at 12:52 PM EST
Charlotte leaders, including Mayor Vi Lyles and City Manager Marcus Jones, were summoned by legislative Republicans to testify Monday in a hearing about crime, specifically the murder of Iryna Zarutska on the Lynx Blue Line last year.
In a surprise, GOP lawmakers mostly asked city leaders easy questions and said everything is OK in Charlotte.
Republican legislators saved their fire for Mecklenburg Sheriff Garry McFadden, who was grilled for two and a half hours earlier in the day.
Leading up to the hearing, Charlotte city leaders were anxious about how hard Republicans might attack them, specifically over the stabbing of Zarutska on the light rail.
Republican state Rep. Brenden Jones of Columbus County opened the hearing Monday morning by blaming Zarutska’s death on the city.
He said she was failed “by a system that allowed career criminals to roam your streets with 14 arrests, a system that prioritized DEI initiatives over armed security guards on CATS. Her blood is on your hands.”
He was just getting started.
“The core function of government is not DEI, trans rights, the welfare benefits of illegal aliens or some social justice program,” he said. “The core function is public order, safety, security.”
But then the hearing began.
Mecklenburg District Attorney Spencer Merriweather testified first and was mostly asked easy questions. Then McFadden and legislators sparred for much of the morning.
Then three Charlotte officials testified: Mayor Vi Lyles, City Manager Marcus Jones and new CMPD Chief Estella Patterson.
Republicans did not ask them questions about trans rights, DEI or how many security officers were on the Blue Line. At times, the hearing went off topic; Jones, for example, talked about how he is excited for the city to host the World Military Games next year.
And when the five-hour hearing was finished, Rep. Jones said the city was doing a good job despite what he had said earlier in the morning.
“Yeah, I think the city is doing a good job,” he said. “And it’s going to get better.”
Jones and other Republicans apparently decided to focus all of their hard questions on Mecklenburg Sheriff Garry McFadden, even though he doesn’t have oversight of transit or any city departments, such as the police.
Former employees have criticized McFadden for mismanagement and for being a bully. The State Bureau of Investigation is looking into allegations made in a petition to suspend or remove him from office.
Jones asked McFadden about one of those allegations: that he had deputies drive visitors to bars and strip clubs during a sheriff's convention.
“Hypothetically, does pooling on-duty deputies to chauffeur individuals to bars and strip clubs – would that make Mecklenburg safer?” he asked.
McFadden declined to answer, saying that allegation was part of a petition to remove him and is a pending matter.
“Again, that is in the content of the petition that I just started that I can not answer questions to, even hypothetically,” McFadden said.
One petitioner seeking to remove McFadden is state Rep. Carla Cunningham, a Democrat from Charlotte, who was part of the hearing. Cunningham alleges that McFadden threatened her last year before she voted with Republicans to override a veto from Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. The bill — now law — requires sheriffs to work closely with immigration officials.
The sheriff often frustrated Republicans by refusing to answer questions because of the pending investigation, or by giving long, meandering answers.
And he pointed out, repeatedly, that he is the county’s first Black sheriff and that his position and law enforcement career demand respect.
“And I hope you respect me (for) wearing the badge, including the stars on my shoulders that I have rightfully owned for 44 years,” he said. “I clearly understand why I am here – Being the only sheriff that has been brought before a hearing such as this.”
Other officials from Charlotte weren’t aware of any other city or town being summoned to Raleigh.
At one point, Jones asked McFadden why he had not produced some records as part of a committee request. McFadden said it may have been a mistake by staff.
“The MCSO (Mecklenburg Sheriff’s Office) is failing,” Jones said. “You have made history today. You have blown off the House Oversight Committee’s request.”
At the end of day, McFadden left defiant.
And city officials left smiling and relieved.
In a surprise, GOP lawmakers mostly asked city leaders easy questions and said everything is OK in Charlotte.
Republican legislators saved their fire for Mecklenburg Sheriff Garry McFadden, who was grilled for two and a half hours earlier in the day.
Leading up to the hearing, Charlotte city leaders were anxious about how hard Republicans might attack them, specifically over the stabbing of Zarutska on the light rail.
Republican state Rep. Brenden Jones of Columbus County opened the hearing Monday morning by blaming Zarutska’s death on the city.
He said she was failed “by a system that allowed career criminals to roam your streets with 14 arrests, a system that prioritized DEI initiatives over armed security guards on CATS. Her blood is on your hands.”
He was just getting started.
“The core function of government is not DEI, trans rights, the welfare benefits of illegal aliens or some social justice program,” he said. “The core function is public order, safety, security.”
But then the hearing began.
Mecklenburg District Attorney Spencer Merriweather testified first and was mostly asked easy questions. Then McFadden and legislators sparred for much of the morning.
Then three Charlotte officials testified: Mayor Vi Lyles, City Manager Marcus Jones and new CMPD Chief Estella Patterson.
Republicans did not ask them questions about trans rights, DEI or how many security officers were on the Blue Line. At times, the hearing went off topic; Jones, for example, talked about how he is excited for the city to host the World Military Games next year.
And when the five-hour hearing was finished, Rep. Jones said the city was doing a good job despite what he had said earlier in the morning.
“Yeah, I think the city is doing a good job,” he said. “And it’s going to get better.”
Jones and other Republicans apparently decided to focus all of their hard questions on Mecklenburg Sheriff Garry McFadden, even though he doesn’t have oversight of transit or any city departments, such as the police.
Former employees have criticized McFadden for mismanagement and for being a bully. The State Bureau of Investigation is looking into allegations made in a petition to suspend or remove him from office.
Jones asked McFadden about one of those allegations: that he had deputies drive visitors to bars and strip clubs during a sheriff's convention.
“Hypothetically, does pooling on-duty deputies to chauffeur individuals to bars and strip clubs – would that make Mecklenburg safer?” he asked.
McFadden declined to answer, saying that allegation was part of a petition to remove him and is a pending matter.
“Again, that is in the content of the petition that I just started that I can not answer questions to, even hypothetically,” McFadden said.
One petitioner seeking to remove McFadden is state Rep. Carla Cunningham, a Democrat from Charlotte, who was part of the hearing. Cunningham alleges that McFadden threatened her last year before she voted with Republicans to override a veto from Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. The bill — now law — requires sheriffs to work closely with immigration officials.
The sheriff often frustrated Republicans by refusing to answer questions because of the pending investigation, or by giving long, meandering answers.
And he pointed out, repeatedly, that he is the county’s first Black sheriff and that his position and law enforcement career demand respect.
“And I hope you respect me (for) wearing the badge, including the stars on my shoulders that I have rightfully owned for 44 years,” he said. “I clearly understand why I am here – Being the only sheriff that has been brought before a hearing such as this.”
Other officials from Charlotte weren’t aware of any other city or town being summoned to Raleigh.
At one point, Jones asked McFadden why he had not produced some records as part of a committee request. McFadden said it may have been a mistake by staff.
“The MCSO (Mecklenburg Sheriff’s Office) is failing,” Jones said. “You have made history today. You have blown off the House Oversight Committee’s request.”
At the end of day, McFadden left defiant.
And city officials left smiling and relieved.