E-Mail Conspiracy Theory
On that note, let’s pause for a second to let conspiracy-theory minds run rampant, and recall that Turner has drawn the ire of his Democrat colleagues on more than one occasion for breaking partisan rank and backing former Mayor Pat McCrory, a Republican, on a variety of issues.
How could Foxx, armed with the knowledge that a female city staffer had complained about Turner’s behavior, deliver a slap-down that sent a clear message there was a new boss on the dais who doesn’t tolerate dissent, while simultaneously causing Turner no small measure of public disgrace as retribution for past partisan indiscretions?
Confronting Turner with a private warning to cool it with female city staffers doesn’t do it. But what about a generic warning to the whole council that would likely cast suspicion on all 11 members and, played to its end game, compel some of them to call for an investigation to clear their own names. And what if one of the first to call for an investigation happened to be a Democrat councilmember, trusted Foxx confidant, and party-line loyalist who is running for D.A. and could use some good street cred?
And how about when all was said and done, a majority of council decided not to pursue an investigation because a) the possibility of such could put the city at legal risk if the identity of the staffer who made the allegations inadvertently became public; or b) there are no clear-cut sanctions or policy against sexual harassment that apply to councilmembers.
Why, that would leave Warren Turner with a palpable specter of guilt hanging around his neck, without an investigation to determine if he did anything to deserve it.
Of course it’s just as likely that’s completely deranged speculation, and a female city staffer did complain about what she considered to be Turner’s “inappropriate behavior”, which in turn prompted the city manager to ask the mayor to send a thoroughly confusing, yet ultimately incendiary e-mail to council warning them all not to sexually harass staff. And the mayor did just that, with the best of intentions.
Why, that could cause a series of events to unfold that might have conspiracy nuts dreaming up all sort of wild, unfounded theories.
UPDATE: WBTV’s Steve Crump reports that Warren Turner has hired a lawyer, who spent part of Tuesday huddling with city officials.
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