Nope, it’s not April Fools’ Day yet. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mayor Patrick Cannon was arrested today on federal public corruption charges of theft and bribery.
The complaint and law enforcement affidavit allege that Cannon accepted the bribes from the undercover FBI agents on five separate occasions. On the last occasion, on February 21, 2014, Cannon allegedly accepted $20,000 in cash in the Mayor’s office. According to the complaint and the affidavit, between January 2013 and February 2014, Cannon allegedly accepted from the undercover agents over $48,000 in cash, airline tickets, a hotel room, and use of a luxury apartment in exchange for the use of his official position.
Here’s the federal complaint – all 48 pages worth.
- Radok
- File photo of Cannon
Update (4:55 p.m.)
From the press conference today about Mayor Cannon’s arrest: The city is going to continue to function as usual, says Mayor Pro Tem Michael Barnes. For those of you wondering, no, Cannon’s not out just yet. The City Council has no power to remove a mayor. He will remain mayor until he resigns or is convicted of a federal indictment. If/when that happens, Council will nominate someone to take his place. In the meantime, city manager Ron Carlee reminds Charlotte, the mayor is not the executive.
You can read the City’s full statement here.
See photos from the presser here.
Update (7:48 p.m.)
It happened, y’all. Cannon resigned.
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This article appears in Mar 26 – Apr 1, 2014.
He’s a democrat—what do you expect? How is this lib rag going to spin this one. Will Grooms blame it on the Republicans somehow? hahahahaha
A crooked politician? I’m shocked.
An incident like this brings out all the sheeple who can’t see anything except the little “D” or “R” after his name. Only a fool thinks that corruption is unique to one political party or the other. I wish they would turn this microscope on every politician at every level of government. I doubt there would be many left.
Mayor Cannon seems to be inexperienced. Experienced politicians know how to launder the bribes by disguising them as campaign contributions.
I am willing to bet somehow in the minds of Cannon, Fox , Obama and other liberal Democrats that this whole situation will be the fault of George Bush. And just like all the folks in Obama’s cabinet who didn’t know they had to pay taxes, it will turn out to be an excuse that the left wing media will accept, including the Observer.
This certainly explains Cannon’s flip-flop on the street car. Apparently he wanted a “point” (1%) for his real-estate broker wife on a $125 million “development” the FBI guys pitched.
Does anyone doubt for a minute that this is how deals like the Bobcats Arena, Knights Stadium, Panthers upgrades, MetLife, Chiquita, Eastland Mall, Light Rail, NASCAR Hall Of Fame, Whitewater Center, DesignLine, etc. get done?
This is a shame. Would be worse if he was receiving millions of dollars from corporate “constituents”, but that would be perfectly legal.