Foxx E-mail Prompts Confusion, Anger From Council

Confusion is mounting over an e-mail sent by Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, warning City Council members not to sexually harass their staff members.

Five days after the e-mail was sent, city officials still haven’t said what exactly prompted Foxx’s warning. Now, some council members said that lack of explanation has cast suspicion on them.

City Council Member Andy Dulin said he’s angry over the whole situation.

“We're being thrown under the bus,” Dulin said.

Dulin said the persistent refusal from the city manager and the mayor to clarify whether an allegation of sexual harassment was actually made against a council member leaves a cloud of suspicion hanging above him and his colleagues.

“The mayor and city manager and city attorney don't see it as big [of] a deal as the 11 of us that have been somewhat accused,” Dulin said.

City Attorney Mac McCarley wouldn't say what prompted the mayor's e-mail, but did say that no formal sexual harassment complaint was filed.

Council Member Edwin Peacock said the city manager and the mayor need to respond more fully to the situation.

“By the simple nature of the way he wrote that e-mail, it was almost impossible for it not to raise the ‘Who did it?’ question and ‘Is there a problem?’ question,” Peacock said. “And that's really now what the public needs to have answered.”

Council members Pat Cannon and Michael Barnes have also expressed concern with the way this issue is being handled.

“This is not going away,” Dulin said. “We will get answers.”

Previous Stories: March 18, 2010: Charlotte Mayor Foxx Talks About Harassment Email March 18, 2010: Foxx To City Council: No Sexual Harassment