ZBlogS

Two weeks ago, Sheriff Jody Greene of Columbus County, N.C., resigned following the release of a tape featuring his profanity-laced tirade about Black deputies. But he could be back in office soon — on Tuesday, he won his reelection bid by more than 1,500 votes, according to preliminary results from the State Board of Elections.

“I am so honored for your vote of confidence in me and the staff at the Sheriff’s Office. I promise we will not let you down, I am the Sheriff for everyone no matter race, color, religion, sex orientation, or national origin,” Greene, a Republican, posted Wednesday night on Facebook.

His victory follows a wave of criticism from advocacy groups and the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, all of which called his comments offensive and unacceptable. Greene resigned late last month before a hearing seeking his removal from office.

Advertisement

In the tape, which was recorded in February 2019 but leaked more than three years later, Greene — who was the sheriff-elect of Columbus County at the time — can be heard disparaging Black sheriff’s office employees, saying he was “sick” of them.

“Every Black that I know, you need to fire him to start with, he’s a snake!” Greene said, according to court documents filed by Jon David, the district attorney for the area.

On the other end of the line was Jason Soles, who was acting as interim sheriff while election officials verified Greene’s narrow 2018 victory. Soles was recording the conversation without Greene’s knowledge.

Soles provided a 6½-minute recording of the call to WECT-TV in late September, about a year after announcing he would run as a Democrat against Greene in the November 2022 sheriff’s election. Soles said he had previously brought the matter to local and state departments but “everybody had deaf ears.”

Advertisement

After the recording was made public, the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association deemed Greene’s remarks “inflammatory, racially derogatory, insulting, and offensive,” and the NAACP and the American Civil Liberties Union released a joint statement calling for Greene to resign.

“Columbus County, and in particular its Black residents, deserve better,” the groups said. “To restore dignity and confidence in the office of the Columbus County Sheriff, we demand a thorough investigation of all the activities conducted by his officers since the beginning of Sheriff Greene’s tenure — by all relevant authorities — including the State Board of investigation and the federal government.”

Soon after, the State Bureau of Investigation confirmed to news outlets that it was investigating after reviewing a copy of the audio recording.

Advertisement

On Oct. 3, District Attorney Jon David (R) sent a letter to Greene, asking him to “recognize the harm that your statements have caused” and to “make the honorable decision to resign.” Greene denied having any racial animosity or bias and said he would not be resigning — prompting David to file a petition seeking his removal from office.

Three weeks later, David was scheduled to present his arguments about Greene’s alleged “willful misconduct and maladministration in office.” However, the proceedings effectively ended before they could begin, as Greene’s attorney, Michael Mills, announced just minutes into the trial that the sheriff had resigned.

Hours after his resignation, Greene took to Facebook to clarify that he was still running for office, apologizing for the recorded comments and adding that he had eschewed a trial because “I cannot afford to spend the next week fighting in a courtroom while we are in the middle of an election to preserve our freedom.”

Advertisement

That same day, the district attorney vowed to file another petition to remove Greene from office, should he be reelected.

“It is appropriate, and necessary, to file a petition based on the current allegations, as well as any new allegations that may come to light,” David said in a statement.

In the following weeks, Greene touted his 34 years of experience in law enforcement and track record as reasons to elect him. He appealed to voters with promises of “less politics, more service” and “a sheriff you can look in the eyes.”

On Tuesday, some 10,034 votes were counted in his favor.

Though he seems set to be sworn-in in December, the probe by the State Bureau of Investigation is still ongoing, an agency spokesperson told The Washington Post. David was not available Wednesday to comment on Greene’s reelection, according to an assistant.

Advertisement

Mills, Greene’s attorney, told The Post that the sheriff regrets his comments from 2019.

“Jody is sorry for the disrespectful and insensitive words that have offended friends, colleagues and fellow citizens, and he has asked for their forgiveness,” Mills told The Post.

However, Mills maintained that the allegations in the district attorney’s petition “did not constitute willful misconduct and maladministration in office” — one of the statutes under which a sheriff could be removed from office, according to the state’s constitution. Greene has broadly denied the allegations of misconduct and racism.

While it’s rare for elected officials to be removed under that premise in North Carolina, it’s not unheard of. There have been at least three such cases in the state’s history, according to the Asheville Citizen Times.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZLuiwMiopWhqYGd%2FcH2QaGhpZ5qksbp5xqucnqaVYr%2Bmscuemq2dlGLAqbHRop2fZZ6YfA%3D%3D