Baffled by the Mecklenburg County commission’s handling last night of County Manager Harry Jones and his serial pattern of misleading the panel and the public? Here’s a theory that tries to explain GOP willingness to forgive and forget. I’ve yet to have anyone say this is nuts, but it is just me tacking events together.
Hal Weatherman’s departure from Rep. Sue Myrick’s staff is taken by many insiders to be a signal that this is Myrick’s final term in office. Weatherman for several years had been rumored to be in the mix for local elective office — possibly Charlotte city council — and from there he could run for Myrick’s seat as she departed. But now with Charlotte having to turned a solid cobalt blue, running locally as a Republican might seem too daunting. In any event, Weatherman is off to Pensacola to fight the Muslims.
Another potential Myrick successor — the front-runner perhaps — is former sheriff and current county commissioner Jim Pendergraph. Pendergraph was the one guy who could have gone on the warpath over Jones’ poor judgment, but did not. Perhaps a calculation that given that the five Democrats on the commission would never fire Jones, it was just not worth the political upset an anti-Jones crusade would cause, at least not with a potential safe House seat opening up and in need of some prep work.
But first — we need some indication from Myrick herself that she indeed does intend to retire. Otherwise, it is all just speculation.
