Well, well. As expected the Uptown paper of record has dropped the matter of County Manager Harry Jones, Bank of America lobbyist Betty Turner, and probably BAC North Carolina market head Charles Bowman coming down on BAC employee Harry Lomax for daring to question the county’s financial oversight of DSS charitable dollars. But not WFAE.

The radio station has obtained and posted a copy of the email exchange between Jones, Turner, and Lomax — an inexplicable hole left by Sunday’s UPoR account which did not post the exchange. From the original emails it is obvious that Lomax stung Jones with cogent criticism of DSS and that Lomax did not — in any way — imply that he was acting in any official BAC capacity.

Still Turner reacts thusly when Jones forwards her Lomax’s email, with info omitted by previous UPoR accounts emphasized: “I am embarrassed by his comments, his tone and doing this. I am tracking it down. I don’t know him – I have alerted charles. Will be back to you.”

Clearly Turner is telling Jones that Lomax was not “cleared” by BAC to speak on this topic. Fascinating.

But then there is the attempt by WFAE get Jones to comment on this situation, something UPoR left at Jones not responding to interview requests. Check out this definition of a cover-up:

Commission Chair Jennifer Roberts says she doesn’t see malicious motives in Jones’ e-mail.

“I didn’t read anything into it. I have not asked Harry what his personal intention was. You’ll have to ask him that.”

We did ask Harry Jones. He refused to answer.

WFAE received this response from county public information officer Danny Diehl.

“At this time, Harry Jones declines to comment to your questions regarding the email.”

We then asked why Mr. Jones declined to comment.

“Because he does not want to at this time,” Diehl said by e-mail.

Guess that settles it then.

Update: Now Jones tells the UPoR that he has “apologized” for his actions but there was no “malicious intent.” If so, why apologize? What would be malicious intent — forwarding the email to a hitman? Betty Turner’s response — “I have alerted charles” tells us all we need to know about intent.