Charlotte Councilman Accused of Sex Harassment, Anti Gay Remarks

Five female city employees told investigators that Charlotte City Council Member Warren Turner (D) made numerous sexually inappropriate comments to them, according to a report released Monday night at a special city council meeting. Turner, who has represented west Charlotte since 2003,  is also a state probation officer and has been accused of sexual harassment at the N.C. Department of Correction and the Charlotte Police Academy, where he was sacked, reports the News & Observer.

Turner asked employees and even a fellow council member if an employee was a lesbian, qNotes reports.

"Turner was introduced to the employee’s fiancé. 'The guy you introduced me to, did you say he was your fiancé,' Turner asked. 'I need to know who would want to marry you! He needs to come and talk to me so I can give him advice on how to deal with you.' Council Member Turner further stated that he later spoke with Council Member Mitchell after that evening and told Council Member Mitchell he had been surprised to learn that Employee A had a fiancé because he thought that she was ‘gay,' the report reads. “Council Member Mitchell confirmed Council Member Turner called him on the telephone following a town meeting and said he was surprised to learn Employee A had a fiancé. Council Member Mitchell also recalls that Council Member Turner said: ‘I thought she was a lesbian.' "

Warren is accused of touching several women, making explicit pornographic remarks and repeated sexual suggestions. There is also this interesting exchange where Warren favorably compares himself to abtastic actor and model Shemar Moore, whom he dismisses as not being a "real man":

"The staff member who said Turner grabbed at her clothing also said Turner made other unwelcome comments. In February 2008, the staff member said Turner stopped in her office. He asked the staff member about a mug on her desk that had a photo of the actor Shemar Moore. Turner asked whose photo was on the mug, and the employee said, 'That's my motivation!' Turner then said, according to the employee, 'You don't need that, I should be your motivation. You need a real man to be your motivation!' "

Charlotte's policy against sexual harassment does not apply to elected officials, which means Turner can't be removed from office or suspended.

And this from qNotes: "In his 2009 re-election bid, Turner failed to return a candidate questionnaire from the Mecklenburg Gay and Lesbian Political Action Committee (MeckPAC). The organization did not endorse him."

Comments

[Derrick from Philly]

He compared himself to Shemar Moore? Mental illness can be annoying to others if you don't keep it yourself.

[Jim]

Now THAT’S a real man.

And that’s why we all need to be SAVED from real men.

It is real men who can convince themselves of anything, now matter how remote that thing is from reality, such as:

• They are irresistibly desirable.
• God has given them the right to enforce their wills on everyone around them.
• Their heterosexuality puts them on the side of the angels.

To name just a few.

[Ravenback]

@ Jim

And they think that all gay men want them. Even with the pot belly and all...

[Isis]

This man should package his act and take it to Broadway, because I LOL'd! Shemar Moore..... PLEASE!! It gets funnier everytime I read it!

[Account Deleted]

A proud, heterosexual, Christian, strong, Black man.....