Charloot's Clown Car Rolls On

Yesterday Johnny Jennings notched a small victory with the clown posse turning out to voice their support for the embattled police chief and the mayor tearfully offering a public apology.

You couldn't make this up if you tried. 

The police chief is apparently butt hurt over some mean tweets and rather than fill out a hurt feelings report and moving on, the leader of Charlotte's thin blue line calls Charlotte City Council and threatens to sue the city, which results in a full blown cryfest with more hugging than a Down Syndrome Convention. 

So what horrible insults to Jennings manhood were said, did the former council member disparage the man's mother? Perhaps liabled and slandered the man? Were the text messages racist? Spiteful? Threatened his wife and children with violence and physical harm? 

How bad are they? What could someone say that would cause City Council to vote to pay this innocent man a reported $300,000.00? 

The back story from a local news station without the endless popups that make the dozen or so text messages unreadable:

The day before the first message was sent, Jennings and Bokhari met, and there was an impasse on this issue.

The contentious messages started the morning of the budget straw votes on May 30.

Bokhari texted Jennings:

“I just want to reiterate. Whatever happens from this point forward is not personal.”

Jennings responded:

“That can be a fine line. As long as you stick to that, we’re fine. Just know that I don’t plan on sitting on my hands either. Hopefully, you will reconsider this and let me make the decisions for my agency.”

Bokhari replied:

“I love you dearly as a friend, and always will, but we are locked in on this path now. I hate this so much but tried everything I could think of to make another path. I’ll pray for you and the dept.”

Jennings then said:

“Not sure of your plan, but it sounds like you’re getting ready to get personal. I hope what you are getting ready to do is worth it for you. It’s a shame that you would resort to this because we disagree on the topic. I would never do that to you.”

The last message that day was this one from Bokhari:

“I promise you I am very good at separating personal versus business. But when I call out why something I believe should happen isn’t happening- why it’s stuck- that points to you and I have to call that out. That is NOT personal, though, that’s business. If I said you just don’t care about the morale implications of this decision, that would be personal, which I have no intention of doing.”

Jennings did not respond.

Later that night, Bokhari launched his campaign to get outer carrier vests for officers.

“I am doubling down on my commitment to find the half a million dollar one time investment from other sources in the city budget and will be applying maximum pressure to enable our rank and file officers to wear them when they are out protecting us,” Councilman Bokhari said in May 30th budget meeting.

Bokhari would go on to launch a website and petition about the issue. It was updated throughout the summer.

On June 14, CMPD released a statement from Jennings explaining his position on the outer carrier vests.

“The outer vest has a military-style appearance that contradicts the community-oriented policing philosophy I have championed for years,” he said.

Bokhari texted Jennings a couple of weeks later on July 6. This was their first message since Bokhari’s campaign started. 

“You’ve made a terrible error in judgment, my friend. I hate what comes next.”

Jennings didn’t respond, but an hour later, Bokhari sent him this message: 

“As your friend, I want you to know what happens next: I’ll be demanding your resignation starting Monday. I’ll be hammering you from the press, the private sector, the foundations, the General Assembly, Congress, and several high-profile national organizations. I’ll put maximum pressure on the city manager to fire you from all those angles as well. I may not ultimately win - but I will not stop and it will cripple your legacy you’ve worked so hard for. Just a final bit of food for thought. You have 36 hours to call it all off by compromising in some small way. Otherwise, it’s in God’s hands. I want you to know I still have a lot of love for you as a friend. But this is much more important than any of that. I’ve given you several weeks while I’ve been restrained going only 10%. That’s all over starting Monday morning unless you start seeing the light and being reasonable to find middle ground for the rank and file, you have a sacred responsibility to support. As I said - I may not win - but I was blessed with a set of skills that I can promise you will be very uncomfortable to experience. This will be my last communication.”

Jennings didn’t respond.

Bokhari’s petition gathered thousands of signatures and on the Aug. 1, the chief changed his tune.

CMPD HR sent an email saying all officers now have the option to wear outer carrier vests as a preventive health measure.

The move was celebrated by Bokhari and the Fraternal Order of Police, which supported the former councilman’s efforts.

Bokhari sent one more message on Aug. 5.

“Thank you for allowing more access to vests. I know this was a difficult decision but it means a lot.”

Jennings gave a thumbs-up to the message.