Councilman calls investigation “a conspiracy”; Report to be released to public

Moments after shouting prompted a city police officer to peer through the windows into the Goldsboro City Council’s closed session Monday evening, the board invited the crowd back into its pre-meeting work session.

And while his voice was far quieter than it had been earlier, District 1 Councilman Antonio Williams delivered more fireworks — telling Mayor Chuck Allen, “you don’t have any integrity,” and characterizing the investigation of him by the council “illegal,” “unethical,” and “a conspiracy.”

“The truth is out there. The truth is out there. Everything else is false. The truth is on the internet. The truth is on recordings. The truth is (in) paperwork,” Williams said. “You want the truth? Search it out. It’s in emails. … I don’t email this woman. I don’t contact her. I don’t interact with her. I don’t have a personal relationship with her. This is all on city business. This has nothing to do with anything else.”

Residents will soon get a chance to decide for themselves, as the council voted to release a redacted version of the investigation report — a move that comes on the heels of community relations director Shycole Simpson-Carter waving her right to confidentiality, as provided under personnel law, to allow the investigation to go public.

“She signed that authorization,” City Attorney Ron Lawrence said.

The Williams saga dates back to the fall when Simpson-Carter accused the councilman of verbally abusing her during a GATEWAY meeting. She would later seek a restraining order — a measure that ultimately failed.

A censure of Williams by the council would, however, prevent him from accessing her workspace.

During the council’s May 20 board meeting, local NAACP president Sylvia Barnes said her organization would be keeping an eye on — and opening an investigation into — the Williams case to ensure the board’s actions against the District 1 representative were not racially motivated.

And during the public comment period held during the board’s 7 p.m. meeting Monday, several residents spoke in support of Williams.

“When you take away his voice, you’re taking away our voice.”

“Stay off of that man’s back.”

“It should be over and it should have been over once a judge … found that the plaintiff did not have enough evidence to stake her claim. So I’m still not sure why this council feels that you should keep pushing this.”

For more on this story as it develops, and to view the complete investigation report when it is released, follow the New Old North.

This story was edited to correct an error. Williams’ censure hearing is scheduled for later this month.