City Council investigator’s final 44-page report available now for download

NC GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
STAFF REPORT

Wednesday, March 29, 2017, 7 p.m. — Investigator Scott Crosbie’s 44-page report is an examination of Mayor John Royalty’s first two years as mayor and paints an picture of a mayor . In addition to the findings Crosbie reviewed Tuesday, the report alleges Royalty, Assistant Police Chief McKenzie Mattingly, and possibly others, were involved in a plan to discredit the mayor’s major critics — Councilwoman Kecia Copeland and Councilman Francis Lydian.

The report offers some new insight into the events that transpired during Royalty’s tenure as mayor as determined by Crosbie’s investigators, Carl Christiansen and Clay Mason, both retired FBI agents.

According to the report, the mayor grew increasingly frustrated with criticism and bad publicity during his term, particularly that associated with the April 2016 police department restructuring, “Trailergate” and subsequent questions about the police department. The report alleges the mayor created a plan to damage Copeland’s credibility and chances for re-election in the November election — which included the creation and delivery of the packets of public record information targeting Copeland and Lydian.

The investigators’ final report is available for download — click here to download it as a pdf file.

Neither the mayor nor his attorney, Jason Floyd of Bardstown, have formally responded to the allegations in the report. A public hearing has been tentatively set for April 12 to determine if the mayor’s actions rise to the level of removal from office.

-30-