An embattled Carla Cunningham makes curious accusations against Mecklenburg sheriff | Opinion
Deputy Opinion Editor Paige Masten is covering the 2026 election for The Charlotte Observer and the Raleigh News & Observer.
In an unusual clash between two embattled politicians, North Carolina Rep. Carla Cunningham has joined a petition attempting to remove Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden from office.
The filing alleges McFadden threatened Cunningham last year as she was facing criticism for supporting a controversial immigration enforcement bill, which McFadden vocally opposed. Cunningham ultimately voted to override Gov. Josh Stein’s veto of that bill, and she drew sharp criticism for a floor speech in which she claimed immigration is “destabilizing our communities” and that “all cultures are not equal.”
According to the petition, Cunningham feared for her safety after a conversation with McFadden in which the sheriff said the people of Mecklenburg County would “come after” her if she voted to override the governor’s veto. The filing says that, “based on McFadden’s tone and manner of delivery,” Cunningham believed he was referring to physical harm and not political opposition.
The filing also claims McFadden told Cunningham “I don’t want to see you get hurt; you live in my county,” which Cunningham understood to be “a threat by McFadden to either physically harm her, or to withdraw or refuse her any protection from members of the public who would physically harm her.” The filing compares McFadden’s comment to that of a mafia boss. McFadden’s comments constituted extortion, bribery and corruption by threatening the withdrawal of law enforcement protection to influence Cunningham’s vote, the petition claims. Under state law, a judge can remove a sheriff from office if at least five voters petition for a hearing on the grounds of neglect, misconduct, corruption or extortion.
But Cunningham’s accusations are the least compelling part of the petition. The other four voters responsible for the petition are three former Sheriff’s Office employees, as well as Chief Deputy Kevin Canty, who accused McFadden of verbal abuse, racism and other misconduct when he resigned in 2024. They accuse McFadden of mismanaging his department and misusing its resources, among other allegations.
Both Cunningham and McFadden are running for reelection this year and will face competitive Democratic primaries in March. Cunningham, for her part, seems to be feeling the pressure. She posted a video her campaign website Sunday apologizing for her remarks on immigration, which she said were influenced by the “intimidation and bullying” she received prior to the vote. It’s the second time in the past month that she has tried to publicly walk back her comments, which she had previously defended. Meanwhile, Stein announced his endorsement of Charlotte pastor Rodley Sadler, one of Cunningham’s primary challengers, Monday, saying “the people of North Charlotte deserve a representative who will fight for Democratic values.”
Which is why the timing of the petition — and Cunningham’s participation in it — raises questions. It has all the makings of a beleaguered state representative searching for a distraction. It’s been nearly six months since the vote — and McFadden’s alleged threats — took place. Why is Cunningham just now choosing to come forward about it, less than two months before an election? Did she attempt to contact the authorities about this potentially illegal act when it happened? If not, why? Does she have any proof beyond her own recollection? Intent is notoriously difficult to prove, so how can she be certain McFadden’s comments were meant as a threat, and not simply a well-intended warning?
Cunningham’s flimsier allegations cheapen the more serious concerns found elsewhere in the petition, and they risk tainting what could be an otherwise legitimate grievance. The allegations by McFadden’s previous employees may not yield any comparisons to a mafia boss, but they do describe a sheriff who frequently disregards official policy, threatens retaliation against detention officers who report being assaulted by inmates and weaponizes the department’s internal affairs division against employees he doesn’t like. They also describe patterns of misconduct that, when taken together, create unsafe conditions for inmates and detention officers.
McFadden has been a troubling sheriff for many reasons, many of which are detailed in this very petition. Some of those allegations may in fact be grounds for removal, if a judge deems it so. But those allegations must also be provable and apolitical. It’s up to Cunningham to show that hers are, as well.
This story was originally published January 5, 2026 at 3:31 PM with the headline "An embattled Carla Cunningham makes curious accusations against Mecklenburg sheriff | Opinion."
