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Cooper Rescinds Elections Board Appointment Following Misconduct Allegations

(AP Photo/David Goldman)

Governor Roy Cooper has rescinded a state elections board appointment after allegations of abusive behavior surfaced. 

On Tuesday, Cooper named Republican James “Carr” McLamb Jr. to the elections board, one of two GOP replacements for members who had resigned in protest of absentee ballot rules they had signed off on.   

But McLamb's former girlfriend has since gone public with allegations that he was sexually and emotionally abusive during their relationship.  

The woman, who has not been identified, told The News & Observer that she called the governor's office with her concerns on Friday in hopes the decision would be blocked. She said she contacted the newspaper after being told the appointment was moving forward. 

She also permitted the release of an Instagram post detailing alleged abuse. The post referred to a videotaped sexual encounter she did not consent to, and an incident when she was pinned against a wall while McLamb threatened to derail her career.

McLamb has released a statement vehemently denying the accusations.

On Wednesday, Cooper spokesperson Ford Porter confirmed in an email that an “unnamed individual” contacted the office to report her concerns, and that the appointment had been rescinded.  

Neal Charnoff joined 88.5 WFDD as Morning Edition host in 2014. Raised in the Catskill region of upstate New York, he graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1983. Armed with a liberal arts degree, Neal was fully equipped to be a waiter. So he prolonged his arrested development bouncing around New York and L.A. until discovering that people enjoyed listening to his voice on the radio. After a few years doing overnight shifts at a local rock station, Neal spent most of his career at Vermont Public Radio. He began as host of a nightly jazz program, where he was proud to interview many of his idols, including Dave Brubeck and Sonny Rollins. Neal graduated to the news department, where he was the local host for NPR's All Things Considered for 14 years. In addition to news interviews and features, he originated and produced the Weekly Conversation On The Arts, as well as VPR Backstage, which profiled theater productions around the state. He contributed several stories to NPR, including coverage of a devastating ice storm. Neal now sees the value of that liberal arts degree, and approaches life with the knowledge that all subjects and all art forms are connected to each other. Neal and his wife Judy are enjoying exploring North Carolina and points south. They would both be happy to never experience a Vermont winter again.

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