Warren Turner

Warren Turner, the defeated Charlotte City Council member in District 3, called it “shameful” the way an outside group from Raleigh sent out last-minute attack ads questioning his integrity.

The Charlotte Observer traced the fliers to a group called Common Sense Matters, which was formed two weeks ago by a Raleigh businessman prominent in the gay community.

Turner lost his seat in Tuesday’s Democratic primary to a LaWana Mayfield, who is openly gay.

LaWana Mayfield

Mayfield has distanced herself from the glossy fliers with the headline “Warren Turner’s Baggage.”

Turner, an eight-year incumbent and former probation officer, has faced allegation that he displayed a gun in a menacing way to a private contractor and made unwanted advances to several female city employees.

In each case, he denied wrongdoing.

The group spent $14,227 on the mailings, according to documents filed with the state elections board, the Observer reported.

"It's shameful," Turner was quoted as saying. "That's all I'm going to say."

If Mayfield beats Republican Ed Toney this fall, she would be the city's first openly gay elected official.

Read more at CharlotteObserver.com.

Sign up for our Weekly Email Newsletter Email: For Email Marketing you can trust

Other Ways to Share Twitter Del.icio.us MySpace

Discussions and Submission Agreement