Charlotte Dem indicted for fraud sends out fraudulent press release (06-12-2025--Hour2)

What's going on. Thank you so much for listening to this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon to three on WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you want exclusive content like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, my daily show prep with all the links, become a patron, go to thepeteclendershow dot com. Make sure you hit the subscribe button, get every episode for free, write to your smartphone or tablet, and again, thank you so much for your support. Alrighty, so it's been about a week I think, maybe a little bit longer since we talked about Tijuana. Not the city, not the shows. No, no, about Tiajuana Brown, the indicted Charlotte City council member, Tijajuanna Brown. She's made news again. Not for the indictment. It's nothing new on the indictment. She is still indicted, don't get me wrong. She is still under federal indictment for fraud along with her two adult daughters. But that's not what she has made news for now. Now she has made news because she is not going to run for reelection. Psych she is going to run for reelection. Hah, That's all part of her plan. You see. She's on a mole hunt. Yeah, she's looking for a leaker. And so she drafted an entire statement about how she was not going to run for reelection after telling everybody that she was going to run for reelection. She said it at her press conference, which was an absolute train wreck. She said it after her court appearance in federal court where she was you know, had to go in because she got indicted. Right, So on her way out, she's walking to the car and she's like, I'm not going to resign. I'm going to run for reelection. Almost I got more of votes or whatever. I carried every precinct. It's a Democrat stronghold. Of course you're going to carry every precinct. So she drafts this letter, this press release, I should say, it's a press release, Hello family, colleagues, constituents, and okay, you've got to add some commas, and I know you know how to do that, because you put a comma after hello and after family. But then she just abandons the comma for colleagues, constituents, and faithful supporters of District three. It is with a humble and heavy heart that I share this message with you today on Thursday, May twenty first, my life changed forever. After much prayer, reflection, and deep conversations with my family, I have made the difficult decision not to seek reelection. Psych she's totally not seeking reelection. She doesn't say that right, but the statement like. This is a very lengthy statement. You don't draft this statement unless you have it drafted in order to send out, in order to say you're not running for reelection, she says. The past three weeks have been overwhelmingly painful for me, for my family, and for those who love and support me. The media, smear campaigns, the hate, the silence of some I once called friends. Would that be your colleagues on city council that you said totally supported you, but so far nobody has come out and support of you. Would that be the people you're talking about. I don't know. All of it has been a storm, she says, But through it all, we stood, we survived, we fought. Yeah, I don't think the storm is over. I kind of feel like it's just beginning for you, Like you just did a first appearance in federal court. Like you haven't even gone you haven't even gone to trial. You're not even you're not even close to that yet like you're not through this storm. So I don't know why you're saying that, like we stood, we survived. I mean, I guess maybe if you want to say, all right, I survived the first battle in this war, and so now you live to fight another day. Okay, Fine. She goes on to say, if there's one thing you know about the woman you elected, it's this. I am a truth teller, except on federal forms when I'm asking for money, and a fierce defender of justice, except if it's coming at me. I have never backed down from a fight rooted in love and truth. Always the hero or the victim, never the villain. Right, is this a fight rooted in love? You lied allegedly on applications to get federal money, federal COVID dollars. You submitted allegedly as part of your application a fake IRS form, a scheduled see form, and so did your daughters same form. So I'm not sure this is a fight rooted in love. You know, I kind of feel like I'm playing left wing mad libs where you just you know, got a whole bunch of blanks, and you know, give me a noun, give me this, give me that, and the left. He just throws in all of the words like the work, you know, love, struggle, whatever. But this fight, she says, is rooted in love and truth. She says, I was born into struggle and I have risen through it again and again got it. Look, hey, it got her to where she is now, right, This this this personal origin story of how you know, she had a very difficult upbringing and she got. She got hooked up with the. Wrong guy and was involved in all of this fraudulent activity, got arrested and sentenced to prison, and then had her first or had eight child. She was pregnant at the time when she went to prison, so had the child in prison. Like, but now she's you know, out of prison, and I've turned my life around. And that was her origin story. That was her compelling narrative, and that propelled her to the city council despite a lack of any relevant experience. That's what got her elected was look at me, I went to prison for fraud and then lo and behold. A couple of years later, we find out she's accused of more fraud. If only there was a sign, right, if only, she says, it's easy for people to pass judgment when they don't understand how the criminal legal system works. That's exactly why I've chosen to live my life as an open book, and why I've just well, you really don't have a choice. You really don't because everything is public records. You don't have a choice but to live with this story. You can't deny it because there are public records, right, so you have to lean into it at any rate, She says, why I've dedicated myself to fighting against a system that was never designed for us. Who's us? Uh? Race card in coming everybody? Yeah, systemically racist? Like she didn't do the things that she did. That that's what I'm to believe that she was convicted for that. She wasn't stealing people's identity and credit cards or whatever all those years ago, committing all of that fraud. She's the victim and the hero. As of now, she says, two individuals, mister Montravious King and miss Joy Mayo are seeking that. Well, you know who I'm back in that race, Mayo obviously. I mean, come on, I am a fan of Mayo. I can't I cannot deny that. So these are the two announced candidates, She says, I want to be clear. Ugh, there's that crutch again. Then may be clear. I will not be endorsing anyone in this race. I will stay in the seat that you put me in until my term ends in December twenty twenty five. Many of you have sent cards, flowers, messages, and made personal visits encouraging me to run again. Please know this decision was not made lightly. I carry your love with me as I take the next steps through jury selection. I look forward to what the future holds. I will remain present, active, and deeply rooted in the community that raised and supported me. I am committed to continuing to serve, to heal, and to walk through this legal battle with my head held high and my faith unwavering. All my life I've had to fight, and when we fight, we win. It's a total ripoff of Kamala Harris until the next chapter. Thank you from the bottom of my heart with love and patience. Councilwoman, doctor, she's a doctor? When did she get. Wait a minute, what kind of doctor? Is this one of like those? I guess you a medical doctor? I don't think so. Is she one of the like like a like a doctor? Jill doctor? I wasn't aware of that. Maybe she did get a PhD somewhere or is this one of those honorifics, the kind that doctor vill Ma Leek was awarded without actually doing anything to get said honorific. That was a big scandal about twenty years ago. Vilmalik, County Commissioner, when she was on the school board, was always referred to as doctor Vilma Leik, not a doctor in any way, not a medical doctor, not a PhD doctor, nothing. It was an yeah, she like went to some like I don't know, strip mall kind of storefront thing or something, and they gave her some honorific and she called herself doctor and CMS called her doctor Leak for years for years until we were like, hey, well what's her doctorate in? And nobody could answer it. And then all of a sudden it became this huge scandal. CMS scrubbed its website and I'll never forget doctor Wilhelmina Rembert, and she has a doctorate. She was the school board chair maybe I think at the time she became chair, but I don't know if she was chair at that. She made an vice chair at that time. And doctor Rembert said, it's not a big deal. She's not offended by it. She you know, has a doctorate and Vilma didn't. But she didn't mind that Vilma was called doctor because it's a term of endearment in the black community. She said, So that's is that? What this is? I don't know, Like I'm genuinely curious. What did she do to earn a title of doctor? Tiyojana Brown? All right, so there's the statement. But psych it's a lie, a fraud, you might say, but it's serving a larger purpose like increasing her bank account. No, I'm kidding, but it serves a larger purpose. What's the larger purpose, glad you asked? All right, if you're listening to this show, you know I try to keep up with all sorts of current events, and I know you do too, And you've probably heard me say get your news from multiple sources. Why. Well, because it's how you detect media bias, which is why I've been so impressed with ground News. It's an app and it's a website and it combines news from around the world in one place, so you can compare coverage and verify information. You can check it out at check dot ground dot news slash Pete I put the link in the podcast description too. I started using ground News a few months ago and more recently chose to work with them as an affiliate because it lets me see clearly how stories get covered and by whom. The blind spot feature shows you which stories get ignored by the left and the right. See for yourself. Check dot ground, dot news slash pete. Subscribe through that link and you'll get fifteen percent off any subscription. I use the Vantage plan to get unlimited access to every feature. Your subscription then not only helps my podcast, but it also supports ground News as they make the media landscape more transparent. She so, she has this press release drafted, sounds like she wrote it herself, Does it not? Does to me? Very lengthy press release about how she will serve out the remainder of her term. But she's not going to run for reelection again, not going to make any endorsements, and so obviously then news media starts calling up, like you're not running for reelection, can you, you know, do an interview? She says, though, that a former campaign staffer linked that press release and that this was done intentionally buy Tiyawana Brown in order to smoke out a rat Yeah, she's on a rat hunt, uh huh, or mole hunt or a leaker hunt. Right, She's she's seeking the leaking, much like the City of Charlotte is. I don't know why are they doing that? They said they were gonna do that. City of Charlotte very interested to find who's been leaking information out of their closed sessions when they've been paying out a bunch of money to the police chief. Right, how dare you inform the public about this three hundred five thousand dollars payoff to the chief? So they're they're on their own, uh leaker seeking mission. So she decided to do one herself. So she wrote up a fake press release and then she handed it off or I guess emailed it to one of her campaign staffers who this may be relevant or not, but I think it is. This campaign staffer has in the past for Tijuana Brown, sent out press releases for Tijuana Brown. So right, So Tioana Brown gives the press release to one of her trusted staffers, who then sends it out to the media as she has done with other things. And Aha, busted, You're a disloyal laker. Brown represents West Charlotte's District three and faces wirefraud charges. She has said that she still plans to run. The email quote should have never been released. Brown said she promised to tell the media if she changes her election plans. How will we know if it's true? Now, I can't trust anything that comes out of her office, her campaign. Now, why would any media trust anything that comes from anybody associated with the with the Brown campaign? This is so stupid. Why would you do this? Oh? I had to find out who's leaking what. Oh. I have been following the details of this story. I'd like to think pretty closely. I mean, it's not my beat. I'm not a reporter covering like every single aspect of it. But I feel like I have been aggregating a lot of the coverage over the last few weeks since she got indicted. Everything that the media has reported has been public information. I'm not aware of anything in any of the stories. I have the whole stack here. I've got all of the coverage right here, you can look. I mean, it's like, I don't know a quarter of an inch thick. It's a bunch of stuff. It's my file that I started on her when all of this stuff first popped There isn't anything in there that's like a leak. This stuff came off of your Instagram. You posted the photos of your birthday party with the horse drawn carriage the throne. The indictment made all of the allegations public. Nobody broke open this story. You did a press conference, so I'm unclear what the leaking is. But then again, not my beat. So maybe there is some leaking going on, or she's just paranoid about it, which I think that might be it. So she writes up this press release, gives it to a person that has worked for her in the past and still apparently is a supporter, and that person's job was to give stuff to the media, was to issue the press releases. And so now Tijuana Brown says it never should have been released. The email was only sent to Collette Forrest, a former campaign consultant. Quote, she leaked it. You have my permission to print this. Clearly, I don't need your permission to print something that you tell me unless I just so. I don't think she understands. She may claim to know how all of the criminal justice system works, but I'm actually kind of doubt that now with her indictment and all. But you do not understand how media works. If you think you can say, oh, she leaked it, and you have my permission to print that. No, no, no, no, you said it, I can print it, she says, clearly, I cannot trust her. She's the only person I sent that email to. Forrest told the Observer that she's worked on Brown's previous campaigns and that the council member sent her emails before to be shared with the media and her voter database. Here's a great idea. How about making an escape to a really special and secluded getaway in western North Carolina. Just a quick drive up the mountain and Cabins of Asheville is your connection. Whether you're celebrating an anniversary, a honeymoon, maybe you want to plan a memorable proposal, or get family and friends together for a big old reunion, Cabins of Asheville has the ideal spot for you where you can reconnect with your loved ones and the things that truly matter. Nestled within the breath taking fourteen thousand acres of the Pisga National Forest, their cabins offer a serene escape in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Centrally located between Ashville and the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. 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She's the only person that I sent the email to Forest. For her part, told the Charlotte Observer that she had worked on Brown's campaigns and that the council member would send her emails in the past to share with the media. That was her job. So when she got the announcement, she sent it and she said that she was heartbroken and hurt and saddened that Tijanna Brown was not running. After she saw the email on Tuesday and mentioned her feelings during a conversation with a reporter about Monday nights council meeting, I later on find out that she was testing me, and I'm like, am I a labrat? Forrest said she's perplexed by the situation. I had no idea that this was a fake. News email, which is exact exactly what a leaker would say. Mmm. So, this to me quite clearly illustrates things are not going well in Tijuana Land, in the Brown land, well in whatever well that's or Tijuana World, that's what they call it, Like in the campaign world, you know, like in Biden world or in Trump world. In so in Brown, in Brown world or Tijuana I like Tijuana world. It just flows better. Things are not going well in Tijuana world. It is obviously a siege mentality that has gripped that operation. However many people are in it, I'm assuming not many. It is just the Charlotte City Council race, to be sure. But this is indicative of a paranoia and a siege, a bunker mentality. She's lashing out. She doesn't know who's with me, who are my who are my loyal friends? And who's you know, who's Lencoln? Who's telling people's stuff? Everyone's out to get me. This is not healthy, not healthy. This political post might not be the best for her, and if the I guess federal prosecutor has anything to say about it, she won't be in it for much longer. Now. She was indicted on federal wire fraud and wirefraud conspiracy charges. She and her grown daughters all pleaded not guilty at their first court appearance. So that's the Charlotte Observer. Over at WBTV, a piece by David Hodges and Cassidy john Cox, an apparent press release was forwarded to WBTV on Wednesday, June eleventh that appeared to originate from council Member Brown herself. According to Brown, the email announcement forwarded out this week was part of her effort to catch a mo mole inside her circle of trust. The email saying Brown was not running for reelection was apparently drafted by Brown and shared with Koleette Forrest, Brown's former campaign volunteer and communications staffer. I sent her the email to see if she would leak it, and she did, Like why would you? I'm just thinking you could have gotten to this same you know, conclusion in your mole hunt by doing by sending something different, right, creating some sort of a rumor, or like saying something to her that so like, you didn't have to draft this very long news release because it's a news release. It reads like a news release and everything else. If you're trying to smoke out a leaker, you would want it to be something that's particularly juicy and untrue. Right, here's the thing. We don't know if this press release is untrue because when you wrote it all up, and maybe you're you had to write it up anyway just in case you do need to resign. Maybe you wrote it up at a point where you thought you would resign, but then you were like, no, no, no, I'm not going to resign. I'll just you know, like abe Lincoln would write letters to his enemies, and he would just put him in a drawer and then never send them. Maybe that's what she was doing. I don't know. A student of history, maybe she is. Why not just come up with something shorter, something salacious, that then you could easily knock down and then turn people against Koaled forst because like, honestly, I don't believe the councilwoman. Why should I. She's been indicted for fraud and she served time for fraud. Like, it's not that big of a stretch to think that this might be a fraud, and in fact it is a fraud. She said it was a fraudulent press release that she gave to her campaign staffer to smoke out the leaguer. Why not just say you're no longer part of a team, which I don't even know if she is, if call At Forrest is part of the team. The reelection announcement, which Brown has since said was an attempt to try to identify a leaker, does not include any note or message that the document was meant to be kept secret. Oh well, that's a problem when you draft a press release and give it to your comms staffer without saying something like keep this to yourself for now, like embargo this just just in case. Here it is, but don't send this out like you didn't even tell her that. So if you give your comms person a press release, you should expect them to release it. It's kind of part of the gig. Former campaign staffer Forrest spoke with the WBTV and confirmed that she did send the email to local news stations. Forrest said she was shocked and saidened after receiving the email about Brown from Brown, and that she viewed it like many other news announcements that she sends to local reporters. Yeah, I get stuff from her. Forrest said she has sent several emails on behalf of Council Member Brown to Charlotte media members to promote events or speaking engagements for Brown. For Brown, So the leaker basically is your comms gal who you used to send press releases just like this one. As far as as far as mole hunts go, as far as rat hunts go, this is not the most well constructed one I've ever heard, But then again, it does seem to be kind of a similar pattern with the you know, the level of complexity and thought paid to the application for the COVID loans that she got indicted for. It does seem to be kind of like that, like she's like, Oh, I'm so smart, I found a way around this. It's like, yeah, no, that's not actually the best way to go about doing that. So anyway, I guess Colette Forrest is off the campaign if she wasn't d already, and Tijuana Brown will continue to run for office unless she does it, which at this point who knows. All right, So spring is here a time of renewal and celebrations. You've got graduations, weddings, anniversaries, and the special days for mom and dad. Your family's making memories that are going to last a lifetime. But let me ask you, are all of those treasured moments from days gone by? Are they hidden away on old VCR tapes, eight millimeter films, photos slides? Are they preserved? Because over time, these precious memories can fade and deteriorate, losing the magic of yesterday. At Creative Video, they help you protect what matters most. Their expert team digitizes your cherished family moments and transfers them onto a USB drive, freezing them in time so they can be enjoyed for generations to come. 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And then when you send it to the media, I'm gonna say, Lika, you're the Liaka. I'm glad we could all play a role in this paranoid bunker play. Let me get to some messages here. Jay says, when I lived in San Diego, we called Tijuana tj oh Okay, not gonna call her TJ. Dennis says he's a little concerned over my preference for the candidate Mayo Joy Mayo to replace Tijuana Brown in District three. But I've said, like, I am a fan of Mayo, and I think I just like, for consistency's sake, I would need to I would need to back any candidate really named Mayo. When it comes to Mayo, I hope you catch up on the fact that she's a community activist and what she can cut the mustard as a council woman. I just want to spread my concerns. There no nicely done holding all the So this is from Kevin, who says he's surprised I haven't been accused of being a racist. Actually I have been accused of being a racist for covering the tia Wana Brown story. So Stan says, you misunderstand Pete. When she said her fight is rooted in love, she meant it's rooted in love for money. John says the Tiawana mole sounds like a character from Hannah Barbera. It amazes me that she thinks she is so important that first the federal government indicted her simply to stop her from being a city council woman, and that there's somehow a conspiracy to leak her inner campaign workings. My question is where did the email come from? What email address sented? Was her email or her campaign? It sounds like it came from her, That's what it sounds like. Now. She did hold a town hall a couple of days back, or actually that was she did two of them over the last like two or three weeks. And despite the federal indictment, the constituents who attended the town hall did not show much interest in the indictment at all. Nobody asked her any questions about it. Actually, during the Q and A, most questions focused on Charlotte's growth and public safety down in the Steel Creek division, and one constituent told WBTV that what happens to Brown because of the charges is more concerning than the actual charges. Quote, what happens if we lose her, what happens with her challenges. I think that's a big question, said Patrick Burris. Will someone succeed her with the same ambitions, Well, definitely, same aspirations. Definitely. I think that's what the biggest concern and is at that point. Yeah, here's another idea. Maybe somebody better gets elected. Oh my gosh, these people voters, man, I'll tell you all right. That'll do it for this episode. Thank you so much for listening. I could not do the show without your support and the support of the businesses that advertise on the podcast, so if you'd like, please support them too and tell them you heard it here. You can also become a patron at my Patreon page or go to thepetecleanershow dot com. Again, thank you so much for listening, and don't break anything while I'm gone.