Misrepresentation of public funds, bribery, sexual harassment and physical assault are among the allegations being made by a Johnston County School Board member who now says he will hand over evidence to state investigators.
Ronald Johnson, who last month failed in his bid to take over chairmanship of the board, made the claims in a video interview with the JoCo Report. Johnson, who has threatened for some months to reveal evidence of myriad misdoings surrounding the school district, said he will provide recordings, emails and text messages to the State Bureau of Investigation.
“I believe that a board member has engaged in a conflict of interest and it was reported to me by employees that this happened," Johnson said in the interview that aired Thursday. "I believe that school system employees have lied to cover this up.”
School board members, who voted 5-2 to elect Todd Sutton as chairman at a December meeting, have repeatedly stated that Johnson has provided no evidence to back up his allegations.
"We support total transparency in all that we do,” Sutton said at the board meeting, as reported by the Johnstonian News. “There has been no specific information or evidence provided in relation to corrupt, deceptive, unethical or illegal behavior."
The board also heard that Sutton and former chairman Mike Wooten met on Dec. 3 with District Attorney Susan Doyle. Doyle told them she would not ask for a state investigation without some evidence, which no one has produced.
According to the Johnstonian News, Johnson said he would hand over evidence to authorities on Dec. 27.
“I stand by my comments," Johnson said in the interview. "Time will be the telling factor in this endeavor."
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