Durham mayor reveals name of developer who accused council member of extortion

The name of the developer who accused a Durham City Councilor of an extortion attempt was revealed at Monday night's City Council meeting.

Edens Investments President Jarrod Edens' project come before the Durham elected officials again after the annexation request was previously denied.

At a Durham City Council work session in late March, it was revealed that City Council Member Monique Holsey-Hyman was accused of offering a developer support for a project if that developer donated to her campaign.

During Monday night's meeting, Mayor Elaine O'Neal introduced the agenda item for the Carpenter Preserve Consolidated Annexation by reading through multiple e-mails about recusal.

According to the emails read by the Mayor, Council Member Holsey-Hyman reached out to the City Attorney about Edens' project coming up on the agenda, and clarification on the difference between resubmittals for annexation and rezoning.

Edens told WRAL News he had no comment on the matter.

The Mayor said she reached out to the FBI to inform them that the item was coming back before Council.

"The FBI told me that their investigation is continuing, and they would not have a say - could not have a say, in the ongoing business of the city," she said.

O'Neal said she then reached out to Professor Joyce at UNC's Institute of Government on recusal processes for Council Member Holsey-Hyman.

"I do not believe that the developer has been publicly named, but his name seems to be an open secret among certain community members," she said of Edens in her e-mail to Joyce.

O'Neal then read an email from City Attorney Kim Rehberg sent on May 9 about the recusal processes for Holsey-Hyman.

That email read:

"It is the responsibility and legal and ethical obligation of individual council members to assess whether they have a conflict of interest that necessities their recusal from exercising official duties. in this instance, Council Member Holsey-Hyman is in the best position to assess if voting on the agenda item brought by the developer who alleged misconduct in March is 'reasonably likely to have a direct, substantial, and readily identifiable financial impact on her.'"

After O'Neal read the emails, City staff provided a report about the development, and Edens spoke to Council.

"I want to focus on the project this evening," he said at the meeting. "I want to talk about the project. I never requested, I think I've been up here for 20, 25 years - never requested any members not vote or anything, never had that issue come up, and I welcome the full council's attention this evening as I focus on the project."

Public comment lasted for about 30 minutes, and then Council discussed the issue.

Council Member Holsey-Hyman did not recuse herself from the vote.

Mayor Elaine O'Neal, Council Member DeDreanna Freeman, and Holsey-Hyman voted against the annexation of the project. It passed 4 to 3.

Edens' Carpenter Preserve project would be annexed into the City of Durham effective June 30.