Fayetteville City Council members asked one of their own to resign last night. Nine members voted unanimously to approve a letter demanding that Councilman Tyrone Williams step down immediately in the wake of an audio recording in which Williams could be heard seemingly soliciting a bribe from a developer.
The recording has triggered an FBI investigation, and was obtained by the Fayetteville Observer.
"We are responsible for ethically governing the city of Fayetteville and if any one of us makes a decision that violates that ethic or violates the trust of the citizens of this city we as a body have to make the strong decision that we are not OK with that," said Councilwoman Tisha Waddell, during a discussion before last night's vote.
Waddell said the council was not responsible for determining guilt or innocence.
Mayor Pro Tem Theodore Mohn also said the council was not conducting its own independent investigation into Williams's conduct. But Mohn expressed a strong opinion about it.
"The audio sickened me," he said, "and I am asking Council member Williams to resign immediately, strictly based on ethics."
Councilman Williams said he broke no law and would not resign. Instead, he asked for an independent review.
The council did not vote on a process that could lead to Williams's removal.