Charlotte Mayor Resigns Amid Corruption Probe

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Charlotte, North Carolina mayor Patrick Cannon has resigned hours after being charged with federal public corruption and bribery following an FBI sting.

Cannon, 47, is alleged to have accepted $48,000 in bribes from undercover FBI agents. Cannon’s resignation is effective immediately, a city spokesperson told the Associated Press. Cannon said in a letter that he’s resigning because the charges would otherwise create too much of a distraction from the business of running the city, the AP reports.

The U.S. Attorney said Cannon accepted cash, plane tickets, hotel stays and sought more than $1 million more in bribes. The Democrat had been mayor for six months.

[AP]

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