New York Post reporting, cited by the Western Journal, says LaKesha Womack — the Democrat who just won North Carolina’s 14th Congressional District — has a court appearance next week on a Class H felony charge tied to a 2019 rental car that was not returned.
The charge and the timeline
The Western Journal reports Womack is accused of failing to return a rental vehicle valued at about $20,000 in 2019. A criminal summons was issued in January 2020 and returned unserved the next month, according to the same account. The outlet says Womack was finally served on Oct. 11 at a campaign event.
Election result
Womack defeated Republican Tim Moore for the NC-14 seat, according to the Charlotte Observer.
What legal observers said
The Western Journal quoted Rob Heroy, a former Mecklenburg County prosecutor, saying he expects the case to be dismissed and noting that charging by criminal summons — rather than a warrant — can indicate low priority by authorities in Polk County. “I can think of maybe three or four that I’ve seen charged by criminal summons in 20 years,” Heroy said. “These charges are sort of notoriously throwaway charges that are pursued by rental car agencies,” he added, per the Western Journal’s account.
Tim Emry, a former public defender, was quoted by the Western Journal saying the elapsed time could make prosecution difficult: “I think the odds of them trying to prosecute her on a felony are extremely unlikely.”
Womack’s account
According to the Western Journal, Womack has said she was homeless around the time the vehicle was not returned and that a medical emergency affected her around the period of the allegations.
What it could mean in Congress
A post from Diamond and Silk on X claimed House Rule 23 could strip Womack of committee seats and floor votes. Separately, the Western Journal reported that House rules bar members who could face prison sentences of two years or more from leadership roles or committee work. The outlet noted Womack’s Class H felony charge carries a maximum sentence of more than two years. The Western Journal also reported that even if convicted on a felony, she could still take her seat.
