North Carolina elects Dem rep charged with felony car theft

Womack defeated GOP Rep. Tim Moore in North Carolina’s 14th Congressional District. A criminal summons was served to Womack on October 11 at one of her campaign events in Polk County.

Per the Charlotte Observer, Womack faces the Class H felony charge for allegedly not returning a rental car valued at around $20,000 in 2019. While a criminal summons was issued in January 2020, it ultimately went unserved.

The congresswoman-elect could face a range of four months to over three years behind bars under sentencing guidelines, per the New York Post. If convicted, however, Womack would not automatically be disqualified from serving in Congress.

Under House rules, lawmakers sentenced to two or more years of prison are to avoid committee assignments and party leadership positions. It would require a two-thirds vote from the House to expel her.

In a statement released in October, Womack said, “Over the past few weeks, allegations involving me have drawn significant media attention and attack ads from Friends of Tim Moore. Candidates for public office should be held accountable and voters deserve transparency.”

“Throughout this campaign, I have emphasized accountability and affordability. I believe every candidate and elected official should be evaluated by consistent standards, including their record of public service, their decisions in office, and their responsiveness to the people they represent,” the statement continued. “Accountability, however, must be grounded in facts, fairness, and due process rather than speculation or sensationalism.”

Womack has claimed that around the time of the rental car issue, she suffered a medical emergency requiring hospitalization and said she was homeless. She has not elaborated how that related to the car issue.