Tuesday’s hearing will address allegations previously made by SBI Director Bob Schurmeier during the Committee’s hearing on March 28. 

SBI General Counsel Angel Gray will address Director Bob Schurmeier’s testimony that he lacked confidence in her advice due to her conflicted loyalties between the SBI and Governor Cooper.

Chief of Staff Kristi Jones and General Counsel Eric Fletcher from Governor Cooper’s office will answer questions regarding Schurmeier’s allegations of interference and intimidation in their call on him to resign as director.

In their responses to Schurmeier’s testimony and the Committee’s invitation to appear, Jones and Fletcher emphasized the culture of the SBI and focused on an ongoing EEOC complaint. However, with Governor Cooper’s nomination of Chip Hawley to be the next SBI Director, the culture issues they claim have only existed under Schurmeier may continue. The governor’s staff will be called upon to account for the fact that the issues were prevalent prior to Schurmeier’s term when the SBI was housed in the Department of Justice, under then Attorney General Roy Cooper.

The transcript from the March 28 hearing can be found here.