New NC Rep faces felony hearing four days after election

LaKesha Womack, the newly elected representative for North Carolina's 14th Congressional District, must appear in court on November 10. This date falls just four days after the general election. The hearing concerns a felony charge alleging she failed to return a rental vehicle in 2019. The vehicle was valued at $20,000. This timeline creates an immediate legal obligation for the incoming member of Congress.

Womack defeated incumbent Republican Rep. Tim Moore in the recent vote. Election results reported by The Associated Press show Womack received 51.1% of the vote, while Moore received 48.9%. The Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office confirmed that a deputy from the Polk County Sheriff's Office served Womack with a criminal summons on October 11. WBTV reported that the summons was originally issued in January 2020 but was not delivered until this year. The charge is classified as a Class H felony under North Carolina law. Such a charge can result in a prison sentence of more than two years, depending on sentencing factors.

Womack acknowledged the incident in previous discussions. She stated that she was experiencing homelessness at the time of the rental issue. She said she did not know a criminal case had been filed against her until the summons arrived. In a statement to Fox News Digital on Friday, she described her election as a milestone for ordinary people. "This historic victory is bigger than me," she said. "It is a testament to the power of ordinary people who believe that their voices matter and that leadership should be rooted in service, accountability, and opportunity for all." She also noted her background as a Black woman, single mother, and entrepreneur. When asked specifically about the felony charge on Friday, she declined to comment.

The pending charge has implications for Womack's role in Washington. House rules require members formally charged with a felony punishable by two or more years in prison to step aside. They must leave committee assignments and party leadership positions while the charges are pending. This provision could apply to Womack after she takes office in January. The rules create a procedural barrier that she may face during her first weeks in the new Congress.

Rep. Tim Moore raised the issue publicly before the election. On October 28, he posted on X that his opponent needed to explain the pending charges to voters. "My opponent needs to explain these pending felony charges to the voters of North Carolina District 14," he wrote. "With a court date literally the week after the election this is a big deal." His campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the outcome of the race.