Isaiah Hugley’s lawyer shares draft of discrimination charge. What’s in it
Racist comments during the investigation of the Columbus Consolidated Government’s finance department and retaliation allegations are the basis for a charge of discrimination that fired city manager Isaiah Hugley’s attorney plans to file with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on July 14.
The draft of the charge has not been filed, Hugley’s attorney Scott Grubman said in an email Thursday to the Ledger-Enquirer, but it will be filed with the EEOC by July 14 unless the city responds with a “meaningful proposal.”
In the draft, which Grubman shared with the Ledger-Enquirer, he argues that comments Columbus Councilor Charmaine Crabb of District 5 made to investigators showed racial bias. During Crabb’s interview with investigators, she alleged that there was “skin color”-based discrimination in CCG’s hiring, benefiting Black people who are members of Historically Black sororities and fraternities. Crabb also questioned the qualifications of Black department heads and referred to Black pastors who spoke during the public agenda of council meetings as “little mafiosos”
Grubman noted in his draft that Crabb was the councilor who introduced the motion to fire Hugley.
Allegation of harassment, defamation
Hugley’s outspoken support for former police chief Freddie Blackmon led to retaliation against the former city manager, Grubman also alleges in the draft.
“Soon after Chief Blackmon’s termination, the City — through several of its Councilmembers along with certain City and County employees and others aligned with those Councilmembers — developed a plan to defame, and quite literally frame, Mr. Hugley for alleged misconduct that simply did not occur, as a pretext for his ultimate termination,” Grubman wrote in the draft.
He argues that the internal audit was “designed to harass and retaliate” against Hugley and states that the auditor allegation that $45 million in city funds was missing was made without evidence.
The external auditor, Troutman-Pepper, reported that they found “no evidence to support the claim” that $45 million was missing when they presented their own findings, Grubman wrote in the draft. Troutman-Pepper estimated the revenue loss at $20.1 million to $26.9 million between Jan. 1, 2016, and Sept. 2023. Grubman also said the 2024 audit by Mauldin & Jenkins contained a “clean audit opinion.”
Grubman lambasted the investigation by the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office, arguing that Sheriff Greg Countryman and the investigators “disregarded” Hugley’s concern about his personal information being leaked and “abused their investigative powers to once again harass, intimidate and improperly retaliate against Mr. Hugley.”
As part of his evidence to prove harassment, Grubman points to Columbus Councilors questioning Hugley’s ethics in handling a small business grant his wife, state Rep. Carolyn Hugley, received through the American Rescue Plan. Hugley followed advice from the city attorney, Grubman said.
Grubman’s argument against termination process
Grubman said the reasons provided for the termination were “vague and pretextual.” He also includes a screenshot of a text message that Columbus Councilor Toyia Tucker of District 4 sent to Countryman, questioning her vote minutes after she voted to terminate Hugley.
“It is unclear why Councilmember Tucker’s first message about the termination — within minutes after it occurred — was to Sheriff Countryman, who should have had no role whatsoever in the Council’s decision,” Grubman wrote. “It’s equally unclear why Councilmember Tucker ‘felt bad’ for terminating Mr. Hugley.”
Countryman declined to comment on Grubman’s concerns about Tucker’s text message. However, he did explain that the finance investigation began at the request of the mayor and city manager against his advice on several occasions.
“My words to them were, ‘once this train leaves the station we can’t turn it around,’” Countryman told the Ledger-Enquirer in a text message Thursday. “The purpose of an investigation is to be a finder of fact.”
While Countryman said he understands the legal maneuvering, he doesn’t believe this would be a conversation had city officials heeded his warning.
“The MCSO investigative report states the facts, not our position,” Countryman said. “We don’t do that.”
Tucker is unable to comment because of the legal proceedings, she told the Ledger-Enquirer.
The evidence shows there’s not a legitimate basis to justify Hugley’s termination, Grubman wrote, and plans to ask the EEOC to initiate an investigation into the termination or issue a “Notice of Right to Sue.”
This would allow Hugley to proceed with a claim in court to argue his case that the city violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
This a developing story and may be updated with more information.
This story was originally published July 3, 2025 at 12:25 PM.
