In recent months, a wave of falsehoods has swept through Waxhaw — a toxic mix of rumor, fabrication, and deliberate misrepresentation. The people behind these lies, hiding behind anonymous social media accounts and candidates without a conscience, have shown that when you have no vision, lies and attacks are all that’s left. Here’s the Pinocchio Report – a small sample of the many falsehoods that are out there.
The range of dishonesty is stunning — from the libellous to the laughable — and it speaks volumes about the character of those spreading it. They have no facts, no constructive solutions, and no integrity. Instead, they try to mislead voters through deceit.
We of The Waxhaw Wall are proud to say that we have never campaigned with personal attacks or the propagation of falsehoods. We welcome honest debate. What we reject — and will continue to expose — are lies meant to confuse the public and discredit those who are actually working to protect Waxhaw’s future.
Voters deserve a warning:
Beware of candidates who repeat lies without evidence.
Beware of candidates who dodge real issues and refuse to take a clear stand.
Beware of those who inflate their qualifications or make grandiose claims.
Now, let’s separate the lies from the truth.
Lie #1: “The Waxhaw Wall wants to disband the Waxhaw Police Department.”
Truth: This is an outrageous and baseless claim. The Waxhaw Wall has always stood firmly behind our Police Department. During budget discussions, we supported salary increases for officers but suggested a temporary six-month pause only because of the dire financial projections presented by the Town Manager. This was a reasonable, normal, fiscally responsible measure — balancing respect for taxpayers with support for our police.
Lie #2: “The Waxhaw Wall wants no growth.”
Truth: Completely false. We’ve never said “no growth.” We understand that growth is inevitable on land already zoned for development — and we’ve never sought to stop that. What we do advocate is responsible growth, guided by infrastructure readiness and community balance. In fact, we’ve promoted commercial growth to diversify Waxhaw’s tax base and have already seen progress, such as the sale of downtown property to a commercial developer. Those who make this false claim are simply echoing big developer propaganda.
Lie #3: “The Waxhaw Wall promised commissioner seats to Dan Farris and John Gemignani during a lunch last year.”
Truth: Another fabrication. Commissioner Daunt and Commissioner Wedra had lunch with Planning Board members John Gemignani and Dan Farris in Wesley Chapel — a normal and perfectly legal meeting between colleagues and friends. There was no promise, no “deal,” and nothing unethical. Photos of the lunch were secretly taken, and (bizarrely) texted to Dan Farris by Commissioner Tracy Wesolek — yet The Waxhaw Wall openly mentioned this lunch on our own website. Transparency, not secrecy, defines us.
Lie #4: “The Union County GOP funds the Union County Zoning Department.”
Truth: This is not just false — it’s absurd. There is absolutely no evidence to support this outlandish idea. The Union County Zoning Department is a government entity funded by taxpayers, not a political party.
Lie #5: “The Union County GOP funds The Waxhaw Wall.”
Truth: False again. Waxhaw’s elections are non-partisan, and The Waxhaw Wall has never received a single dollar from the Union County GOP. We’ve always operated in harmony with the non-partisan nature of local elections, relying on grassroots support — not party coffers.
Lie #6: “I was asked to run with The Waxhaw Wall”
Truth: A non-Wall candidate’s bizarre lie with zero basis in fact. We were never in contact with this individual, let alone asked them to run with us. The story appears to be an invention by someone desperate for attention or sympathy — not an honest reflection of reality.
Lie #7: “Mayor Murray and Commissioner Daunt have not represented Waxhaw properly at CRTPO.”
Truth: Misleading and false. Mayor Murray is Waxhaw’s official representative at CRTPO, while Commissioner Daunt serves only as the alternate. His attendance is not required or expected. Mayor Murray has missed just one meeting — one that had no pressing agenda items — and, in fact, many CRTPO meetings see low attendance from towns across the region. The candidate spreading this nonsense clearly has no vision of his own, so he tries to create fake controversies instead.
Lie #8: “The Waxhaw Wall is like the KKK”
Truth: Over the past two years, one of the holdover commissioners from the Pappas years has baselessly and repeatedly labeled The Waxhaw Wall as racist, fascist, communist, etc. Now there’s a Facebook page run by an anonymous individual, promoting candidates opposed to The Waxhaw Wall while comparing us to the KKK.
This comparison is not only grotesque but it’s also a cowardly act of character assassination, promoted by individuals who hide behind anonymity to avoid being held accountable.
The Bottom Line
The people of Waxhaw deserve better than rumor-driven politics. The Waxhaw Wall stands for truth, transparency, and accountability — values that don’t change depending on who’s watching.
Those who rely on lies reveal more about themselves than about us. We will continue to serve this town with integrity, focus on responsible growth, and protect taxpayers from reckless decisions.