Power, Intimidation & Allegations: Sheriff’s Report Lifts the Lid on Columbus City Council

A leaked spreadsheet. Two arrests. A city manager under fire. A newly released investigative report from the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office has peeled back the curtain on months of political drama in Columbus — revealing a combustible mix of power struggles, personal accusations, and questions about transparency at the top.

At the heart of the matter is City Manager Isaiah Hugley, who initially called for legal action after discovering that his personal business tax records had been shared with members of Columbus City Council, possibly in violation of state privacy laws. Rather than unify behind Hugley’s call for accountability, councilors quickly turned the investigation into a slanderous brawl against him.

The report — which includes interviews with council members and city personnel — details wide-ranging allegations of intimidation, cronyism, and racial favoritism within city operations.

Councilwoman Toyia Tucker described a climate of fear. “It’s been said that you gotta watch yourself because things can happen,” she told investigators. She even raised the specter of foul play, speculating — without offering evidence — that the deaths of two former school board members might be linked to “knowing too much.”

Her colleague, Councilwoman Charmaine Crabb, was equally blunt. She accused Hugley of orchestrating a culture of intimidation, calling it “mafia-type behavior” and alleging that he deploys allies — including local pastors — to speak on his behalf during public meetings. “He gets his little mafiosos to talk on public agenda,” she said.

Crabb also charged that Hugley uses racial preference and Divine 9 sorority/fraternity affiliations to elevate allies within City Hall. “You look throughout the organization — most of the directors are probably Black and go to those certain sororities and fraternities,” she said. “It’s happening — and it falls under the city manager.”

Among those swept up in the controversy is a third-party citizen, referred to in the report as the individual who submitted the open records request for Hugley’s personal business tax data. Investigators now believe this person — locally described as a political patsy — was used as a conduit for information that eventually landed in council inboxes.

The Sheriff’s Office report confirms that two arrests have been made so far, though Hugley is not among those charged. The report notes that the investigation remains active and that further legal action is possible as more evidence comes to light.

Still, critics say the original issue — the alleged illegal leak of Hugley’s tax data — has been lost in a swirl of political opportunism.

Supporters of Hugley say the attacks are strategic — an attempt to dismantle his legacy after more than two decades of leadership. Detractors argue the moment has revealed long-suppressed concerns about how Columbus operates behind closed doors.

The truth may lie somewhere in between, but one thing remains clear: while the allegations may be headline-worthy, they remain unproven. As accusations continue to fly and council divisions deepen, one thing is certain: in Columbus, the power struggle is no longer behind the scenes — it’s in full public view.

Stay tuned as The Courier Eco-Latino continues to uncover the layers of this unfolding political saga — where silence, spreadsheets, and power dynamics are reshaping public trust within  the Columbus City Council.