Pendergraph quits federal immigration post
CHARLOTTE, 08.26.2008
CHRIS MILLER, WBT NEWS

Jim Pendergraph is coming back to Charlotte.

The former Mecklenburg County sheriff is quitting his federal immigration job, after less than a year in Washington.

Pendergraph says his surprise announcement has nothing to do with his controversial comments about Chapel Hill Congressman David Price.

In a July interview with WRAL-TV in Raleigh, Pendergraph accused Price of using his seat on a Homeland Security funding committee to weaken immigration enforcement.

That prompted a quick response from Price, who told WRAL-TV the ''accusations were without merit."

"It's not just [my word over his]," Price said. "It's a question of what the facts are."

Pendergraph's bosses, including Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, reportedly called Price to smooth things over.

A spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement says Pendergraph was not in a position to make such comments, and that neither Chertoff nor the head of ICE shared Pendergraph's views.

Pendergraph stepped down as sheriff less than a year ago to take the newly created position.

At the time, he described the job as a liasion between federal immigration officials and their counterparts on the state and local level.

Pendergraph says the episode involving Congressman Price is unrelated to the decision to leave ICE.
http://www.wbt.com/news/details.cfm?article_id=38597