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Report: NC grocery store worker fired over comments to governor

Posted at 3:41 PM, Feb 18, 2014
and last updated 2014-02-18 15:41:07-05

CHARLOTTE, NC (WTVR) – A worker at a grocery store in North Carolina says he was fired because of a comment he made to Gov. Pat McCrory over the weekend.

Drew Swope told theCharlotte Observer that he was working Sunday afternoon at Reid’s Fine Foods when he asked if he could help the governor.

However, once the 45-year-old cook realized he was talking to  McCrory, who he disagrees with politically, he took a swipe.

Swope told the newspaper he said, “Thanks for nothing,” before walking away.

That’s when Swoke said the governor started “yelling” at him, saying that he should not be treated in such a fashion as a customer.

The governor’s office, who initially refused comment on the story, later said that Swope also made an obscene gesture during the exchange.

After the incident, Swope said the governor’s security detail complained to the store’s owner about his behavior and he was let go.

Swope said he understands why he was fired since he admits he “did speak out of turn.” But he denies making an obscene gesture.

Additionally, Joshua Ellis, McCrory’s communications director, told the newspaper that Swope had commented on a Facebook post about “physically harming the governor…”

Click here to read more on this story from the Charlotte Observer.