Commission Votes 7-4 to Remove Robert Alex Moody From Board of Zoning Appeals
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) – The Knox County Commission voted Monday night to rescind the appointment of Robert Alex Moody to the county’s Board of Zoning Appeals following allegations that he assaulted a political protester at a downtown Knoxville event earlier this month.
The commission approved the measure in a 7-4 vote, effectively removing Moody from the position and reopening the nomination process for the seat.
The controversy stems from an incident on October 10 at Jackson Terminal in downtown Knoxville. Authorities cited Moody for misdemeanor assault after allegations that he knocked a phone from a protester’s hand and struck him during a confrontation.
Commissioner Courtney Durrett, who supported rescinding the appointment, emphasized that the commission’s action was not intended to determine guilt or innocence.
“All it does is rescind our appointment resolution from last month and then allows the outgoing representative to attend for this month and then next month we can go through the nomination process again,” Durrett said during Monday’s meeting.
Supporters of the resolution argued the issue centered on whether Moody had the temperament to serve on the Board of Zoning Appeals, which hears appeals and land-use disputes affecting county residents.
Commissioner Shane Jackson questioned whether Moody would have been nominated had commissioners known about the incident beforehand.
“Had the circumstances last month come to light prior to our nomination in September, would we have nominated this gentleman for the BZA?” Jackson asked.
However, several commissioners opposed the move, arguing the commission acted prematurely before the legal process had run its course.
Commissioner Andy Fox defended Moody, contending that available video evidence did not support the more serious allegations being discussed publicly.
“We’re acting prematurely,” Fox said. “We need to let the legal system continue to work through these allegations against him.”
The resolution was introduced by Commissioner Brandon Huckaby after the incident drew significant public attention.
The altercation occurred during an event hosted by Heritage Hubs Knoxville, a conservative organization that has recently faced criticism and controversy over allegations of discrimination and promoting white nationalist ideologies. The group has denied wrongdoing and has been involved in discussions regarding a proposed headquarters in Knoxville’s Fort Sanders area.
With Monday’s vote, the commission will now begin the process of selecting a replacement for the Board of Zoning Appeals seat.
