HAMPTON, Va. — A man who's been critical of Councilman Chris Bowman says he received a letter from Bowman demanding a formal apology or the threat of potential legal action.
Randy Bowman, who is not related, has been calling on Councilman Bowman to resign after court records discovered earlier this summer revealed Councilman Bowman hired a prostitute last year.
"The reason I'm asking him to resign is it's a bad look for Hampton," Randy Bowman told News 3 Monday.
Bowman was not charged in the incident, but his colleagues on the city council censured him.
Mayor Donnie Tuck had also previously sent Bowman a letter saying he had made three women feel uncomfortable and had engaged in unwanted touching.
Last week, Councilman Bowman apologized, but said he was not stepping down.
"I want the community to know that I made a serious mistake. I'm not perfect," he told reporters. "I'm going to work hard to regain the citizens' trust."
Last week during a meeting of the Hampton Democratic Committee at Randy Bowman's restaurant, called Bowman's Soul-N-the Wall, Randy Bowman said he told Councilman Bowman to resign and said he was returning a campaign contribution the councilman had made to him when he was running for city council.
News
Hampton city councilman calls for colleague's resignation amid scandal
Then, Randy Bowman says he received a letter in the mail from Councilman Bowman that said the comments shocked and embarrassed him, adding, "I am now sleep deprived and have incurred emotional distress as a result."
News 3 asked Randy Bowman whether he thought he was causing sleep deprivation for the councilman.
"I don't think Randy Bowman is the reason that you are sleep deprived," he responded.
Randy Bowman says he will not be apologizing. "My constitutional rights - I can say what I want as long as I'm not slandering," he said. "You did this to yourself."
News 3 reached out to Councilman Bowman to ask why he sent the letter and what the possible legal action would be.
Bowman directed a reporter to his attorney, who did not return a phone call.
Randy Bowman now says he's planning to start the process of recalling him to remove him from office.
He says it will require collecting more than 4,000 signatures on petitions.
"It's going to take some work to get this person removed, but there are a lot of people in Hampton who are upset," Randy Bowman said.
