Accused politicians try to undermine local ethics oversight in Georgia
Two politicians accused of misconduct in office are challenging whether local ethics boards should even exist, arguing that elected officials are already held accountable by voters and the court system.
Gwinnett County Commissioner Tommy Hunter and ex-DeKalb County Commission Sharon Barnes Sutton say in separate lawsuits that county ethics agencies looking into their cases are acting like an unaccountable "prosecutor, judge and jury."
They've already won an initial battle, and their war my eventually be decided in the Georgia Supreme Court.
But in the meantime, the public is left to wonder: Are local ethics boards worth it?
“All of us should abide by the laws of this country,” Dwight Thomas, the attorney representing both Hunter and Barnes Sutton, said. “And if you don’t like those laws, change those laws.”
About the Authors
Tyler Estep hosts the AJC Win Column, Atlanta's new weekly destination for all things sports. He also shepherds the Sports Daily and Braves Report newsletters to your inbox.
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
