A threatening letter from Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed to the employer of embattled Gwinnett County Commissioner Tommy Hunter sparked a heated war of words Friday — and ultimately revealed that the company "disciplined" the commissioner after his now infamous social media activity came to light.
Reed sent a letter this week to United Consulting, the Norcross-based engineering firm where Hunter — who has faced ongoing backlash after calling civil rights leader and U.S. Rep. John Lewis a "racist pig" on Facebook — works as a vice president of business development. The firm also does a significant amount of business with the city of Atlanta.
MORE: Timeline: Aftermath of Gwinnett leader calling John Lewis a 'racist pig'
MORE: 13 controversial Facebook posts by Gwinnett Commissioner Tommy Hunter
MORE: Hunter spokesman: Gwinnett ethics board 'entirely unconstitutional'
“As Mayor, I am writing personally to let you know that the City of Atlanta finds Mr. Hunter’s toxic remark to be insulting, reprehensible and unacceptable to this administration,” Reed wrote in his letter, addressed to United Consulting CEO Reza Abree. “Please let me know by close of business Monday, February 27 how you plan to resolve this matter.”
Abree did the mayor one better, releasing a letter Friday afternoon saying Hunter had been “disciplined as any other employee with the company would be disciplined for such a transgression.” What that discipline entailed was unclear.
Reed also found himself engaged in a pointed back-and-forth with Seth Weathers, a consultant who has acted as a spokesman for Hunter in the aftermath of his Jan. 14 Facebook post.
Read the full story at myAJC.com.
About the Author