Decision day looms in Gwinnett’s ‘racist pig’ ethics case
In the week or so that online comments were solicited, roughly 330 people shared their thoughts on the ethics complaint pending against Gwinnett County Commissioner Tommy Hunter.
On Tuesday, Hunter's colleagues will make their own thoughts on the matter known — by deciding, once and for all, if he should be punished for his divisive social media activity.
MORE: Photos: 13 controversial Facebook posts from Gwinnett Commissioner Tommy Hunter
MORE: Accused politicians try to undermine ethics oversight in Georgia
The ethics complaint filed Feb. 6 argued that, with Facebook posts like his now-infamous one calling civil rights icon and U.S. Rep. John Lewis a "racist pig," the commissioner violated multiple tenets of the county's 2011 ethics ordinance. The ethics board assembled to investigate the complaint agreed with that assessment earlier this month, recommending the stiffest penalty available to county commissioners — that Hunter be publicly reprimanded.
That reprimand would involve posting a written rebuke on the county's website, on the wall of its courthouse and in the local newspaper.
Commission Chair Charlotte Nash said she expects her board to vote on the matter during a public hearing scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
About the Author
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.
