DeKalb County employees won't be fired if they refuse to talk with special investigators hired by Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May to clean up the government, according to a revised executive order.
The order, provided by the county upon request by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday, says employees will be told of their right to remain silent before interviews, and they can't be punished for exercising that right.
The initial parameters of the investigation said employees could be disciplined if they failed to cooperate.
But May removed those consequences April 3 after DeKalb District Attorney Robert James raised concerns that the investigation could interfere with future prosecutions. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that compelled statements given by public officials can’t be used against them in criminal prosecutions.
May appointed former Georgia Attorney General Mike Bowers and longtime investigator Richard Hyde last month to lead a sweeping inquiry into corruption in county government.
Their investigation, which will last at least four months, will attempt to find evidence of bid-rigging, favoritism, fraud and conflicts of interest.
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