The DeKalb County Board of Ethics has thrown out complaints against four of the eight elected leaders accused of violations.
Ethics complaints had been pending against all six DeKalb commissioners, the county CEO and the sheriff. Many of them were accused of using their government charge cards for personal purchases.
The board ruled Thursday that complaints weren’t specific enough or it lacked authority to consider cases against DeKalb CEO Lee May, Commissioner Jeff Rader, Commissioner Stan Watson and Sheriff Jeff Mann.
The Ethics Board didn’t consider whether allegations contained in the complaints were true.
Cases are continuing against Commissioners Elaine Boyer, Kathie Gannon, Larry Johnson and Sharon Barnes Sutton. Boyer’s spending on her purchasing card is scheduled for a mid-September preliminary hearing, while early investigations of the other commissioners are still underway.
The Board of Ethics has the power to suspend or remove commissioners, but it has never done so.
Gannon, who was accused of misspending money on gift cards and lawyers in order to influence zoning decisions, said she’s confident she’ll be cleared once the board considers the facts of her case.
“The allegations are totally unfounded,” Gannon said after the Board of Ethics meeting. “It would be lovely to be dismissed, but they weren’t deciding that issue. They were just deciding jurisdiction.”
Rader had been accused of using his elected position to benefit his former employer, but said he has always avoided voting on matters related to the company, Jacobs Engineering. The Board of Ethics rejected the complaint against Rader because it lacked claims about any specific unethical action he took that could be investigated.
“The complaint against me was frivolous, and it was found to be unspecific,” Rader said. “Nevertheless, the public deserves a venue where they don’t have to go through some politician in order to get someone to review their concerns.”
May said he was gratified to see the Board of Ethics move responsibly and quickly to address residents’ concerns about officials’ behavior.
“There was never a doubt in my mind about the propriety of my actions, but the point is that complaints can be vetted thoroughly through an independent organization,” May said in a statement Friday.
DeKalb resident Rhea Johnson said he will probably file a new complaint against Watson.
Johnson continues to question Watson’s charge card use for his cellphone bill, though Watson has denied wrongdoing.
Ethics cases are also pending against suspended DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis, Purchasing Director Kelvin Walton and Executive Assistant Nina Hall. The Board of Ethics has tabled those cases until after Ellis’ trial next month, when he will fight charges that he improperly pressured contractors for campaign contributions.
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