Ethics complaint aimed at DeKalb Commissioner Watson

A renewed ethics complaint has been brought against DeKalb County Commissioner Stan Watson, alleging he used government money to pay for personal cellphone charges.

The complaint, filed Aug. 22 by DeKalb resident Rhea Johnson, cited articles by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about how Watson charged the county nearly $5,000 for personal cellphone bills over the last three years, even though he also carried a county-issued phone. Watson is now paying the county back.

The DeKalb Board of Ethics dismissed a previous ethics complaint against Watson on Aug. 14.

There are now ethics complaints pending against each of DeKalb’s five remaining commissioners, as well as former Commissioner Elaine Boyer.

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