Ethics complaint seeks investigation of DeKalb Commissioner Rader

An ethics complaint filed Tuesday by a DeKalb County political consultant accuses Commissioner Jeff Rader of misspending public money and failing to fully disclose a potential conflict of interest.

Rader denied the allegations, saying his spending has been appropriate and for the benefit of the public. He also said he has recused himself from voting on matters related to Jacobs Engineering, which was his employer until last year.

Warren Mosby, who filed the complaint, said Rader should have acknowledged his potential conflict of interest at every meeting in which the county’s relationship with Jacobs Engineering was discussed.

Mosby accused Rader of charging the county for his cellphone bill, travel to Turkey and more than $37,000 worth of technology services. Rader said those expenses were related to work done in his elected position.

Mosby has worked for several DeKalb elected officials, including commissioners Sharon Barnes Sutton, Larry Johnson and Stan Watson, as well as DeKalb District Attorney Robert James and many of DeKalb County’s representatives in the state Legislature.

Mosby and Sutton had been involved in a seven-year romantic relationship, according to police responding to a February disturbance in which both sustained minor injuries.