Federal prosecutors have issued a subpoena seeking information about more than $30,000 of spending by former DeKalb County Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton.
The subpoena from the U.S. Attorney's Office requires the county government to turn over all records and communications involving two contractors Sutton paid last year, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Most of the spending, which came from her government office budget, was made after she lost re-election during a July primary runoff.
Sutton said Tuesday her spending was legitimate.
"It's a false allegation. They're wasting taxpayer money falsely accusing me," she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The federal government requested information about CAL Enterprises LLC and For Winners Only Inc.
Sutton paid CAL Enterprises $22,289 to manage communications with constituents, produce newsletters and organize a town hall meeting, according to Sutton and records obtained by the AJC through an open records request. Channel 2 couldn’t locate Chiquittia Anderson, the Atlanta company’s registered agent.
Sutton also hired For Winners Only, a Fayetteville company registered by Vincent Watkins, to prepare a 21-page transition report at a cost of $9,100. The transition report lists her successes and challenges during her eight years in office representing the Stone Mountain-area district.
"We're going to continue to support the U.S. Attorney's Office and do all we can to support the process to ensure justice is done," DeKalb CEO Mike Thurmond told Channel 2.
Sutton was defeated last summer by Steve Bradshaw, who took office Jan. 1.