Lawsuit challenges DeKalb ethics actions
Voters overwhelmingly approved a proposal last month to strengthen the DeKalb County Board of Ethics, but change may be slow to come.
A lawsuit by DeKalb Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton questions the authority of the board to sit in judgment of officials’ behavior, arguing that it undermines fundamental due process rights.
As a result of the lawsuit, a judge put Sutton's case on hold. The suit could have farther-reaching consequences if a judge agrees with the idea that the board is unconstitutional.
About the Author
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
