Gwinnett County commissioners declined to take action Wednesday on an ethics complaint filed against a colleague.
In a 3-0 vote, commissioners declined to uphold a county ethics board recommendation that Commissioner Marlene Fosque receive a written warning for calling anti-illegal immigration activist D.A. King “someone known for spewing hatred and bigotry and racism.”
Fosque made the comments last summer after King participated in a panel discussion she organized about 287(g), a controversial federal immigration program used by the county. After the discussion, Fosque said she regretted King’s participation.
King filed an ethics complaint regarding her comments, and the county board upheld two of his six allegations. The two that were upheld were based on sections of the ordinance that urge officials to give their duties “earnest effort and best thought” and to “never engage in conduct which is unbecoming” to their office.
In making the motion that the county government take no action against Fosque, Commission Chairman Charlotte Nash said she thought the first-term elected official had learned a political lesson following the complaint. Nash said Fosque had good intentions, and she thought it was time to move forward.
About 50 people attended the public hearing Wednesday night, most in support of Fosque. But there were some who were disappointed in the outcome.
Louis Tseng, who lives in Duluth, said he likes Fosque but thought she should be held to a higher standard as an elected official. Others questioned why Fosque should go unpunished when Commissioner Tommy Hunter was reprimanded for calling Rep. John Lewis a “racist pig” on his Facebook page, and making other disparaging comments about Democrats.
Hunter, who has sued the county over the ordinance, did not attend the meeting. Fosque recused herself and watched from the audience.
Wesley Person, who lives in Loganville, said Fosque’s comments were not insulting and were not personal. She simply highlighted that King’s views were outside the mainstream, he said.
“That, to me, is what we would expect our representatives to do,” he said. “She attacked his ideas, and that’s what democracy is about.”
Fosque said she “will always create a space for people of all walks of life.”
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