House Speaker David Ralston on Wednesday endorsed tighter controls on money seized from criminal suspects in the wake of an Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation that found one top prosecutor spent the money on things that had little to do with locking criminals up.
Ralston joined a growing number of powerful politicians when he said legislation providing greater transparency of the use of forfeited funds is one of his top priorities in next year's legislative session. Gov. Nathan Deal earlier told the AJC he favored tighter limits, and he called for lawmakers to revisit the issue.
“I want accountability and transparency,” Ralston said at an editorial board meeting. “Let’s find out how much money they have and what they do with it. I don’t have a real problem with legitimate uses. What I have a problem with is a closed process that’s off the books.”
The investigation found that Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard spent tens of thousands of dollars in state forfeiture funds to pay for tickets to charity balls and sporting events, office bashes, basketball shoe display cases and a wrought iron security door for his home, among other expenditures. All the while, Howard threatened to lay off staff if the county cut his budget.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation on Monday said it would conduct an independent review into Howard's spending after the district attorney requested the investigation. Howard has defended the spending, which he has called an "innovative" way to fight crime.
Those expenses raised a red flag to many politicians, including Ralston, who said he will push to revive legislation by Republican state Rep. Wendell Willard aimed at tracking and restricting the use of the funds.
“What happened in the Fulton District Attorney’s Office — it pains me to say it — was shameful,” he said.
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