Former staffer charged with impersonating Georgia’s lieutenant governor

Beth Green, a former staffer in the Georgia lieutenant governor's office, was arrested Monday on charges of impersonating a public officer or employee. Photo Courtesy Paulding County Sheriff's Department.

Beth Green, a former staffer in the Georgia lieutenant governor's office, was arrested Monday on charges of impersonating a public officer or employee. Photo Courtesy Paulding County Sheriff's Department.

A former staffer of the lieutenant governor was arrested Monday after being accused of sending emails in which she impersonated her former boss to get information about her divorce.

Beth Green, who worked as director of operations in Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan’s office from January 2019 until July, turned herself into the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office on Monday on charges of impersonating a public officer or employee, computer invasion of privacy and computer trespass.

All three are felonies. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation issued a warrant for Green’s arrest Friday.

Green, 49, of Acworth, is accused of taking her state-issued computer when she left the lieutenant governor’s office and using it to send emails pretending she was Duncan, according to an arrest warrant.

Deputies accuse Green of sending seven emails in July on her state-issued computer impersonating Duncan from his email address to get information about her divorce from her divorce attorney.

The warrant doesn’t explain why she impersonated Duncan to get information from her own lawyer. Neither the GBI nor the Sheriff’s Office would answer questions about the case, citing the ongoing investigation.

According to Paulding County Court documents, Green is represented by John Clayton and Taff Wren. Clayton is a longtime Statehouse lobbyist who has also held several staff positions at the Capitol. Green’s husband filed for divorce in April, and a judge finalized the separation in September.

Green was released Monday on $10,100 bond, according to Sheriff’s Office records.

“The office of the lieutenant governor has been notified of the arrest of a former employee,” Macy McFall, Duncan’s chief of staff, said in a statement. “Staff members will continue to cooperate with law enforcement authorities as the investigation of these incidents moves forward.”