News

Ethics complaint filed against Gwinnett commissioner

Embattled Gwinnett County Commissioner Tommy Hunter, who called Congressman John Lewis a “racist pig” on social media, now faces a formal ethics complaint.
Attorneys Christine Koehler and Helen Ho filed the complaint on behalf of an Atlanta woman who says she was offended after going onto Hunter’s personal Facebook page and reading his remark and numerous others.
“Nancie Turner is somebody who happened to be on Facebook, heard the rumblings, and went on and began looking at his page and found many of his Facebook posts to be quite offensive,” Koehler tells WSB’s Sandra Parrish.
She says a complainant does not have to live in Gwinnett to file such a complaint which will first go before a hearing officer to determine if it moves forward to a five-member ethics board.
The board would be made up of members appointed by the District Attorney’s Office, the Board of Commissioners, the president of the Gwinnett Bar Association, the Association of County Commissions of Georgia and Hunter, himself.
Hunter’s spokesman Seth Weathers points to the fact that because anyone can file a complaint, it’s nothing more than a political ploy.
“The ethics complaint that was filed is purely political.  It has no legal standing and will be thrown out,” he says.
Weathers says Hunter has apologized for his remarks and has agreed to meet with the NAACP at its meeting next week.
Koehler will accept nothing less than Hunter’s resignation and will also ask Gwinnett Solicitor Rosanna Szabo to look into criminal charges.
“It’s maleficence, mistrust... it’s really acting inappropriately while holding office.  And if she determines that there’s enough for an accusation, then she can act on it.  And he can be charged with violation of Georgia law and charged with misdemeanors,” she says.
Weathers laughs at the mention of criminal charges.
“I would not even dignify such nonsense with a response,” he says.  “It’s truly hilarious.”

Listen

news

weather

traffic

mobile apps

Everything you love about wsbradio.com and more! Tap on any of the buttons below to download our app.

amazon alexa

Enable our Skill today to listen live at home on your Alexa Devices!