Governor suspends Snellville mayor

SNELLVILLE, Ga. — The mayor of an Atlanta suburb has been suspended from office by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal.

Deal signed an executive order, effective immediately, on Wednesday suspending Tom Witts as mayor of Snellville, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Witts faces more than 60 felony charges and is accused of using campaign funds to purchase a Caribbean cruise, airline tickets and a six-month subscription to pornographic websites.

State Attorney General Chris Carr, Peachtree City Mayor Vanessa Fleisch and Marietta Mayor Steve Tumlin make up a commission that recommended Deal suspend Witts following his indictment.

Witts bonded out of jail with a signature in September and won’t have to pay any of his $20,000 bond unless he fails to show at any of his future court appearances.

An investigation into Witts’ finances has been going on for several years, Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter said. It started after Witts had been dishonest about owing taxes during his run for office, Porter said.

Prosecutors began investigating following a complaint that was filed during the 2015 mayor’s race. Witts took office that year after campaigning against then-Mayor Kelly Kautz.

Gwinnett County investigators have looked into suspected irregularities in Witts’ campaign spending and work his company did at City Hall.

An acting mayor has been appointed after Witts suspended himself from the job.