The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sheriff to take case before ethics panel
Subpoenas target his campaign; he wants them dropped.
Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren is expected to appear before the state ethics commission today to argue that subpoenas targeting his campaign and public office should be quashed.
The Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission is tasked with investigating campaign finance violations.
In October, the commis- sion filed a formal complaint against Warren alleging he misused campaign funds. It also sent subpoenas to Warren’s campaign, the bank used by the campaign, the Sheriff’s Office, the Cobb County Finance Department, and the Cobb Youth Museum, which partners with Warren on his annual Corn Boilin’ campaign fundraiser.
While the complaint targets campaign spending, the subpoenas suggest investiga- tors are looking into possible misuse of county resources as well. In addition to seek- ing reimbursement records from the county, the commission has asked for Sheriff ’s Office employee schedules for the month of July going back several years.
The time period in ques- tion coincides with the annual Corn Boilin’. A report by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution this year found that a number of sheriff ’s employees were paid for work on Warren’s campaign. Some of those employees were among the dozens that were allowed to take off the day of the Corn Boilin’, despite chronic understaffing in the department.
This year, 85 sheriff ’s office employees were on leave the day of the Corn Boilin’, according to county records. As of November, the Sher- iff ’s Office had 503 sworn positions and 72 vacancies.
The Sheriff ’s Office, which has not complied with the subpoena, did not respond to questions about minimum staffing levels or the Corn Boilin’.
Warren’s personal attorney, Douglas Chalmers Jr., did not respond Tuesday to a request for comment on today’s hearing. In previous conversations with The AJC, Chalmers said his client denied wrongdoing and argued that the commission failed to follow proper legal procedures in issuing the subpoenas.
David Emadi, executive director of the commission, wrote in an e-mail that he fun- damentally disagrees with Warren’s position, but did not elaborate.
“I am not at liberty to discuss the substance of the case in an extrajudicial man- ner through the media,” he wrote. “Having said that, we look forward to making our arguments before the Commission board.”
The hearing will be held at 10 a.m. in room 606 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building in downtown Atlanta and is open to the public.