Atlanta Unfiltered

Investigating the investigators: How House ethics panel works

By MARIAN WANG/ProPublica Tickle fights vs. groping. Salty language vs. sexual harassment. For those who’ve been following the media circus around ex-Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY), there’s been quite a lot to follow. Nonetheless, on Wednesday the House ethics committee closed its investigation into Massa, claiming his resignation rendered any findings “irrelevant” and put him “outside the [...]

Inconsistencies surface in feds’ accounts of detainee’s death

A federal detainee who died in Georgia last year of a treatable heart infection had suffered chest pains for the previous three days, contradicting officials' prior account of the man's death, an advocacy group said Thursday.

March 12

Officers posed with Roethlisberger hours before complaint Ex-Columbus judge’s court reporter not certified for nine months Former Dodge County sheriff pleads guilty to vote-buying Court rules Ken Hodges can’t be sued over Phoebe Putney case Property tax legislation clears Senate Brian Nichols case weighs on public defender system Contractor pays $800K settlement over Clean Water violations

James Gardner, CEO, Northeast Ga. Medical Center: $1,279,387

Gardner earned $821,619 in salary in fiscal year 2008, plus a benefit package worth $457,768, according to tax records for Northeast Georgia Health Systems, which owns the Gainesville medical center. The nearly $1.3 million in total compensation for the CEO was 35 times what the average Hall County resident earned, according to a new report by [...]

March 11

Five years after Nichols shootings, is Fulton courthouse safer? Andrew Young School dean says he was asked to resign House proposal: Jekyll Island has reached development limit AG: $18M owed to local governments Citizens Review Board battles ATL mayor, police Hall County: $75K consultant had no written work product Opinion: No tax hike for schools, but for a Falcons stadium? Sure [...]

One legislator = 8 years of unpaid taxes

Rep. Roberta Abdul-Salaam has racked up $22,381 in liens for unpaid federal and state income taxes for eight consecutive years. The state Revenue Department executed the latest lien Jan. 25, shortly after reporting that a House member had not filed a 2008 tax return, but officials aren't saying whether it's her. “I don’t have money,” Abdul-Salaam said. “I struggle like most of my constituents, but I never run from my obligations.”

March 10

State AG: Georgia owes $18M to local governments Bill would weaken land-line phone customers’ rights Bill would bar legislators from local government work Does Fulton County need a million-dollar clerk? Contribution limits aimed at Oxendine pass House panel Effort to recall Cobb school board member advances Food safety measure heads to GA Senate Hall County chairman hired consultant without full commission’s OK Clayton [...]

APD overseers call out mayor on cops’ non-cooperation

Citizen overseers have called on Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed to ensure that police officers are disciplined if they keep refusing to answer investigators' questions. But for a start, members of the Citizen Review Board said, Reed could return their calls.

Kasim Reed’s campaign donations have a price

On New Year’s Eve, Mayor-elect Kasim Reed could celebrate knowing his campaign fund, even after spending $2.5 million to win the job, had a six-figure bank balance. Much of it came from lawyers, contractors and consultants with money on their minds. Their support underscores the inherent tension in soliciting political donations from people looking to do a little business once their candidates take office. “You’re asking people to be awfully gullible to believe all those contributions are being made out of civic interest and public pride,” said Atlanta attorney Emmet Bondurant.

March 9

Ex-DeKalb fire chief claims evidence destroyed Newton County mom says system failed slain daughter House passes ethics bill for local school boards Attorney to monitor deseg compliance in Richmond County schools Opinion: Stop unfair subsidies