Tag Archives: Burrell Ellis

Resignation, subpoenas, criminal charges: DeKalb County Commission corruption

Sometimes it doesn’t just look like they have something to hide:
the FBI found some of what the DeKalb County Commmission was hiding,
and one criminally-charged Commissioner promises to sing about the others,
while 62 vendors and all the other sitting Commissioners are being
investigated.
No local elected body around here could have such problems, right?

The DeKalb FBI corruption investigation apparently started with
news stories in the AJC.
Coincidentally, here’s
the board packet for tonight’s Lowndes County Commission meeting
that it took an open records request for LAKE to get so you can see it.

20 February 2013,

Fireworks erupt in court over DeKalb corruption case,
by Jodie Fleischer for WSB-TV,



Only Channel 2’s Jodie Fleischer was there as a judge lashed out at
prosecutors who want the public to see a secret corruption report.

The special grand jury investigating DeKalb County corruption Continue reading →

Corruption in DeKalb meets consequences

Bid rigging and kickbacks?
I’m sure that’s only in Atlanta….
Anyway, it turns out it’s not so much

DeKalb County that’s a slum
as the county government.

Somebody at AJC wrote yesterday,

DeKalb to review government restructuring,



A day after a yearlong investigation into DeKalb contracting was
made public — a report that detailed a culture of corruption
that permeates county government — DeKalb commissioners say
they will review how the county is governed and seek changes.

A special purpose grand jury investigating contracting in DeKalb’s
water department recommended the county get rid of its CEO form of
government. DeKalb is almost singular in the authority it gives its
CEO, a countywide elected official who runs the day-to-day
operations of Georgia’s third-largest county.

That authority, according to the report, was used to steer tens of
millions of dollars in contracts to favored vendors. Suspended
DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis has been charged with extortion for
allegedly strongarming vendors into donating to his campaign.

Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May said the county will review its governing
structure over the next 30 days and propose some recommendations on
how to improve operations, especially contracting.

WSBTV reported Wednesday,

DeKalb special grand jury recommends 12 for criminal investigation:
Key county officials include former CEO and public safety director.



CBS Atlanta wrote 17 July 2013,

Governor Deal Suspends Dekalb County CEO Burrell Ellis, Continue reading →