This is exciting news. Somebody is going to jail. But we have to be patient. If you notice, each time the F.B.I. has a news release after an investigation, it starts off with "after a 2 year investigation."
It'll be worth it.
The madness......is ending? Not. It is DeKalb County after all.
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. —
"Federal
investigators are now digging into debit card spending by DeKalb County
commissioners and their staffs, and agents have contacted several
who've already been the subject of Channel 2 Action News investigations.
"If the FBI is a part of this and they feel like there's something to look into, they must do that, and I embrace that," Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May told investigative reporter Jodie Fleischer.
May confirmed he has already been contacted by agents regarding county purchasing card policies and usage, but he declined to give specifics so as not to compromise the investigation.
Fleischer spent two months examining the commissioners' purchasing card records to expose questions about personal use and poor record keeping.
She uncovered tens of thousands of dollars spent at retail stores with no receipts; and in the few receipts commissioners did provide, Fleischer noted dozens of gift cards bought, with no documentation of who they were for. There were also many purchases of expensive electronics and accessories which are not inventoried by the county.
"Let's get everything on the table let's deal with it so we can move on," said May. "I'm sick and tired of the rumors the innuendos, the ethical allegations. We need to get to the bottom of this and we need to do it now. If the FBI is going to come in and help us resolve this, let it be so."
May said he is urging all county employees to cooperated fully with the investigation.
DeKalb County policy allows commissioners to decide how to spend the taxpayer money within their individual budgets. The purchasing cards make it easier to do that, and each commissioner signed a form acknowledging the county policy that they must keep receipts for each purchase.
Commissioners Elaine Boyer and Sharon Barnes Sutton and their aides spent a combined $30,000 at stores like Target, Walmart, Office Depot and Best Buy, without keeping the receipts. The FBI should be able to subpoena store records and find out what they bought.
"If there's nothing there they'll decide it, if they feel like there is something there then we move forward and address it accordingly," said May.
"Hey, us as taxpayers we need to know where that money went," said DeKalb taxpayer Joe Gargiulo, "I still would like to know it bought a computer, or it bought a desk, or a calculator whatever, or I took that travel trip that was so important to DeKalb County, to Tahiti."
Commissioner Sutton told Channel 2 she gives away gift cards as rewards to event volunteers. Out of 27 gift cards purchased by her aide, only one contained documentation of its purpose.
Several staffers also used the purchasing cards to buy thousands of dollars in prizes given away at a county employee appreciation picnic. No one reconciled the purchases with what was actually given away, and no one recorded which employees received which gifts.
"It upsets me, in business you always keep receipts," said Gargiulo, "I guess when you're spending other people's money you don't need to keep receipts."
Several of the commissioners and their staffers told Fleischer they would do a better job of record keeping in the future. They did not want to comment on the FBI investigation.
Poor record keeping may not be criminal, but several people also used the cards to pay for personal trips, car expenses, even a speeding ticket.
Boyer and her aide have reimbursed the county for more than $18,000 in personal purchases that should not have been on the cards in the first place. They said they didn't realize that was not allowed.
Gargiulo is glad the spending is now under investigation.
He said, "Well let me go rob a bank and if I get caught I'll say I'm sorry and return the money, if I don't get caught, I'll just keep the money, is that the way it works? I don't think so."
"If the FBI is a part of this and they feel like there's something to look into, they must do that, and I embrace that," Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May told investigative reporter Jodie Fleischer.
May confirmed he has already been contacted by agents regarding county purchasing card policies and usage, but he declined to give specifics so as not to compromise the investigation.
Fleischer spent two months examining the commissioners' purchasing card records to expose questions about personal use and poor record keeping.
She uncovered tens of thousands of dollars spent at retail stores with no receipts; and in the few receipts commissioners did provide, Fleischer noted dozens of gift cards bought, with no documentation of who they were for. There were also many purchases of expensive electronics and accessories which are not inventoried by the county.
"Let's get everything on the table let's deal with it so we can move on," said May. "I'm sick and tired of the rumors the innuendos, the ethical allegations. We need to get to the bottom of this and we need to do it now. If the FBI is going to come in and help us resolve this, let it be so."
May said he is urging all county employees to cooperated fully with the investigation.
DeKalb County policy allows commissioners to decide how to spend the taxpayer money within their individual budgets. The purchasing cards make it easier to do that, and each commissioner signed a form acknowledging the county policy that they must keep receipts for each purchase.
Commissioners Elaine Boyer and Sharon Barnes Sutton and their aides spent a combined $30,000 at stores like Target, Walmart, Office Depot and Best Buy, without keeping the receipts. The FBI should be able to subpoena store records and find out what they bought.
"If there's nothing there they'll decide it, if they feel like there is something there then we move forward and address it accordingly," said May.
"Hey, us as taxpayers we need to know where that money went," said DeKalb taxpayer Joe Gargiulo, "I still would like to know it bought a computer, or it bought a desk, or a calculator whatever, or I took that travel trip that was so important to DeKalb County, to Tahiti."
Commissioner Sutton told Channel 2 she gives away gift cards as rewards to event volunteers. Out of 27 gift cards purchased by her aide, only one contained documentation of its purpose.
Several staffers also used the purchasing cards to buy thousands of dollars in prizes given away at a county employee appreciation picnic. No one reconciled the purchases with what was actually given away, and no one recorded which employees received which gifts.
"It upsets me, in business you always keep receipts," said Gargiulo, "I guess when you're spending other people's money you don't need to keep receipts."
Several of the commissioners and their staffers told Fleischer they would do a better job of record keeping in the future. They did not want to comment on the FBI investigation.
Poor record keeping may not be criminal, but several people also used the cards to pay for personal trips, car expenses, even a speeding ticket.
Boyer and her aide have reimbursed the county for more than $18,000 in personal purchases that should not have been on the cards in the first place. They said they didn't realize that was not allowed.
Gargiulo is glad the spending is now under investigation.
He said, "Well let me go rob a bank and if I get caught I'll say I'm sorry and return the money, if I don't get caught, I'll just keep the money, is that the way it works? I don't think so."
27 comments:
The GBI and FBI monitors this blog because this is were they get tips to investigate these corrupt employees. I know every employee who's involved can't sleep tonight. I'm sleeping because I never made an illegal charge with my County issued card.
I can't wait to see the name Sally Yates gave this operation.
#Operation Clean-up Dekalb
Funny how May blew it off on the news as though he'd entertain the F.B.I. because they HAVE TO investigate such a meritless case. Those type arrogant and oblivious egos are the first to fall. Look deep guys, there's a buffet of corruption at your fingertips. Better late than never I suppose.
Time again for the self preservation roll-overs to begin. There is no honor among thieves.
Operation " Landfill cleanup" because we have been dumped on long enough by these crooks. I hope every guilty party is caught and pays for their crimes. Lee May don't act so righteous yourself because you know that you still owe the county that little loan they gave you and you never paid back!
Wouldn't be surprised at all when the roll-overs begin, that Vermin Jones gets tagged for something he has been guity of back when.
"OPERATION - CLEANUP DEKALB"
At Last we get real help! ! !
THANK GOD THE GBI& THE FBI ARE HERE NOW THEY NEED TO INVESTIGATE WHY THE DA TOOK THE FOCUS OFF OF VERNON JONES & MOVED IT TO ELLIS? YOU DO KNOW VERNON JONES IS THE HEAD CRIMINAL, & THE FBI CAN CHECK INTO THE 18 MILLION IN FEDERAL HOUSING MONEY, ONLY BUYING 168 HOUSES,THIS PROGRAM WAS UNDER THE CONTROL OF DEKALB COUNTY, THERE ARE CRIMINALS FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP,PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR DA TOO!
Operation Turn-up!
June 1, 2014 at 1:21am, crap-head. If someone is involved in the RICO Act, that is a federal charge and it don't matter is the criminal is employed in Private or Public Sector. Yes, and everyone knows downtwn Decatur is full of crimi
Hey maybe the GBI can look into why director Alexander who is not certified as a police officer in this state or any other state is allowed to have a fully automatic Dekalb county issued weapon. He has a swat uniform and a sniper rifle as well. This idiot is not not even a police officer and walks around claiming to be a God.
PLEASE PASS THIS NOTE ON TO THE FBI! IF YOU CAN, ASK THEM TO FINE OUT WHY SHARON BARNES SUTTON USED THE P-CARDS TO RENT HOTELS ROOMS, WHEN SHE HAVE A HOUSE IN STONE MOUNTAIN,AS A TAXPAYER I HOPE SHE WAS NOT GETTING FREAKY ON TAXPAYERS DIME WITH THAT P-CARD!
Blech!! What has been seen cannot be unseen. I did not need the visualization of Big Sharon getting freaky. Besides, isn't she a stalker anyway?
Anon 959...if you are going to post something and be taken serious, please check your grammar.
1. Director Alexander could have gotten himself a carry permit like most people.
2. He works for the County so having a County issued piece of property is not unusual.
3. Sharon Barnes P-card being used at a motel culd be for getting resky with Alexander.
Bwa, ha, ha, ha, ha.
Actually that would be a case for the ATF, not GBI 7:23
They should also look into Stan Watson threatening local businesses if they didn't hire his useless son. I can think of two. The Wayfields on Columbia Drive and the Zaxby's on Panola Rd.
Anon 1:21 am, You're wrong. Public corruption is a federal crime. Just ask Don Frank and Willie Durret, two of Vernon Jones' buddies and former security detail members sitting in federal prison.
Maybe he'll take interest in fire hoses and start harassing them. Guess he's wishing he'd taken that NY job now.
9:59pm, 2 funny. I say, let the crooks stay in dekalb county govt. Who second the motion?
If Alexander can walk around with a gun, rifle, and SWAT uniform, and not be an officer, its time to leave.
Give me my pension and I'm out.
Are we all waiting to see downtown Decatur on NEWS? Who second the motion?
Just sickening, as a tax payer you would expect that the leaders would atleast try and use tax payer money hire and keep good workers, but they are so busy stealing there is no thing left to run the government!
How many years has it been since the workers got a pay increase? No wonder!!!!
And guess what even with the FEDs knocking on the door it won't stop until they are forced to stop.
Anon 3:01pm, embezzlement is one of the predicate offenses for a Rico charge. It's funny how the two people most critical of the investigation into our corrupt commissioners both called everyone idiots, but they were the idiots who have been proven wrong.
1st of all....EVERYONE needs to wake up and smell the freakin coffee!!!....The so-called Dr.....Dr. of what???..he has already proven through his roll call meetings that he bought and paid for the so-called degree on line...or paid someone off.....which is not un-common for the position he came from..not only in Fla...but in NY...especially in NY!!!
His last little side show at the SWAT try outs was just the beginning....so now he has a sniper rifle???....please GOD...let him get out on the scene and pull the trigger...
1st of all....he will not get called out at O-Dark thirty to respond (regardless which team) to the situation...let alone ol Capt. America or General MacArthur!!!.....one thing they all lack is common sense!!!...
5/2...yes it looks good on paper...but at what cost to the county???...another full day of operation on all of that county equipment...matters not in which division....gas/wear & tear/ & over all the totality of the cost when 4/3 does the same. No matter how you slice it up....turn it sideways....what looks good on paper & reality are 2 totally different things....I know over in SOD I've pulled their stats....they actually did more work on the 4/3....once again proving that common sense is out the window when you obtain rank at a certain level...
I will give general MacArthur his dues.....but this is not the military.....we lost that title in the early 90's.
I'll leave you with this food for thought....we've been here for multiple changing of the guards......no matter how advanced we get.....we always revert to the old ways......give them enough rope....and they will always hang themselves by their own actions.
My time is limited....I talked to a person who deals with the county personnel on a daily basis.......known him the entire time I've worked here...late 80s...his response was....the rookies do not know what the hell their doing(lack of training)....veterans have gotten tired and are frustrated and are starting to lay down......was sad to hear for a job we once loved so much!
Just saying.....Haven't we had enough???
Remember the sign at the county boundaries??? Welcome to DeKalb County....take your crime elsewhere!....stole one of those signs and have it hanging in the garage.....tilt a beer to it every now and then....Come on Dr!...make us proud!!!
Sounds like a certain Ex-SWAT Lt wishes he would not have issued the automatics to him along with other items.
Now if we can just get admission that the promotional tests have been rigged and manipulated over the last decade. It's painfully obvious so how difficult could it be getting evidence to that effect from these idiots? Then let the class action suits begin.
To 11:51 PM...
The promotional tests were rigged back in the 90's as well, and possibly WAY before then. I know. I saw it 1st hand, as did a lot of others that were here back then. Its one thing to promote your buddies. Thats called nepotism. Its another thing to promote complete illiterate idiots. Thats called called following a FEDERAL MANDATE which is also known as INSANITY. Therefore, dont expect the FBI to investigate the mess they have made here and expect much to change.
As I have said before, DeKalb County is/was a social experiment (started in the late 1960's) gone terribly wrong. DeKalb (and all who lived here and built their lives here) was sacrificed at the alter of political correctness, and it continues to this day.
Just the thoughts from an old retired cop who saw all of this 1st hand.
The US District Attorney, Sally Q. Yates, her ass is raw from sitting on her hind legs while Lee May and these DeKalb county Commissioners along with most ever department head are nothing less than R.I.C.O.
The damn office of The FBI is smack dab in the middle of DeKalb County. Hell, Derwin Brown was shot in 2001, you might think that would have woke up The US Attorney and FBI. David Naismith as US Attorney did not do shit so he could get a judgeship, same thing with Sally Q. Yates.
Note to DeKalb County Police, next time you catch Stan Watson or any of these other POS Elected Officials drunk as Cooter Brown could you please do your job and lock their sorry asses up.
5:02pm, you made valid points and these commissioners, department heads, and the p-ons are smiling all the way to the bank. Sorry to say but its going to take a Republican to take down those dirty Democrats in downtown Decatur. Lets start with zoning.
Sounds like its time to replace some commissioners to me. Boyer did not know that she wasn't supposed to be spending the money on herself?
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