Crotts: Deficit of Integrity

A Citizen's Story

Back in the day.... Dateline Henry County, 2002... There was a huge push to remove the Fourth District and Fifth District Henry commissioners from office. A small group of citizens agreed that both were guilty of misuse of office, conflict of interest and therefore dishonesty.

The reason for this long story is to point out the role Crotts played. Speaking to concerned citizens he was open and interested. Speaking to the governor, his words were like poison.

A highly in-depth research project was launched cataloging every vote, every campaign contribution, every zoning issue and every social/political/financial aspect that could be known. A book of about 200 pages was presented to every news media outlet, Gov. Barnes, the Attorney General, the Georgia Ethics Commission -- and the Henry Legislative Delegation. Crotts was the delegation chair at that time. Crotts was specifically given a copy of the research. Crotts told the Complaint's author that he would lend his support to pursue proven, documented conflicts of interest. He supported the principles of the Ethics in Government Act.

The documents outlined clear conflicts of interest in voting and interlocking (sometimes shielded) financial relationships. Yet neither commissioner had "failed to disclose" any contributions that could be proven. That was the key fact that tied the Ethics Commission's hands.

All the while, Ethics Commission Executive Secretary Teddy Lee was counseling and explaining our state's ethics laws to the Complaint's author. Lee said that it was among the best researched and comprehensive cases he had ever read. BUT, state law specifically says "Ought" and "Should" while providing no penalties for violation of any clause of the Ethics in Government Act. (Today we still see the legislature gutting any meaningful reform to ethics legislation) The Complaint became an officially dead issue at the Ethics Commission.

Several local developers allegedly violated state law in filing zoning applications stating "they made no contributions to any official who would influence the outcome of the application." Zoning applications clearly ask the question, and state the possible penalties. District Attorney Tommy Floyd's staff investigated the allegations and found he could excuse all but two of those accused. One got off scott-free, the other was tried and given a $250 fine. (Note that such a misdemeanor calls for $1000 fine and/or one year in the pokey!) Tommy Floyd told the complainant that he believed "the point had been made."

The Complainant asked for the governor's office to investigate the allegations, or request the Attorney General to investigate. A well-known Henry citizen with ties and access to Gov. Barnes' office was told, by a staff attorney, about a meeting Crotts had with the governor. Crotts reportedly told Barnes that the complaint was baseless and supported only by a fringe group. The Complainant could not get a phone call returned from, or an appointment with the governor or his staff.

No small coincidence. Some of the individuals and businesses named in the Complaint were also listed as Crotts' top campaign contributors in 2003!

The research used in the Ethics Complaint was used locally. Its major findings were published in The Henry Herald, posted at websites and distributed in email. Both the 4th and 5th district commissioners were voted out of office, being replaced with Gerry Adams and Lee Holman.