Atlanta City Council wrestles with OIG bill
The Atlanta City Council on Monday unanimously approved the latest version of a hotly contested bill to overhaul the city’s independent watchdog agency, the Office of Inspector General (OIG).
The proposed legislation underwent significant changes that restore some of the OIG’s powers, after progressing first through the Committee on Council, then the full city council. Both incorporated input from a public work session held last week.
On Monday, the Committee on Council restored the independence of the governing boards for both the Inspector General’s Office and the Ethics Office by removing a provision that would have allowed the mayor and city council each to appoint a board member. Currently, a single board governs both offices, with members appointed by citizen groups.
After voting to adopt the revised bill, the Committee on Council sent it to the full city council, which made more changes Monday afternoon. Councilmember Matt Westmoreland successfully introduced an amendment restoring the OIG’s ability to refer any findings of potential criminal wrongdoing to local or federal prosecutors.
The city council also voted 8-6 to approve an amendment from Councilmember Marci Collier Overstreet that prohibits both the OIG and the Ethics Office from using “covert surveillance technology” in their investigations.
Now the bill, which affects both the OIG and the Atlanta Ethics Office, will undergo another round of committee meetings, followed by a final city council review. The earliest that the legislation could become law is Feb. 17.
City accuses OIG of ‘illegal’ subpoenas
Meanwhile, Mayor Andre Dickens’ office accused the OIG of violating state law at least 50 times by issuing administrative subpoenas for financial records without notifying the individuals whose records were accessed. City Attorney Patrise Perkins-Hooker warned that the violations compromised privacy protections and could lead to legal challenges.
In response, the OIG admitted the mistake, saying the subpoenas were issued in “good faith” and that the office “owns its missteps.” The OIG said it was unaware of the statewide notification requirement until Jan. 30, when the mayor’s office raised the issue, and that it immediately updated its policies. The OIG also said the situation underscores its need for a dedicated in-house lawyer.
Some of the subpoenas for financial records were “issued in connection with criminal matter(s) tied to prosecutor(s),” the OIG added. Depositors at financial institutions do not need to be notified for subpoenas issued in conjunction with a criminal investigation, according to state law.
National inspector general firings echo in Atlanta debate
As the local debate unfolds over the extent of the Atlanta inspector general’s oversight powers, President Donald Trump has sparked turmoil among federal agency watchdogs with a barrage of new executive orders.
Trump fired at least 17 inspectors general last week across federal agencies, including the U.S. Departments of State, Defense, and Transportation. Even some Republicans said the move likely violated federal law, which requires the president to give Congress 30-day notice and a reason for removal.
“I don’t understand why one would fire individuals whose mission it is to root out waste, fraud, and abuse,” said Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Trump’s critics view the firings as an attempt to dismantle independent checks on executive power, since the inspectors general conduct audits and investigations of federal agencies.
Some conservative commentators, however, argued that the move was an “overdue rebalancing,” and questioned whether Congress should have any oversight over the executive branch’s IG appointments. This isn’t the first time a president has exercised such broad discretion: Ronald Reagan fired all of Jimmy Carter’s inspectors general.
The national conversation around IG oversight made its way into the Atlanta City Council’s work session last week. Councilmember Antonio Lewis asked why national labor unions are fighting Trump’s IG firings, while the city of Atlanta’s employee unions appear to support efforts to curtail the Atlanta inspector general’s powers.
Chicago’s IG report exposes hidden ‘gift room’
If there were ever a case highlighting the importance of an inspector general’s office, look no further than Chicago.
Last week, a report from Chicago’s inspector general, Deborah Witzburg, revealed that Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration kept a secret “gift room” full of luxury goods that were never reported to the city’s Ethics Office. The stash included high-end items gifted to city officials, such as a personalized Mont Blanc pen, Hugo Boss cufflinks, and Givenchy, Gucci and Kate Spade handbags.
The revelation underscores why independent oversight is crucial at all levels of government — and why debates over an inspector general’s powers, like the one happening in Atlanta, matter.
Trump firings also paralyze NLRB and EEOC
The impact of Trump’s recent firings extends to the two agencies that handle workplace disputes between employees and employers. In an unprecedented move Trump fired a key Democratic appointee to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) last week. Gwynne Wilcox’s ouster on Jan. 27 left the five-seat NLRB board with only two members – below the three-member quorum needed to issue decisions on unfair labor practice cases or to oversee union elections.
The next day, Trump fired two Democratic board members for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC): Jocelyn Samuels and board chair Charlotte Burrows. That similarly left the EEOC board with only two members – short of the three-member quorum it needs to function.
Trump also fired both agencies’ Democratic general counsels: Jennifer Abruzzo at the NLRB and Karla Gilbride at the EEOC. The EEOC protects workers from identity-based discrimination, while the NLRB referees workers’ rights to unionize and collectively bargain with employers. Billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk — who has an influential, though vaguely defined, role in the Trump White House — both have argued that the NLRB’s authority is unconstitutional.
Opponents charge that it’s illegal to fire the NLRB and EEOC board members without notice, hearings, or cause before their terms had ended. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has launched a probe into the firings.
Sanders warned EEOC Acting Chair Andrea Lucas, who Trump appointed Jan. 21, that the firings have paralyzed the agency’s ability to enforce anti-discrimination laws. “These firings are unprecedented: In its 60-year history, no commissioner has ever been fired before the end of their five-year term,” he said in a letter to Lucas.
The NLRB Union said that firing the NLRB board members violates the National Labor Relations Act and called Trump’s move “a frontal assault on the NLRB, its employees, workers, and the very idea of an independent civil service.”
Elections underway in Cobb County
Two Cobb County commission seats in Districts 2 and 4 are up for election following a two-year redistricting dispute between the state legislature and the county. The primary election is set for Feb. 11, and early voting began Saturday.
Voters can cast ballots at several locations, including the main office in Marietta, the Old Clarkdale Park Community Center in Austell, the South Cobb Community Center in Mableton, and the Smyrna Community Center.
Additionally, the Oregon 02 polling site has been permanently relocated to Gathering of Champions Church International on Powder Springs Rd.
Key election dates:
- Primary Election: Feb. 11
- Runoff (if needed): March 11
- General Election: April 29
Today’s newsletter was written by Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon and Claire Becknell, and edited by Meredith Hobbs.
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