Atlanta's inspector general resigns from position as city approves oversight bill

ATLANTA - Atlanta Inspector General Shannon Manigault announced her resignation Monday morning, alleging interference and intimidation from city officials. 

The sudden announcement came before the Atlanta City Council's vote on whether to limit the power of the Office of Inspector General (OIG). 

What we know:

The Atlanta City Council's committee on council passed a measure to limit the OIG’s subpoena power and access to city records on Monday morning. 

It awaited the full council's approval Monday afternoon.

A spokesperson for Mayor Dickens' office commended Manigault in a statement. "We thank the Inspector General for her service to the City of Atlanta," the spokesperson said in an email. "We look forward to working with a new Inspector General and an independent board in the near future."

MORE: Atlanta inspector general warns new City Council legislation could ruin leadership transparency

What they're saying:

"I've come to the incredibly difficult decision to resign as Inspector General of the City of Atlanta," Manigault said in the news conference. "I have faced threats, bullying, intimidation, and harassment at the hands of people who have been the subjects of our investigations."

Her resignation follows months of back-and-forth between her, the office of Mayor Andre Dickens, and city council members. City officials allege she broke state law by subpoenaing bank records without notifying the people to whom they belonged.

"It is going to destroy the office," she said. "I know it, you know it, and they know it."

Former City Council President Felicia Moore, who supported the office’s formation, joined Manigault at her resignation announcement, emphasizing concerns over its independence.

Nicola Hines, who was the chairwoman of the board that oversees the OIG, also slammed the city's actions. 

Speaking at the rally, Manigault cited "abuse" that had extended to her family.

Atlanta's embattled Inspector General

The backstory:

The Office of Inspector General was created in 2020 amid a procurement scandal involving former Mayor Kasim Reed’s administration. 

Manigault and the city have been at odds with the proposal that would add more oversight to her office, a move that she claimed is an attempt to limit the independent agency's authority.

"However much the people of the city of Atlanta want us to be here, and want us to do our job, city management has made it crystal clear. For them, a real, functioning, effective Office of the Inspector General is not welcome in Atlanta," she said.

In December, Manigault released a report alleging that officials showed favoritism during the bidding process for a 311 software system. She claimed that the vendor used its connections to Mayor Andre Dickens’ transition team to gain access to city officials. 

The city wrote a letter responding to the report, calling it "erroneous" and criticizing the OIG’s investigative methods as "wholly unprofessional and inappropriate." After the city's response, the Office of the Inspector General released a five-page letter saying the city's response was "uncivil" and full of "ad hominem attacks and accusations of political bias" to try to cast doubt on its findings.

In January, Atlanta City Council member Howard Shook introduced legislation that would change who oversees the OIG and create a new mayoral board that would appoint an inspector general, which could leave Manigault searching for a new job. 

In February, city officials claimed the OIG issued at least 50 subpoenas that violated Georgia law because they did not notify the individuals whose financial records were being subpoenaed. Georgia law requires government agencies and officials to provide prior written notice to individuals who are the subject of the subpoenas. City leaders claim that the lack of notification also exposed companies to liability by prohibiting them from notifying account holders. 

The city filed a cease-and-desist letter with the OIG over the issue. A spokesperson for the Office of the Inspector General told FOX 5 that it first learned of the subpoena requirement days before the cease-and-desist and created measures to ensure it adheres to state law immediately.

Manigault had claimed that the new policy push was an attempt to weaken her office. "It takes the additional step of creating a mayoral board. So right now, the board of the inspector general and the language in the charter says the board is there to ensure the independence of the office. That model, which is a great one, and one that has been lauded by other cities," she told FOX 5 in January.

The inspector general also claimed the proposal does away with her office's ability to get immediate access to employee documents. "The legislation that everyone is talking about, that's going to be voted on today, is going to destroy the office," she said at the rally. "I'm not going to mince words."

Manigault had taken a leave earlier in February, which she claims was on her own volition. "I needed to take some time to step away and reflect and come to grips with everything that these people have been doing to me. And that's how I've come to the incredibly difficult decision to resign as inspector General of the City of Atlanta," she said.

What they're saying:

At least one member of that board believes the Inspector General overstepped her authority by issuing subpoenas without proper notification. 

In an email obtained by FOX 5 to city council and the mayor, Todd Gray, a member of Governing Board of the Office of Inspector General and Ethics, suggested suspending Manigault with pay.

"Let me be clear, the OIG is absolutely needed," wrote Gray. "It's hard to critique the person whose job it is to root out bad behavior. But, this has gone too far. The most recent allegations show the IG has potentially turned into a rogue prosecutor with a serious axe to grind."

It's not clear if that suspension was implemented before Manigault's resignation.  

Mayor Andre Dickens has supported the legislation proposed by City Council member Howard Shook, saying that City Hall wants to "clarify the role, process and governance of the OIG while ensuring that the city remains ethical and transparent in its actions."

"Throughout this process, we have continually said that while there is no place for illegal or unethical behavior in the City of Atlanta, there also is no place for the OIG to conduct its business outside of the parameters set by law and policy," Dickens' Chief of Staff Odie Donald said. "No one is above the law. How the OIG conducts its duties is equally important as to why it exists in the first place." 

After the news conference, FOX 5 received a email from the chairman of the board that oversees the inspector general's office.

The email reads in part, "This has gone too far. The most recent allegations show the IG has potentially turned into a rogue prosecutor with a serious axe to grind." 

The chairman then moved to put Manigault on administrative leave pending further review.

What's next:

The Atlanta City Council voted to create a governing board to oversee the Office of the Inspector General. 

READ THE FULL TEXT OF THE RESOLUTION

With Manigault’s resignation, some council members, including Eshe Collins, are looking for a compromise. Now that the resolution passed the full council, it will split the Governing Board of the Office of Inspector General and Ethics in two. "We have to restore the governing boards on both entities and also have found balance along with the Inspector General's request and the administration," Collins said.

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