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Clayton County votes replacement for vice chair
New developments in the controversy over the Clayton County commissioner who claims she was drugged. The board has appointed a new vice chair. The spot was vacant because commissioners recently voted for Felicia Franklin to be removed. A police camera video showed her apparently passed out on the ground outside a sports bar.
CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. - The Clayton County Board of Commissioners have appointed a new vice chair. The move comes after commissioners recently voted to remove Felicia Franklin after she was caught on video seemingly passed out on the ground outside a sports bar. The board appointed DeMont Davis as the new vice chair.
Commissioner Franklin quickly walked out of the board meeting and would not answer questions from FOX 5.
Margaret Bryant, a county resident, says the board should have been more forgiving.
"I think it was a bad move and an unfair move," Bryant said. "Who has not done something they are ashamed of?"
Orlando Gooden says Franklin let down the people.
"They’re supposed to represent the people and their conduct reflects on the county," Gooden said. "She was drunk. She was not a good representative of the county."
Felicia Franklin (Credit: Morrow Police Department)
Franklin claims someone drugged her at a sports bar back in late September. Morrow police say they found no evidence of that assertion. They released video showing then Vice Chair Franklin apparently passed out on the ground outside the bar. Police say a toxicology report found Franklin consumed several drinks of alcohol and had cannabis in her system.
Board Chairman Jeff Turner defended the decision to remove Franklin as vice chair. He says commissioners must hold themselves to higher standards.
"The video spoke for itself. What more can we say?" Turner said. "We represent the citizens of Clayton County, and we have to make sure we present ourselves in a way that our citizens are going to be proud of us."
New Vice Chair DeMont Davis says the board lost the trust of the county. He says now it’s time win it back.
"When things are caught on camera like that, we’ve got to begin to address it," Davis said. "I think there had to be a change to regain some of this confidence."
Franklin called the move unlawful during the meeting. She says she’ll run for the seat of chairwoman of the board.