GBI starts probe of politically-connected Hall County prosecutor

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Hall County Solicitor General Stephanie Woodard has been active in GOP circles since she was appointed in 2008.

GAINESVILLE, Ga. - The GBI began this week looking into questionable spending practices of Hall County Solicitor General Stephanie Woodard.

Attorney General Chris Carr called in the GBI after the FOX 5 I-Team revealed thousands of dollars earmarked for crime victims actually went for the solicitor’s personal needs.

Woodard has already repaid more than $2,000 for expenses like her dog’s cremation, a family member’s law school entrance exam and home furnishings.

She claims they were "confused as victim expenses by mistake … this oversight is personally and professionally embarrassing."

But the FOX 5 I-Team found evidence the solicitor had blacked out key information when turning in some receipts for reimbursement that hid the true recipient of the expense.

In all, more than $7,000 worth of expenses had no proof attached that any actual victim was helped.

The money involved isn’t necessarily tax dollars. Much of it comes from money defendants have to pay when they’re sentenced - an extra 5% of their fine mandated by state law to help crime victims.

Our analysis of Woodard’s spending records from January 2021 to September 2022 found another $7,000 spent in a different category: going out to eat.

One of the nearly 100 times Stephanie Woodard used public money to go out to eat with staff. This one was listed as "Abuse Awareness."

Woodard spent victims' money at area restaurants nearly 100 times during that period. Reasons typically cited: training for her office. That’s training with an appetite.

"This shows the kind of callous disregard not only for her office, not only for her oath of office, but the people she’s supposed to be protecting and helping," observed Edward Queen, director of the Ethics and Servant Leadership Program at the Emory Ethics Center.

Woodard once served on the Prosecuting Attorneys Council. She’s active in Republican Party politics and on a first-name basis with Attorney General Carr, the man appointed to investigate Woodard for "allegations of theft by conversion and violation of oath by a public officer."

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr was appointed to investigate Woodard after the Hall County District Attorney recused himself. His spokesperson says any fear of favoritism is unwarranted.

One of the items Woodard said was mistakenly paid with victims assistance money was 10 white baseball caps with the number 83 embroidered on the front. Brian Kemp is Georgia’s 83rd governor. Woodard said that money should have come from her campaign account.

"Given this individual’s role in Republican politics in this state, arguably there’d be a strong appearance of conflict of interest," Queen pointed out.

A spokesperson for Carr said he "remains committed to doing his duty, based on the law and evidence. He will continue to ensure all public officials faithfully and impartially uphold and enforce the law."

She also pointed out that Carr has investigated other prosecutors around the state.

Woodard did not respond to questions about her restaurant spending or the GBI investigation but did earlier call for an "independent state review" of her handling of expenses for victims.