Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton’s Financial Past

Decatur Metro | January 30, 2010 | 11:40 am

Doing what he does better than almost anyone out in the Atlanta news-sphere, Jim Walls of Atlanta Unfiltered digs into Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton’s past and unveils all kinds of financial weirdness.

Here’s a sampling of a few of the strange details uncovered by Walls…

  • During her campaign for county commissioner, Sutton somehow managed to loan herself $69,000, even though she had a history of unpaid debts and made just $43,000 a year in the DeKalb County School system.
  • While Sutton told the AJC that the root of her financial difficulties stemmed from a dispute with a contractor and her mortgage company, Walls notes that two cases Sutton brought against the aforementioned parties were dismissed by the Fulton County Court System for “lack of prosecution.”

Also, make sure you check out Walls’ excellent time-line of Sutton’s legal problems – which stretch back to 1995 – at the bottom of his article.

AJC: I hope you can use Walls’ new info to go back to the commissioner and demand some ACTUAL answers to your questions.  It also would be nice to give Walls props for his efforts with a mention AND a link!

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3 Responses to “Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton’s Financial Past”

  1. Hmm says:
    January 30, 2010 at 2:17 pm

    I wonder how the candidates who ran against her in the commssion race missed all of this. No way she wins re-election.

  2. Progressive Dem says:
    January 30, 2010 at 4:43 pm

    Sadly, Commissioner Sutton is from Fourth Commission District. CEO Ellis was the previous 4th district commissioner. Outgoing commissioners generally attempt to influence who their successor is. They often encourage a competent candidate to run and help them with introductions, issues and endorsements. CEO Ellis made a big mistake when he stayed out of the race.

    Commissioner Sutton emerged from a very crowded primary field and into a runoff with Viola Davis. Ms. Davis is well known at the DeKalb County Commission as the Unhappy Taxpayer. She is usually wearing a yellow unhappy smiley face T-shirt and is a frequent speaker during the public comment period. While an avid populist, Ms. Davis had little experience or money in the runoff against Ms. Sutton.

    Commissioner Sutton’s campaign manager was Warren Mosby. It is generally known they are romantically involved and he is on her paid county staff. Warren is the brother of Rep Howard Mosby and the sister of Atlanta City Councilwoman Natalyn Mosby Archibong. Warren Mosby, Commissioner Larry Johnson and Board of Commission Chief of Staff Morris Williams have created a power center that is frequently at odds will Ellis and white the commissioners. There is bad blood between Ellis and Larry Johnson that goes back to Ellis beating Johnson in an election to become presiding officer of the Commission in 2007 and 2008. Prior to his election as CEO, Burrell Ellis usually voted with the 3 white commissioners and helped reign in the excesses of Vernon Jones.

    Ironically Ellis’s 4th district successor has joined the 3 other black commissioners and often votes in a bloc opposing CEO Ellis. Burrell Ellis made a big mistake when he did not try and influence the 4th District race because it was the swing vote on the Board of Commissioners. Larry Johnson was elected presiding officer of the Commission. He makes all of the committee assignments including determining the chairman. He appointed Sutton to Chair the Public Safety Committee, which helps to understand the reluctance of DeKalb County police to arrest Commissioner Sutton for her outstanding warrants.

    Ellis’s failure to influence the 4th District seat has left him with Sutton voting against him and a racially polarized Commission. It has forced him to play footsy with Connie Stokes who is challenging Hank Johnson. Ellis was notably absent at Congressman Johnson’s re-election kick-off.

    Sutton who is also on the Budget Committee doesn’t appear to be particularly competent in managing her personal finances. It is a little dangerous to elect people to public office who have financial problems. The next thing you know they are doing a favor for the wrong reasons. I hope a good candidate runs against her, but that is two years away. In the mean time, Sutton has placed herself in a vulnerable position and she might have to work more closely with Ellis to avoid a well funded opponent.

  3. DEM says:
    January 31, 2010 at 12:08 pm

    This sounds like the IRS should investigate. Where did se get that kind of money to lend to her campaig? It’s not impossible for her to have had that kind of cash, but it does seem very, very unlikely that it is legit.