February | 2020 | Atlanta Progressive News

Monthly Archives: February 2020

Atlanta Ethics investigation of Westmoreland’s Former Aide, Wayne Martin (UPDATE 1)

February 24, 2020 MATTHEW CHARLES Leave a comment

Image of Wayne Martin and Councilwoman Marci Overstreet (District 11) posted to Overstreet’s official Facebook page; reposted here pursuant to Fair Use doctrine. (APN) ATLANTA — The Ethics Office of the City of Atlanta is currently investigating a complaint received regarding an alleged conflict of interest involving Wayne Martin, former Chief of Staff to Atlanta City Council Matt Westmoreland […]

Atlanta Council Knowingly Approves Illegal Voucher Ordinance (UPDATE 1)

February 23, 2020 MATTHEW CHARLES One comment

(APN) ATLANTA — Requiring residential lessors to accept housing authority vouchers from tenants as a form of rental payment is a national best practice. Unfortunately, the Georgia Legislature does not allow cities to adopt such an ordinance. So, when the Council voted on Monday, February 17, 2020 to approve an ordinance purporting to require the acceptance of vouchers […]

Lawsuit Documents Nineteen Open Records Violations by City of Atlanta

February 22, 2020 MATTHEW CHARLES 2 comments

Image of Robert Ashe used pursuant to fair use doctrine. (APN) ATLANTA — In an amended complaint filed on yesterday, Friday, February 21, 2020, citizen advocate Adrian Paulette Coleman provided Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney with evidence of a total of at least nineteen known violations of the Georgia Open Records Act by the City of […]

Atlanta Abuses Executive Session to Discuss Illegal Ordinance (UPDATE 1)

February 13, 2020 MATTHEW CHARLES Leave a comment

(APN) ATLANTA — The City Council of Atlanta continues to operate in a cloak of secrecy and abuse public trust, this time holding two closed-door meetings to discuss their illegal ordinance, 20-O-1155, despite having no eligible exception that would allow the meeting to be closed under the Georgia Open Meetings Act. APPARENTLY ILLEGAL CLOSED MEETING On Tuesday, February […]

Atlanta Ordinance to Require Voucher Acceptance, Preempted by State Law

February 7, 2020 MATTHEW CHARLES Leave a comment

(APN) ATLANTA — The City of Atlanta is currently considering an ordinance by Councilman Antonio Brown (District 3) that would ban rental discrimination in Atlanta on the basis of form of payment – essentially requiring residential lessors (“landlords”) to accept vouchers issued by a housing authority. Councilman Antonio Brown (District 3) introduced the ordinance as a personal paper […]

City of Atlanta Lawyers Up in Coleman Open Records Case

February 6, 2020 MATTHEW CHARLES Leave a comment

Image used pursuant to fair use doctrine. (APN) ATLANTA — The City of Atlanta has retained attorney Robert L. Ashe III (commonly called “Robbie Ashe”), at a rate of 450 dollars per hour, to defend the City in a lawsuit filed by Adrian Coleman regarding the City’s violations of the Georgia Open Records Act. The City of Atlanta has […]