Former Augusta mayor wants investigation of current mayor

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — A former mayor of Augusta wants a civil investigation into how the current mayor is spending money.

Former Mayor Bob Young told local news outlets Tuesday he had sent a letter to Superior Court Judge Daniel Craig urging that he empanel a special grand jury to investigate Mayor Hardie Davis.

“Records are being withheld or their release stonewalled, unchecked spending has occurred in violation of county policies and a state investigation is under way concerning the use of public resources for political purposes,” Young wrote to Judge Craig.

The grand jury would not bring criminal charges, but Young said it could forward evidence of any crime to law enforcement.

Davis, who has nine months left in office and is barred from seeking a third term, could be sanctioned by the state ethics commission for failing to file campaign finance reports in 2019 and 2020 even as he collected more than $10,000 in contributions. In a divorce filing last week, his wife accused him of having an affair with a consultant paid by the mayor’s office, which Davis denied. He’s had his credit card spending curbed by the city-county commission.

A minority of Augusta commissioners have called for forensic audits of the mayor’s office or the entire city-county government, but lack enough votes to proceed. Young said a special grand jury could have a similar effect.

Young discussed the call in a speech before a civic club. He said an investigation could take more than year, but said it's important for citizens of Augusta-Richmond County to know what happened, even if Davis leaves office before an inquiry concludes.

“It’s a disservice to past and future mayors to allow the office to be demeaned and tarnished,” Young told WJBF-TV.

Davis said in a statement that Young “is now a...