Recall hearing date set

Court to hear legal arguments on Nov. 21 on recall effort

Walton County Chairman David Thompson will have his day in court, as he will face off with the organizers of Walton in Action over the proposed recall effort to remove him from office on Nov. 21.

Judge David R. Sweat will preside over a hearing at the Walton County Courthouse at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 21, to determine the legal sufficiency of the recall petition.

Under Georgia law, the November 21 hearing is limited solely to reviewing whether the petition’s “grounds for recall” are “legally sufficient.”

Walton In Action, the local political advocacy group organized to unseat Thompson, argues  Thompson voted on an annexation request in 2022 when he had an undisclosed financial conflict of interest, claiming this rises to the level of an unethical action which merits removal from office.

Thompson claims this does not rise to the level of malfeasance and asked the court to dismiss the recall.

Subpoenas were delivered to 13 WIA organizers on issues the group claims are irrelevant to the legal grounds.

“The timing, lack of consultation, and irrelevance strongly suggest that Chairman Thompson has issued these subpoenas to harass individual voters who oppose his corruption,” wrote attorney Bryan Sells in an email to Judge Sweat. “Such harassment is never an appropriate reason for discovery.”

Sweat issued an emergency order on Thursday in response which severely limits the scope of questioning by Thompson’s attorneys in depositions about the recall petition.

WIA Chair Gareth Fenley said they remain ready to fight.

“The people of Walton County elected him and the people of Walton County can remove him,”  Fenley said. “This is a fight to restore honesty and respect in our local government.”