22-year-old unseats incumbent as mayor of Stockbridge
Ten months. That is how long it took for Georgia’s youngest elected mayor, a media-anointed “historic” figure who once called himself “the Obama of my family,” to be thrown out of office.
Jayden Williams, 23, was removed Saturday by the Stockbridge City Council after a roughly 10-hour investigative hearing into allegations that he treated the city purchasing card like a personal wallet and traded sexually suggestive messages and explicit images with an 18-year-old male high school student.
The city confirmed the result on Sunday.
“The City of Stockbridge confirms that the City Council has taken formal action concerning the Office of Mayor following proceedings conducted pursuant to applicable City processes,” officials said. “As a result of that action, the Mayor has been removed from office.”
Mayor Pro Tem Elton Alexander is now acting mayor while the city prepares a special election. Williams can appeal to Henry County Superior Court. No criminal charges have been filed.
City workers flagged unusual charges and alerted management and the city attorney. An independent law-firm investigation followed. Local outlets including Atlanta News First and Fox News have reported the alleged personal burn on the municipal purchasing card at more than $4,000, restaurants, clothing, a haircut, a movie, plus about $2,600 in fuel and personal use of a city vehicle.
Atlanta News First’s hearing coverage listed items presented to the council, including:
$35.79 in AMC Southlake movie tickets
$36.02 for a haircut
roughly $200 at Academy Sports and additional clothing charges
Lyft rides while a city vehicle was assigned to him
restaurant tabs billed as “small business spotlight” outside the city
$322.92 at Pandora on the Square
On that Pandora charge, acting Mayor Alexander said investigators found Williams gave conflicting stories, first gift cards for staff, later gifts for community members. A restaurant manager testified Williams dined with a group on Father’s Day and that the restaurant had no record of gift-card purchases matching the claim
City records presented at the hearing showed a municipal vehicle checked out for 183 days from January to July. Fuel hits included a day the vehicle was not even checked out in his name.
Williams told the council some charges were accidents because the city card looked like his personal card. He said he reimbursed disallowed items. He also testified he did not recall reading the purchasing-ethics rules he was given after taking office, only a signature page.
The council additionally considered allegations involving an 18-year-old male high school student who reportedly connected with Williams through a political mentorship program.
A police report documented sexually explicit and suggestive communications between the two. The student told investigators that he and Williams exchanged nude photographs.
However, police did not pursue criminal charges, noting that the student was 18 and legally an adult under Georgia law. Investigators nevertheless referred the matter for administrative review, citing ethical and professional concerns involving an elected official and a high school student connected to a mentorship program.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Williams argued the communications occurred before he was sworn into office and maintained that his mentorship program was not sponsored by the city. Williams denied sending nude images and denied wrongdoing.
The post Georgia’s “Historic” Youngest Mayor Ousted After Just 10 Months Following Alleged Taxpayer-Funded Spending Spree and Sexually Suggestive Messages With 18-Year-Old Student appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
