SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – Two ethics complaints were filed this week against Alderwoman Kesha Gibson-Carter by fellow Savannah City Council members.
According to City Attorney Bates Lovett, the complaints have been dismissed because they weren’t sworn by the complainants. But News 3 is told they are being refiled.
Earlier this week, District 6 Alderman Kurtis Purtee made the first complaint, alleging that Gibson-Carter intentionally misled the public and physically threatened other council members.
On Tuesday, council members Detric Leggett, Linda Wilder-Bryan and Nick Palumbo — representing Districts 2, 3 and 4 — filed a separate ethics complaint accusing the Post 1 At-Large alderwoman of violating meeting decorum during a recent executive session.
The three council members allege Gibson-Carter used vulgar language during the executive session and repeatedly interrupted others while the Council discussed the city manager search.
“Alderwoman Gibson-Carter continued to interrupt the other members of Council, including Alderwoman Linda Wilder-Bryan,” the complaint reads, in part. “When asked to please allow members of Council to finish their statements and refrain from using inflammatory language, Alderwoman Gibson-Carter then said ‘It’s called America, and if you keep sending for me I’ll come for you,’ indicating physical harm to Alderwoman Wilder-Bryan.”
Gibson-Carter held a press conference Tuesday to address the complaints made against her.
The alderwoman said that executive session discussions are confidential and she would not comment on those aspects. She did not comment on her claim, recorded on video, that there were pedophiles in city hall.
Gibson-Carter said the complaints against her do “nothing for the greater good of this community.”
The alderwoman said she hopes Mayor Van Johnson will take the same stance he did when former Alderman Tony Thomas was censured for using vulgar language toward a local TV reporter.
“That is where [the mayor] stated, and I quote, ‘council should be careful to avoid becoming the morality to police,'” Gibson-Carter said.
Purtee tells News 3 he filed an addendum on Tuesday. Palumbo says he, Leggett, and Wilder-Bryan will be filing an addendum as well.
Note: Explicit language included in one complaint below