A Georgia mayor who boasts being the nation’s first Black Lives Matter organizer elected to workplace is dealing with scrutiny for utilizing $20,000 of public funds for worldwide journey and different questionable purchases, in keeping with studies.
South Fulton Mayor Khalid Kamau was accused this week of utilizing a city-issued buy card in December for unauthorized spending on a visit to Africa, meals and different bills that totaled round $26,000, a councilwoman reportedly stated this week.
“It’s a fairly large quantity of unauthorized costs,” Councilwoman Helen Willis alleged to Fox 5 Atlanta on Tuesday.
Kamau, who has denied wrongdoing, documented an prolonged journey to Ghana final month on social media in keeping with WSB-TV, exhibiting him on movies at a celebration and in addition attending a live performance within the nation’s capital.
In one other video, he’s touting potential financial growth connections that may very well be made between the Ghanaian folks and residents in South Fulton.
Airplane tickets price greater than $5,000, a $1,300 drone and numerous Amazon purchases had been among the many myriad of things bought, in keeping with paperwork obtained by WSB-TV.
Willis reportedly claimed there are additionally 112 receipts that must be reconciled or submitted by Kamau, who goes by Mayor Kobi. These submissions reportedly should occur inside 72 hours.
Whereas Willis stated “it seems so” when requested if the mayor made unsanctioned purchases, one other colleague on town council stated she desires extra data earlier than drawing any conclusions, Fox 5 reported.
“Presently, it has not been decided that that has taken place,” Councilwoman Linda Pritchett reportedly stated.
“I want to see the mayor have the chance to deal with the difficulty transparently,” she added.
There isn’t any metropolis coverage on worldwide journey, however the card can’t be used for private gadgets or companies, the station reported.
“I wished to search out out if taxpayers paid for this journey,” resident Reshard Snellings advised WSB-TV. “We shouldn’t be requested to go with out one thing in order that our elected officers can journey everywhere in the globe.”
The mayor, first elected to town council in 2017, claimed to WSB-TV the criticism is “a smear marketing campaign” motivated by politics.
Mayor Kobi additionally briefly addressed the scrutiny Friday night, saying his workers is engaged on publishing the receipts so the general public can see the paperwork for themselves.
He stated on an Instagram dwell video the worldwide journey was tied to spice up financial growth alternatives.
“All of us understand, all of us haven’t been utilizing the (buy) card or journey coverage the best way that they’re outlined within the coverage as a result of the coverage is simply unworkable,” he stated in reference to speaking with different metropolis officers. “It was written to trick folks up and never get issues carried out.”
Kamau has described himself as an “elected activist” who has been concerned in civic engagement for years, together with serving to arrange the Atlanta chapter of the Black Lives Matter motion.
“America’s first #BlackLivesMatter organizer elected to public workplace, Mayor khalid … is main a era of younger activists from protests to politics,” in keeping with the bio on the metropolis web site.
He didn’t instantly return an electronic mail in search of touch upon Friday.