Atlanta Inspector General Shannon Manigault on leave: Sources

ATLANTA - Atlanta Inspector General Shannon Manigault is on leave, according to multiple sources.

The move comes two days after claims by Atlanta officials that Manigault violated state law dozens of times by issuing at least 50 subpoenas without the required notice.

What we know:

Multiple sources tell FOX 5 that Manigault is now on leave.

"I wanted to let you know that I will be out on a brief leave. I am available should any issues arrive," reads a screenshot of an email from Manigault sent to FOX 5 from a source.

When asked by FOX 5's Christopher King about the situation, City Councilman Michael Julian Bond said the news came suddenly.

"She has abruptly today announced through informal channels that she’s going to take a leave of absence," Bond said.

What we don't know:

The details surrounding Manigault's leave have not been released by the city of Atlanta.

More legal trouble for Manigault

Dig deeper:

Attorney Stephen M. Katz, representing lobbyist and city vendor Bernard Tokars, has filed a lawsuit against the Atlanta Inspector General, accusing her of violating Tokars' constitutional rights. Katz claims the Inspector General conducted an unlawful search of Tokars' bank accounts and retaliated against him for speaking out against alleged corruption.

"The suit accuses her of violating his constitutional rights by doing an unlawful search of his bank accounts," Katz told FOX 5's Christopher King on Thursday evening. "She took all the illegal stuff that she got in violation of his constitutional rights and then retaliated against him."

Katz argues that the investigation into Tokars was baseless, stating, "She said she was investigating him for various things. We can't really get a definitive answer as to the substance of the investigation."

The lawsuit seeks an injunction to halt the Inspector General's actions and damages for the alleged violations. Katz noted, "There's real damage sustained here. When you violate somebody's constitutional rights and accuse somebody falsely of corruption, you've sustained real damage."

City officials have accused the Inspector General of issuing illegal subpoenas. Katz confirmed, "She filed three illegal subpoenas, maybe four, against my client."

The controversy has led to the Inspector General taking a leave of absence. Katz commented, "I've heard that she was placed on administrative leave. I suspect that she's really been placed on administrative leave, given that she's admitted violating my client and numerous other people's constitutional rights."

The lawsuit filed by Katz is one of two legal actions against the Inspector General, with the second case pending at the state court level. Bond noted, "This is a huge mess. This is supposed to be the person that the public has confidence in."

Michael Julian Bond responds to latest IG allegations

Local perspective:

Bond expressed concern over the situation, stating, "It's illegal for anyone that is not a grand jury, not a judge, to access people's personal financial information without authorization." He added that the city could face significant legal liability, with potential penalties reaching up to $5 million per incident.

In response to the situation, a proposal to change oversight of the Inspector General is moving forward in the City Council. Bond supports the measure, saying, "You do need to have guardrails on everyone who's in a public office or public capacity."

Atlanta's embattled Inspector General

The backstory:

The OIG was created in 2020 after an embarrassing federal probe into corruption at Atlanta's City Hall that led to several people serving federal time. Inspector General Shannon Manigault and officials at City Hall have been at odds over her office's allegedly aggressive tactics and procedures while trying to hold city employees and leaders accountable. In December, Manigault released a report alleging that officials showed favoritism during the bidding process for a 311 software system. She claimed that the vendor used its connections to Mayor Andre Dickens’ transition team to gain access to city officials. The city wrote a letter responding to the report, calling it "erroneous" and criticizing the OIG’s investigative methods as "wholly unprofessional and inappropriate." After the city's response, the Office of the Inspector General released a five-page letter saying the city's response was "uncivil" and full of "ad hominem attacks and accusations of political bias" to try to cast doubt on its findings.

In January, Atlanta City Council member Howard Shook introduced legislation that would change who oversees the OIG and create a new mayoral board that would appoint an inspector general, which could leave Manigault searching for a new job. 

Earlier this week, city officials claimed the OIG issued at least 50 subpoenas that violated Georgia law because they did not notify the individuals whose financial records were being subpoenaed. Georgia law requires government agencies and officials to provide prior written notice to individuals who are the subject of the subpoenas. City leaders claim that the lack of notification also exposed companies to liability by prohibiting them from notifying account holders. 

The city filed a cease-and-desist letter with the OIG on Monday concerning the issue. The Atlanta City Council also unanimously approved advancing the legislation involving the OIG on Monday night.

MORE: Felicia Moore cautions Atlanta City Council on actions weakening Inspector General's Office

The other side:

Manigault claimed that the new policy push was an attempt to weaken her office. 

MORE: Atlanta inspector general warns new City Council legislation could ruin leadership transparency

What's next:

The legislation will now return to the Committee on Council and then proceed to the full council for a final adoption vote in two weeks.

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