Cobb County clerk indicted on allegations of deleting passport service records

Cobb County clerk indicted

A grand jury has indicted the Cobb County Superior Court clerk on allegations that she told an employee to delete folders and emails connected with the county's passport services. Connie Taylor is facing two counts of destruction, alteration, or corruption of public records and two counts of violating her oath of office.

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - A grand jury has indicted the Cobb County Superior Court clerk on allegations that she told an employee to delete folders and emails connected with the county's passport services.

Connie Taylor is facing two counts of destruction, alteration, or corruption of public records and two counts of violating her oath of office.

CONNIE TAYLOR. Photo courtesy of Cobb County

Deleted ‘passport’ folder

What we know:

According to a copy of the indictment obtained by FOX 5, Taylor is accused of telling an employee to delete a folder on her computer titled "Passport," which contained accounting records related to passport services provided by Taylor's office.

 Cobb County Superior Court Clerk Connie Taylor has been indicted on four charges by a grand jury. (FOX 5)

Taylor is also accused of telling the same employee to delete an email from her to Taylor with the subject line "Expedited Passport Revenue Analysis 2021-2022" that officials say contained an attached report prepared by the employee.

Passport mailing fees

Dig deeper:

In February, Taylor agreed to repay nearly $84,000 in passport mailing fees that she collected during her first two years in office.

State law allows Superior Court clerks to keep a $35 processing fee for each passport application, but officials say Taylor also retained more than $24 per application in expedited shipping charges that should have gone to the county.

Passport processing fees fatten clerks' pockets, state senator says

State Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (R-Marietta) said she was "astounded" to learn that under Georgia law, superior court clerks who process passports are legally allowed to pocket the $35 processing fee. One clerk was said to have taken in over $400,000 worth of fees on top of her $175,000 salary.

FOX 5 Atlanta previously reported that Taylor collected more than $400,000 in passport fees in addition to her $170,000 annual salary. 

Last year, Georgia lawmakers passed a bill that would require superior court clerks to disclose the total amount of all passport application fees during each quarter. 

Taylor was reelected in November 2024. She has been in office since her election in 2020.

Reaction to deleting public records

What they're saying:

"The intentional destruction of public records is a serious offense that undermines transparency and public trust," said GBI Director Chris Hosey in a statement.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr echoed that concern. "Any attempts to conceal or destroy government records are serious allegations that cannot be ignored and those responsible will be held accountable," Carr said.

Cobb County clerk indicted

A grand jury has indicted the Cobb County Superior Court clerk on allegations that she told an employee to delete folders and emails connected with the county's passport services.

Cobb County District Attorney's Office recusal

The other side:

The Cobb District Attorney's Office tells FOX 5 that they are aware of the indictment and have rescued itself from the case, meaning that the Attorney General's Office has full oversight regarding the investigation and will handle its prosecution.

"We recognize the significance and understand the public’s concern, however we are not involved in this prosecution. Our office remains focused on fulfilling our responsibilities and serving the people of Cobb County with integrity and impartiality," a spokesperson for the office told FOX 5.