Fulton GOP chair: County elections official should be fired over conflict of interest

The leader of the Fulton County Republican Party is claiming an official with the county’s elections and registration department should be fired because of a possible conflict of interest.

In a Jan. 15 letter to Richard Barron, the department’s director, Trey Kelly, the party’s chair, stated Ralph Jones Sr., the department’s registration chief, should be fired because his son, Ralph Jones Jr., worked on the 2020 election campaign for U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat.

Kelly also stated Jones Sr. had a similar conflict of interest in 2017, when his son worked on the election campaign for Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

According to his LinkedIn profile online, Jones Jr. worked for Warnock’s campaign as its strategic communications director from August until January, when he won the general runoff election. Jones Jr. also worked for Bottoms’ campaign as its social media communications director in 2017, from May through December, when she won the general runoff election.

He currently works as director of communications for District 4 U.S. Rep. Donald McEachin, D-Virginia, a job he has held since January 2020.

“This blatant coordinated offense is even more reprehensible given the history of a similar conflict in the 2017 mayoral election involving Mr. Jones, his son, and candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms,” Kelly wrote. “These egregious breaches of trust of the voters of Fulton County cannot be tolerated. I ask for Deputy Jones’ immediate termination from your department and he should not be employed in any capacity in Fulton County government.”

In a news release, Kelly added, “(Jones Sr. and Jr.) have a history of supporting specific candidates on the ballot in Fulton County.” He also cited the fact that during the 2017 mayoral race, Bottoms’ campaign paid over $3,600 to the firm RJ Mays Consulting LLC, whose registered agent is Jones Sr.

Emails sent to a Fulton spokeswoman seeking comment from Barron and Jones Sr. were not returned by the Neighbor’s deadline.

In an emailed statement, Jones Jr. said Kelly’s 2020 election conflict-of-interest claims are baseless, and he and his father have already been cleared of any improprieties from the 2017 election.

“It is a fact that after multiple recounts, Georgia state certifications and an election season with unprecedented scrutiny, the Rev. Raphael Warnock was elected in a landmark victory to represent the state of Georgia in the U.S. Senate. Mr. Kelly and the Fulton County GOP continue to make clear their blatant disrespect for the will of Fulton County voters by peddling baseless and reprehensible insinuations of voter fraud to build their own political clout.

“Their intentionally misleading rhetoric aimed at undermining the people’s trust in a free and fair election endangers our democracy and has directly contributed to death threats against myself and my family in the aftermath of the 2020 election season. The people have spoken –– It is time for Mr. Kelly and the Fulton County GOP to put what’s best for our communities and our country ahead of their personal politics and end this selfish and dangerous charade.”