Deal complaints, lawsuit loom over ethics agency

ATLANTA - The state ethics commission is set to meet Friday and is expected to discuss complaints involving Gov. Nathan Deal that are now at the center of a pair of lawsuits by two former commission employees.

The Deal investigation has loomed over the ethics commission for nearly two years. Last week, the agency's former director and her deputy sued the agency, claiming they were forced out in retaliation for their efforts to investigate Deal.

The commission is set to consider five complaints against Deal, including one that dealt with his use of campaign money to pay for legal fees related to a congressional ethics probe. Deal has denied any wrongdoing. Georgia's inspector general found last year that Deal played no role in the departure of the two commission employees.