The solicitor general of Hall County, Stephanie Woodard, was indicted Tuesday on dozens of charges of theft by taking and giving false statements.
Court documents show that Woodard was indicted on the charges in by a grand jury in Hall County Superior Court. The charges allege that Woodard stole over $4,000 from the county over a four-year span from August of 2018 through September of 2022.
The charges indicate that Woodard made numerous false statements about travel expenses and reimbursements, with those statements accounting for most of the alleged thefts. Also included in the charges are allegations that Woodard stole $1,430 from Hall County, claiming the money was going towards testing services.
Woodard's attorney Marissa Goldberg of Findling Law Firm released a statement Tuesday.
"Ms. Woodard has been a dedicated public servant for the past 16 years, as the elected Solicitor General on behalf of the people of Hall County. She has been deeply committed to the plight of victims, particularly those in domestic violence situations, and has been focused on the recovery and stability for citizens and families, including defendants under her purview. The decision by the Attorney General’s Office to institute charges against her in this absurd indictment is unfathomable and a waste of court time and taxpayer dollars. She absolutely committed no crime, but yet she has been viciously pursued by the GBI for years. They have harassed her family, including her children, during which time the agents were aware of ongoing severe health issues that they were facing. We do not say this lightly- the misguided Attorney General’s Office is utterly and provably wrong here."
Woodard previously had her campaign disclosures subpoenaed following her most recent re-election in 2022. Investigators reportedly found that Woodard did not file her personal finance disclosure statement by the required deadline as well as failing to file her campaign contribution disclosure report, both in the 2022 campaign cycle.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr released a statement Tuesday afternoon condemning Woodward's actions.
"Those elected to uphold the law must operate honestly, ethically, and transparently, and anything less undermines our system," Carr said. "Theft of taxpayer dollars and falsifying documents to cover up that theft are entirely unacceptable...As a public official, Hall County citizens trusted Solicitor Stephanie Woodard with their community's interests."
http://accesswdun.com/article/2024/6/1248535/hall-county-solicitor-general-indicted-on-theft-and-false-statement-charges