SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — Results of an investigation into South Fulton Mayor Khalid Kamau’s credit card expenses found travel policy violations and several questionable purchases.
Auditors from a company called Baker Tilly presented results to the city council Tuesday night.
They said they looked at 25 months’ worth of spending on the mayor’s city-issued credit card.
In that time, they said he spent more than $109,000. Auditors said they noticed violations of the city’s travel and credit card approval policies as well as several questionable purchases.
Auditors said the credit card statements showed 20 trips totaling approximately $70,000. The city manager and city clerk did not approve any of those trips.
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That violates the city’s travel policy, according to auditors.
“The city manager did not approve the travel. People in her department approved the travel without her knowing it,” said Kamau.
He argues that the policies were not clear.
“Part of the reason polices were violated is because policies were not clear. The lines of communication were not clear, but there was no malicious or intentional violation of policy. Some policies did not exist at that time,” said Kamau.
Auditors also found the mayor upgraded his airline seat 20 times during his travels.
“Most of the upgrades came from the points I have accumulated from buying the tickets,” said Kamau.
Auditors told the council their investigation also found several questionable purchases on Kamau’s credit card statements.
Examples included: ancestry linkage, Apple Music, SiriusXM Radio, car washes and supplies, digital subscriptions to online newspapers, electric vehicle charging, a desk that converts to a pool table, a drone, IT equipment, CashApp services, and 10 food purchases totaling more than $2,600.
“I do not believe what I did was unethical. What I will apologize for is our city’s name being dragged through the mud by people who are so anxious to get into this seat,” said Kamau.
Auditors recommended that the city council stop allowing elected officials to use city-issued credit cards.
The council did not adopt that.
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The city did reinforce requirements for travel expense approvals. The city attorney prepared a four-pronged practical guide for cardholders to use on a case-by-case basis. That includes asking: What is the goal or public benefit?
Part of the audit included listing the amount each council member spent on their card in a 25-month period. District 7’s council member, Mayor Pro Tem Linda Pritchett, had the highest credit card bill of $167,278.
District 6’s Natasha Williams-Brown was the second-highest spender with a $109,412 credit card bill.
Kamau was third on the list with a bill that totaled $109,231.
District 2 Council Member Carmalitha Gumbs’ bill totaled $99,356.
Council Member Jaceey Sebastian of District 4 spent $95,572. District 5’s Keosha Bell spent $89,081. District 1’s Catherine Foster-Rowell spent $88,339, and District 3’s Helen Willis spent $80,692.
Kamau wants each council member to show receipts and approval documents.
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