Columbus government HR director maintains innocence amid investigation. Here’s the latest

An attorney representing Columbus Consolidated Government Human Resources Director Reather Hollowell has refuted possible criminal allegations after her position was mentioned in a letter from Columbus’ district attorney about potential wrongdoing by city employees.

The attorney, Chuck Boring, said in a statement to media Wednesday that Hollowell’s name would be cleared.

Boring’s assertions come after Hollowell’s position was listed in a letter from a local prosecutor describing an investigation into potential criminal conduct by Columbus Consolidated Government employees. The Ledger-Enquirer reported Aug. 16 that Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Don Kelly had requested to be recused from the case in a letter to the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia.

No names of those involved were given in the letter. However, the letter did identify three employees by title: the finance director, the human resources director and a deputy city manager.

Boring said in his statement Wednesday that the emergence of the letter must have stemmed from “someone or some entity with an axe to grind.”

”The existence of this purported investigation has only come to light as a result of a seven-line, one paragraph letter from the District Attorney properly notifying the state prosecutorial agency that he cannot review the Sheriff’s Office’s submission to him,” Boring said. “Obviously, someone or some entity with an axe to grind leaked this memo or tipped off the media that it had been transmitted even though no charges or specific conduct has been sufficient to bring any criminal charge against anyone at this point.”

The statement calls the allegations “vague” and says this situation has “already sullied her character in a manner that will be impossible to fully remedy, even after she inevitably and rightfully has her name officially cleared.”

“Those responsible for this false, misleading, and surreptitious character assassination will, however, be held responsible for the damage already inflicted upon Reather,” Boring said in the statement.

Boring said the reporting on this case centers around how business license fees were handled within the city’s finance department, and insisted Hollowell has nothing to do with processing or accounting for those fees.

“In short, whatever is or was the state of affairs regarding business license fees, Reather could not and would not have anything to do with those operations or decisions,” the news release says.

Boring also criticized the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office.

“That the Sheriff’s Office would even insinuate to a prosecuting agency that Reather had possibly committed any criminal act is abhorrent, and a dereliction of duty,” he said.

Boring said Reather is disappointed in how the situation has been handled but is “proud to serve her Columbus community and the government which has been recognized as one of the best run cities in the country.”

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