Cobb Superior Court Clerk Connie Taylor Suspended from Office By Governor

Gov. Brian Kemp has suspended Cobb Superior Court Clerk Connie Taylor from office, This action comes after Taylor pleaded not guilty to felony charges of destroying public records and violating her oath of office. On Friday, Kemp signed an executive order suspending Taylor “pending the final disposition of the case or until the expiration of her term of office, whichever occurs first.”

Taylor, a Democrat first elected in 2020, waived her formal arraignment, which had been set for next week. She faces four felony counts: two of record destruction and two of violating her oath of office.

The charges stem from accusations that Taylor ordered a staffer to destroy documents related to passport fees she collected as personal income. State law permits Superior Court clerks to collect a $35 fee per application, and Taylor’s office runs a passport processing service. During her first two years in office, she received more than $425,000 in fees, in addition to her $170,000 salary.

The practice drew scrutiny in late 2022 after an AJC report highlighted how lucrative it had been for Taylor. Soon after, a whistleblower — Taylor’s former accounting manager, Maya Curry — alleged that Taylor directed her to delete records after the office received an open records request. According to the indictment, Taylor told Curry, “We’re just going to Donald Trump this thing.”

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation launched a probe, later handing the case to Attorney General Chris Carr’s White-Collar and Cyber Crime Unit. Prosecutors allege Taylor instructed Curry to delete a digital folder labeled “Passport” as well as an email documenting the fees.

Taylor, represented by former Gov. Roy Barnes, has denied wrongdoing. She ceased collecting the passport fees in October 2022.

Governor’s Action

Under state law, when a Superior Court clerk is indicted on felony charges, the governor must appoint a special commission to determine whether the official should be suspended. Last week, Kemp named retired state Supreme Court Justice Keith Blackwell, Banks County Clerk Tim Harper, and Dodge County Clerk Rhett Walker to the panel.

Taylor’s suspension comes after being booked at the Cobb County Jail earlier this month, where she was released on her own recognizance.

If convicted of a felony, she will be permanently removed from office. If acquitted or if charges are dropped, she would be reinstated.

Turbulent Tenure

The passport fee controversy is not the only cloud over Taylor’s leadership. Last year, a software change to the clerk’s case management system caused widespread disruptions, forcing the chief judge of the Cobb Judicial Circuit to declare a judicial emergency — an extraordinary measure usually reserved for natural disasters or global crises.

Despite the controversies, Taylor continued reporting to work after her indictment. But Kemp’s suspension now bars her from overseeing the clerk’s office while the case proceeds.