Josh McKoon and his new push — for a statewide grand jury | Political Insider | www.ajc.com

We now have a state ethics commission that is not only impotent, but dysfunctional as well. An inspector general is a newer feature of state government, but its creator, Gov. Sonny Perdue, endowed it with gums rather than teeth.

This is not an indictment of Republicans, who are merely following the example set during decades of Democratic rule.

In fact, the Republican who last year gave us a $75 limit on the gifts from lobbyists to lawmakers is about to revive a decades-old GOP quest: A statewide grand jury, placed in the hands of Georgia’s attorney general, to root out public corruption, both large and small.

State Sen. Josh McKoon, R-Columbus, says he intends to hold hearings on his proposed amendment to the state Constitution early next year. He’ll push for the required two-thirds passage by both the House and Senate, so that the measure can be placed on the November ballot for voter approval.

It would also serve to emphasize the attorney general’s role as the public’s prosecutor – rather than the lawyer for state government and its officialdom. In addition, the measure would be an admission that the state ethics commission isn’t the proper vehicle for serious probes.

“I think we would be better served by the commission playing the role of refereeing these technical issues about compliance with disclosure laws. I think that’s the role they have to play in our system,” McKoon said. “Let the attorney general be the watchdog from a public corruption standpoint. By putting it in a legal process, you create a lot of checks and balances. You eliminate a lot of the political considerations.”

Olens, who would be the immediate beneficiary of McKoon’s push, has spoken in favor of a statewide grand jury system before. He declined to talk about it in this context, perhaps because he is currently in a tight spot.

via Josh McKoon and his new push — for a statewide grand jury | Political Insider | www.ajc.com.