State ethics agency close to finalizing outside probe

ATLANTA (AP) -- The chairman of the state ethics commission says the board is close to finalizing plans for an outside investigation into the circumstances surrounding two lawsuits against the agency as well as pending personnel issues.

It's been three weeks since the board voted to request a special assistant attorney general be appointed. Chairman Kevin Abernethy told The Associated Press on Monday that the board has spent "considerable time and hours thinking through, as we would with any investigation, as to the best way we would handle it."

The commission has been sued by its former executive secretary and her former assistant, who claim retaliation for work investigating ethics complaints filed against Gov. Nathan Deal. Those lawsuits are pending in Fulton County Superior Court.