Audit could recommend changes for Ga. Ethics board

ATLANTA - The state auditor says his department's probe of the Georgia Ethics Commission could lead to recommendations for changing the commission's structure and operations.

In a statement Wednesday, Greg Griffin of the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts said the scope and objectives of the investigation will determine how long it will take to be completed.

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

The board of the ethics commission voted three weeks ago to request an outside investigation.

Griffin says the audit will focus on the commission's efficiency and effectiveness.