Deal called to testify in ethics commission suit

ATLANTA (AP) -- A spokesman for Gov. Nathan Deal says the governor, his chief of staff and his legal counsel have been called to testify in the upcoming trial of a former ethics commission employee who alleges retaliation for investigating ethics complaints against the governor.

Spokesman Brian Robinson said Wednesday the three were served with subpoenas last week and are on a "may call" list of possible witnesses. The trial is set to begin Friday in Fulton County Superior Court.

Sherry Streicker is the former deputy at the ethics commission. She claims commissioners eliminated her position and cut her boss's salary as they were seeking to gain approval to issue subpoenas in the Deal case. Commissioners have denied any wrongdoing.

At the time, the commission was investigating Deal's 2010 campaign reports.