Houston DA candidates face off in public forum

Bishop Harvey Bee and The Winning Church, located in Warner Robins, held a forum for local candidates running for offices in Houston County, Thursday evening. The panel consisted of local pastors within Houston County.

Candidates participating were Superior Court Clerk, Houston County Commission Post 5, Georgia House of Representatives District 147, and Houston County District Attorney. All candidates were present except for Republican Incumbent, Superior Court Clerk Carolyn Sullivan and Republican Houston County Commission Post 5 candidate, Mark Byrd.

Bee informed those in attendance and watching live stream on Facebook that Sullivan apologized for not being able to make it due to a full work calendar. Byrd submitted a letter, which Bee read, that stated Byrd had tested positive for COVID-19 and he hoped to get back out on the campaign trail.

Matters remained calm during the forum until the candidates for Houston County District Attorney took to the stage. Running for the office is Republican Incumbent Houston County District Attorney George Hartwig and Democrat candidate Houston County Chief Assistant District Attorney Erikka Williams. The second question posed to the candidates was, how will one address the issues of office management, recruiting and retaining staff?

Williams said that currently, there is mismanagement within the Houston County District Attorney’s office, which has led her to run for district attorney.

“Management is essential to any office, but especially a government office because we don’t treat government like we would with a personal business,” Williams said. “Mismanagement is what drove me to qualify. We do have problems with retention, specifically trained ADAs (assistant district attorney), a 19-year investigator and several victim advocates. Right now, we have a situation in the office where no one is protecting the employees. It’s no secret, and I have provided proof, that our DA (district attorney) had an inappropriate sexual relationship with another staff member, his assistant. I did try to discuss this with him as well as the personnel director for the county, but to no avail, anything has been resolved. And I ask everyone to take into consideration of this matter and if this representation should continue.”

Hartwig responded by stating he was glad that his opponent brought the matter to attention.

“I am in the house of the Lord, where the truth should prevail, and I am sick and tired of being lied about and being lied to,” Hartwig said. “Exactly one year ago today, I was served with divorce papers. Mrs. Williams, her associates and her sisters in the office, immediately swung into action and started this campaign against me. On Oct. 19 of last year, a divorce was filed against me, and after being separated for six weeks, I was at the home of my assistant on a Saturday afternoon. I was under surveillance, and I knew it. My now ex-wife called the Houston County Sheriff’s Office there, demanded they write a report, stating I was at my girlfriend’s house, which there was no evidence to that effect, and says on the bodycam footage she needs that report to give to her attorney because they have to have something. I was not having an affair with my assistant as alleged by my opponent and contended by my opponent. For the last year, this divorce has been nasty and ugly, but it was started by a lie. Less than 48 hours later, from that Saturday, a former investigator by the name of Beverly Robinson, whom I terminated, found out about that report on Monday and was in the Houston County personnel director’s office complaining about me and my relationship with my assistant, and how the conditions and mismanagement of the office were.

“That was on a Monday. That Thursday, my opponent was complaining about the same things as my investigator was on Monday; all founded upon the lie of my ex-wife. I was not having an affair then and not now. In fact, my assistant is here tonight, and I’d like to introduce you all to my lovely wife, Jessica Hartwig. We did things the right way, I got separated and divorced, and then was married a couple weeks ago. I am sick of the lies, and I was muzzled because I couldn’t talk about it due to my then pending divorce case. You all can pull papers from my divorce through open records and you will see there is not a single allegation of adultery. My ex-wife didn’t get a single penny, and if I was having an affair, that would not have turned out that way. This has been extremely disruptive to the DA’s office, and I am tired of the lies.”

Williams responded stating she did not appreciate being called a liar as she has open record documents for access on her campaign website and recorded meetings with Hartwig.

“I first said something about the relationship in November because we had so many problems in the office,” Williams said. “My decision to run did not start in October, and I don’t believe you’re telling the truth. If someone asks me to plead the fifth, such as this behavior and I am married, there is no need to plead the fifth. You’re not telling the truth, and even if you were, the fact you are now married to your office manager and don’t see that as a problem in a government office, who the both of you are in charge of hiring and firing, and your chief assistant is not involved. It doesn’t look good. If you don’t see that, I can’t help you.”

Hartwig replied, “Mrs. Williams you’re liar, I summoned you to my office in November about an employee, and you never addressed mismanagement or inappropriate relationships then. You’re a lie. I have a right to plead the fifth, which allows a jury to make certain inferences. The people who know the truth about what’s really going on [are] me, my wife and our Lord and Savior.”

Both then answered questions from the panel and shared why they feel they are the best candidate for Houston County District Attorney. Williams stated she has over 18 years experience within the Houston County District Attorney’s office and was first appointed Chief Assistant in 2011. Hartwig stated he feels his record speaks for him as he has served as the DA for the last 10 years and kept crime at a low rate.

“What I campaigned on in 2010, I’ve done over the last 10 years,” Hartwig said. “It’s been successful and it’s worked. It’s been proven to keep our community, year after year, a safe and good community. I think we’re going to continue what we have done, which is to be tough on crime and target those serious violent felons that are out threatening our community with guns.”

Williams said, “Citizens can see in my body of work with the D.A.’s office. I have worked very well with our local law enforcement, but I’ve also worked very well with our community leaders, and that’s important right now because the tension between law enforcement and some parts of the community is just not good.” She continued with, “I have spoken with members of law enforcement, who tend to be Republican, and they’re not satisfied with Mr. Hartwig. They don’t feel like he’s responsive to them. They can’t get to him. Some people don’t understand how the system works, so that kind of goes with the transparency. When people understand how the system works, they may understand why it takes two or three years for a case to get to trial. But when Mr. Hartwig tries to say things like, ‘I don’t have a part in the backlog,’ well, yes he does. When he takes people’s caseloads from them, then the person who has to take those caseloads have got to get up to speed. That takes time. I want to acknowledge to the county that we can’t prosecute fully every single arrest that is made. Nobody can.”

A second article will feature the other candidates in the next edition of the Houston Home Journal. The forum was live streamed on The Winning Church’s Facebook page, and is still available for viewing.

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