PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — A Paulding County District Attorney who found himself on the other side of the law, after he was indicted on bribery and other charges, is also now being forced to step away from the job. That's after Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued an executive order suspending the official.
In the Feb. 24 order, Kemp said Donald Richard “Dick” Donovan, 75, would be "suspended from office immediately and without further action pending the final disposition of the case or until the expiration of his term of office, whichever occurs first."
The order suspending Donovan comes one week after Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr announced the indictment against the 10-year district attorney.
Donovan has been accused of false swearing, bribery, and violation of oath by an officer. The charges originate from an investigation by state agents into allegations the district attorney sexually harassed an employee in his office. The victim, who is a victim-witness coordinator, accused him of the act in a 2019 federal lawsuit.
Donovan denied the claim under oath, according to the GBI. He's also accused of trying to help her out of a shoplifting charge by bribing the prosecutor on that case with incentives.
Donovan was jailed earlier this week when he turned himself over to authorities; a judge issued a bench warrant for Donovan - that gave him until noon Tuesday, Feb. 23 to turn himself in.
He was later released, after posting a $2,500 bond, according to the Paulding County Sheriff's Office.