ATLANTA (AP) — A suburban Atlanta district attorney has agreed to step down from his post at least temporarily after he was indicted on charges that he improperly sought to have a court dismiss a charge against a female employee he is accused of sexually harassing.
Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday signed an executive order suspending Paulding County District Attorney Donald Richard “Dick” Donovan, writing that Donovan had agreed to be suspended.
Donovan was indicted Feb. 17 for bribery, two counts of false swearing and violating his oath of office.
Donovan is accused of committing bribery when he dismissed a criminal case in Paulding County Superior Court in which the defendant was being represented by the prosecutor of the municipal court in nearby Cedartown. In exchange, the indictment alleged Donovan was trying to influence the prosecutor to dismiss a shoplifting case in the Cedartown court that was pending against a woman who worked in his office.
The indictment also alleges Donovan lied when he denied “ever having said that he wanted to have sex” with her and that he lied when he denied “describing his fantasies desiring to be physical” with the woman.
Finally, Donovan is accused of violating his oath of office when he committed bribery.
He earlier declined comment to The Associated Press.
Donovan turned himself in Monday and is free on $2,500 bail.
The employee filed a suit in federal court in 2019 alleging Donovan told the woman he was in love with her, gave her unwanted hugs and kisses, sent her personal text messages and emails, gave her unwanted gifts, forced her into private meetings and described sexual fantasies involving her.
A lawyer hired by the county corroborated the woman’s allegations.
The lawsuit was settled in early 2020. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has reported the woman was paid $300,000.