Former Paulding DA pleads guilty to charge stemming from sexual harassment investigation

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — A former Georgia district attorney has pleaded guilty to unprofessional conduct in connection to a sexual harassment lawsuit and Channel 2 investigation from 2019.

Dick Donovan, who served as the Paulding County District Attorney since 2010, was sentenced to 12 months of probation.

Donovan has resigned his position as district attorney and will be required to surrender his license to practice law.

Specifically, Donovan pleaded guilty to one count of unprofessional conduct by engaging in malpractice, misfeasance, or malfeasance in office.

“As independently-elected public servants, Georgia’s district attorneys must fulfill their solemn obligation to uphold the rule of law no matter the circumstance,” Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “When these same individuals abuse their power with complete disregard for their sworn duties, they harm the very justice system they are put in place to defend and protect. We will not hesitate to hold accountable public officials who violate the law and their oaths of office and hope this case sends a message that public corruption of any kind will not be tolerated here in Georgia.”

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Donovan had been suspended since Feb. 2021 indicted Donovan on four criminal charges.

The charges were in connection to an investigation that Channel 2 Action News first told you about in 2019.

Senior staff member Jamie White filed the lawsuit that claimed Donovan repeatedly harassed her and retaliated against her when she reported it. He has always denied the allegations.

According to our 2019 investigation, White emailed a complaint to county leaders “in an effort to stop the unlawful sexual harassment and its impact on my work and well-being.” Donovan fired back just days later with a 100-plus page denial and a sworn affidavit in which Donovan said, “I am very, very reluctant to characterize it as sexual harassment because. I have never said I wanted to have sex with her, I have never tried to have sex with her.”

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But according to the investigative report, in a conversation recorded by White, Donovan said “I don’t mind telling you everything still works, and I am not out of practice. I can’t think of any experience I would relish or cherish more than to make love to you.”

The report also described “a somewhat continuous course of conduct” during which Donovan “repeatedly expressed his love” the report includes pictures of letters, cards, notes and text messages Donovan sent White noting, “he did much of this after complainant told him in writing to stop.”

Still, the report detailed how Donovan gave White “substantial gifts” including money and a pricey gold bracelet, plus “other favors of value” like the “use of an official vehicle and helping arrange for the dismissal of a shoplifting charge against her.”

The state-hired lawyer representing Donovan said in 2019 that they would vigorously defend the allegations. In 2020, Channel 2 learned they planned to settle the lawsuit, leaving taxpayers to cover nearly all of $300,000 payoff.

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