Former Georgia Governor Asserts Lawmaker’s Innocence

He insists over the years, Tyrone Brooks has incurred a lot of expenses, but has failed at keeping the proper receipts and records.

“What he should have done is setup a salary for his full-time work, a modest salary and had he done that we would not be here today.”

But the charges in the 30-count indictment allege otherwise.

The government believes for nearly two decades, Brooks solicited and accepted monies for charitable programs that instead went for personal expenses.

Roy Barnes said the government’s paper trail of evidence doesn’t detail unlawful activity.

“Tyrone did not receive a salary for his efforts, but he was given an expense stipend that he used for expenses of living so that he could continue the work. This is the activity that the government claims was criminal? I don’t see it that way and I don’t think a jury of the Northern District will see it that way.”

Barnes also took issue with U.S attorney for the Northern District, Sally Yates, for opting to indict Brooks on federal criminal charges.

Barnes was polite in saying he had the highest respect for Yates, but declared Brooks issues are simply tax accounting issues.

“I think the broad discretion that a U.S attorney has in deciding whether to prosecute should have been exercised in this case by allowing this dispute to be handled as a civil tax matter rather than a criminal case seeking incarceration of somebody who by her own admission has given his life fighting for the rights of others,” said Barnes.

Although he was in attendance, Representative Tyrone Brooks did not speak.