NEWTON COUNTY –- Thirteen days after her suspension from county office, elected District 3 Commissioner Stephanie Lindsey took to social media to call out The Covington News.

On her “Lindsey for District 3” Facebook page, which she has posted regularly on since her suspension, Lindsey accused The News of withholding information from the public regarding her ongoing federal case and subsequent suspension from county office by Governor Brian Kemp.

“The constant question when individuals review the information and other documents disseminating through the community is why hasn’t the newspaper reported this and other information to the public,” Lindsey said. “My reply is always that The Covington News will never print truths that don’t fit the narrative they want to present."

“This is why when the Covington News ask [sic] me for a comment, my staple response is “Go f--- yourself!”

Lindsey defended her use of explicit language in the post, stating that her “no cussing in public mode” is off while she is suspended from office. 

Lindsey also stated that her own words had been“used against her” the day before, though it is not clear what she was referring to.

A memorandum dated Jan. 29 was also attached to Lindsey’s March 20 social media tirade. The memorandum – which is standard procedure for any public officials who may be facing suspension –  was addressed to the review commission appointed by Kemp who were tasked with determining whether Lindsey’s federal indictment adversely affected her performance in office. 

In the memorandum, Lindsey claimed that her actions as a real estate broker in 2018-19 did not impact her abilities to perform in her capacity as District 3 commissioner.

“It is clear that the facts that are contained in the Indictment are centered around my actions as [sic] real estate broker in 2018-2019 and not any performance or activity in my role as the District 3 Commissioner,” Lindsey said in the Jan. 29 response. “I was elected on November 5, 2024. It is also clear in the Indictment and the documents referenced there in that the transaction was not connected to any government entity and no public funds were involved. As I stated earlier, your analysis here begins with the question of whether the Indictment and actions therein involved my performance relative to my position and/or role as District 3 Commissioner. I humbly and respectfully submit to you that they did not.”

Despite Lindsey’s pleas to the review commission, she was ultimately suspended by Kemp on March 7 following the commission’s recommendation. She is currently fighting the suspension in Fulton County court – the county where the state government is seated – with a hearing scheduled for April 7.

The governor’s decision to suspend Lindsey from her county office is a result of the review commission’s recommendation that Lindsey’s governance could be adversely affected by a June 11, 2024 indictment in federal court that she continues to fight. 

The indictment alleges that Lindsey – in her capacity as a realtor of CSL Realty Group – coordinated a brokerage deal with an industry prospect in Stanton Springs who wanted to purchase 40 acres of land alongside business partner Marcello Banes. Banes – who is the elected chairman and business partner of Lindsey – also faces an array of federal money laundering charges and was also suspended from his county office.

The brokerage agreement saw the company named as “Company A” pay $150,000 to Lindsey’s CSL Realty Group as commission. The money was allegedly put in a mutual business entity – LatReb Logistics – from which Banes reportedly received $100,000 that was put toward a new house in Newton County.

At the time of the transaction, Banes was a sitting member of the Joint Development Authority (JDA) consisting of Jasper, Newton, Walton and Morgan counties. It is also alleged that he did not disclose his part in the deal to the JDA before the board voted on the transfer of the parcel on Jan. 22, 2019. “Company A” claimed in the indictment that they would not have gone through with the deal if they knew Banes was receiving part of the commission. 

The JDA continues to deny any knowledge of any wrongdoing.

In total, Lindsey faces charges including money laundering conspiracy, transactional money laundering and concealment money laundering.

The suspended District 3 commissioner also faces two separate charges of filing false tax returns. 

On July 7, 2020, Lindsey reportedly filed a U.S. Income Tax Return on behalf of CSL Realty Group for 2019 in the amount of $376 in yearly income. A few months later, Lindsey reportedly filed a U.S. Individual Income Tax Return for 2019 which reported her personal total taxable income of $107,478. 

Both Lindsey and Banes have pleaded not guilty on all charges and are fighting the case in federal court.