Jayden Williams made history when he was elected as Georgia's youngest mayor. The 23-year-old made history again when he was removed from Stockbridge City Hall after 10 months in office because of several scandals. Now he is speaking out.
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Why Was the Mayor Removed From Office?
Stockbridge, located just outside Atlanta, is a small town of about 30,000 people. Yet Williams is accused of bringing some big-city problems to the community.
He allegedly mishandled a municipal credit card, racking up over $4,000 for haircuts, movie tickets, meals, and gas. Williams testified that he used the card for personal expenses by mistake and later repaid the fees.
Then a law firm hired by the city reportedly uncovered explicit messages Williams sent to a teen high school student late last year. While the student was 18 and a legal adult, the student was allegedly participating in a city-affiliated mentorship program.
Police then turned over the information to the city's administrative review for possible ethical violations.
Williams said in a statement that the student didn't participate in the city's "Mayor for a Day" program, adding that it isn't a mentorship program. He also pointed out that the messages were exchanged before he was sworn in as mayor.
No criminal charges have been filed against Williams.
Williams Is Now Lashing Out
Williams never held office before becoming the mayor of Stockbridge. As reported by the New York Post, he is now lashing out at officials for not showing him how to report expenses.
"I take accountability for not asking the questions and doing my portion," he said. "But they should have also taken the accountability to say, 'Hey, you're a new mayor. You're previously sitting on the council. This is your first time elected. Let's go through these documents.' That was never given to me."
He also addressed the sexting scandal, saying he "wasn't even mayor yet" when the messages were exchanged. He added that he does "somewhat agree" that the relationship was inappropriate.
"That's why I stopped it immediately," he added.
A special election could take place in November or March to replace Williams. However, the former mayor says he will remain active in the community even though he does not plan to return to office.
He said, "I'm never going to stop fighting for Stockbridge."
