Georgia Governor Suspends Mayor Accused of Stealing $65,000 from Town

Governor Brian Kemp has taken action against Brandon Holt, the mayor of Pineview, a small town in south Georgia. Holt is facing charges of stealing nearly $65,000 from Pineview, and Kemp has suspended him from office until the legal case is resolved.

According to state law, Holt will not receive any pay from the town’s 500 residents during his suspension. He was arrested in January and indicted in March after the Georgia Bureau of Investigation accused him of taking $64,455 from the town’s bank account between June and October.

The investigation revealed that Holt used the mobile payment service Cash App to transfer the money to his personal bank account a total of 75 times. Holt has been released on bail, but his lawyer has not yet commented on the matter.

A review commission, including Attorney General Chris Carr and mayors from Warner Robins and Macon-Bibb County, recommended Holt’s suspension to Governor Kemp. This recommendation was based on their assessment of how the charges against Holt might affect his ability to continue serving as mayor.

Georgia Governor Suspends Mayor Accused of Stealing $65,000 from Town

This is not the first time Holt has faced legal trouble. He was previously arrested in Bibb County in 2022 on charges of theft by deception and financial identity theft.

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In that case, Holt is accused of stealing over $22,000 from Macon Asphalt and sending it to two loan companies. Holt has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial for those charges.

Governor Kemp’s decision to suspend Holt reflects the seriousness of the allegations against him and ensures that the town of Pineview can maintain its governance effectively while the legal process unfolds.