After two years of silence, delays, and excuses, Cobb County Superior Court Clerk Connie Taylor has suddenly decided to return the $84,000 she illegally pocketed in passport shipping fees.
But why now? And why did it take this long for any action to be taken?
This isn’t just about a refund—it’s about accountability, or the lack of it. The deeper you dig into this story, the more it reeks of corruption, incompetence, and political favoritism.
Why Did Connie Taylor Hold on to Illegally Collected Funds for Two Years?
The facts are clear: Taylor, by her own admission, improperly, or illegally, took $83,658.90 in expedited passport shipping fees. This was identified years ago, yet only now—under mounting scrutiny—has she agreed to pay it back.
Back in November 2022, she claimed she was ready to return the money, but at the last minute, the Cobb Board of Commissioner’s Chair Lisa Cupid mysteriously pulled the agenda item. County Manager Jackie McMorris feebly defended the decision, saying there were “so many questions” left unanswered.
The citizens of Cobb County deserve answers to many questions:
Why didn’t the Board demand answers then?
Why was Taylor allowed to sit on taxpayer money for two more years?
Where has the money been all this time? In her personal account bearing interest?
Why did the Cobb Board of Commissioners and Lisa Cupid let this drag on?
If an average citizen illegally held on to public funds, they would face serious consequences. So why did Cobb County Commission Chair Lisa Cupid and the Board of Commissioners do nothing to insist the return of this money?
Commissioner JoAnn Birrell admitted that the money was “taken illegally.” So why didn’t the county immediately demand repayment and hold Taylor accountable?
The fact that nothing happened for two years raises serious concerns about whether certain officials are shielding Taylor from consequences.
Why has Attorney General Chris Carr ignored the GBI’s investigation?
This isn’t just about passport fees—Taylor’s tenure has been clouded by serious accusations, including allegations that she ordered public records to be destroyed to hide how much she was personally profiting from passport fees.
That triggered a Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) probe, which was handed over to Attorney General Chris Carr in April of 2024. And yet… No action. No statements. No results.
What happened to this investigation? Has it been buried to protect Taylor? Or are powerful forces working behind the scenes to keep the truth from coming out?
The voters in Cobb should have been made aware of any findings of this investigation prior to November’s election, some might view the suppression of the findings as election interference…
Where are the Cobb Superior Court Judges now?
Just last year, Cobb Superior Court Chief Judge Gregory Poole declared a judicial emergency over Taylor’s incompetence, citing massive backlogs, lost case filings, and communication breakdowns that crippled the court system.
Now, after Taylor quietly agrees to pay back some of the money she should never have taken in the first place, the judges have suddenly gone silent. Did Taylor magically fix everything? Highly unlikely.
Where Is the Cobb Bar Association?
The Cobb Bar Association was vocal in criticizing Taylor’s failures, with 60% of local attorneys rating her performance as “poor” in a survey conducted last year. Legal professionals witnessed firsthand the chaos she created, from misplaced case files to missing court notices.
So why haven’t they spoken up now? What happened to their concerns?
Did Taylor fix the massive court filing backlog? Not likely.
Under Taylor’s mismanagement, filing delays crippled the legal process in Cobb County. The crisis only worsened after her disastrous attempt to switch case management software, which left attorneys and judges scrambling for basic court records.
Now that the scrutiny is back on Taylor, has she actually fixed these problems? Or is the system still dysfunctional, with no accountability in sight?
Why Is Cobb County protecting Connie Taylor and refusing to hold her accountable?
Despite her incompetence, scandals, and blatant mismanagement, which was widely reported by local print and broadcast media, Taylor was reelected in 2024—even after a whistleblower accused her of destroying public records to hide the extent of her financial gains.
Meanwhile, Cobb County’s leadership—from Lisa Cupid to Attorney General Chris Carr—has failed to hold her accountable. The Board of Commissioners dragged its feet for two years before even considering taking back money that was stolen from taxpayers.
It’s Time for Accountability
Taylor’s sudden willingness to return illegally taken funds is not a sign of responsibility—it’s a sign that she feels the pressure. But this case raises far bigger concerns than just missing money.
Why wasn’t this money reclaimed immediately?
Why has the Attorney General done nothing with the GBI investigation?
Why have the judges, bar association, and county officials gone silent?
Who is protecting Connie Taylor?
Cobb County residents deserve answers—and more importantly, they deserve leadership that upholds the law instead of covering for corrupt officials. Contact the office of the Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr and the Cobb Board of Commissioners to demand answers.
Contact the Office Of Attorney General
https://law.georgia.gov/contact-us
404-458-3600
40 Capitol Square, SW
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Contact the Cobb Board Of Commissioners
100 Cherokee Street
Marietta, GA 30090
(770) 528-3300
Dr. Jackie McMorris, County Manager
(770) 528-2600
Jackie.McMorris@cobbcounty.org
Lisa Cupid, Commission Chairwoman
(770) 528-3305
lisa.cupid@cobbcounty.org
Keli Gambrill, District 1 Commissioner
(770) 528-3313
keli.gambrill@cobbcounty.org
JoAnn K. Birrell, District 3 Commissioner
(770) 528-3317
joann.birrell@cobbcounty.org
Monique Sheffield, District 4 Commissioner
(770) 528-3312
monique.sheffield@cobbcounty.org
