Judge Unseals Speaker's Divorce Files

ATLANTA (AP) -- A judge has unsealed some records in Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson's divorce.

Rome Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Walter Matthews took the wraps off the records that had been placed under seal by a Paulding County Superior judge who was also Richardson's former law partner.

Ethics watchdog George Anderson had sued to have the records unsealed. Richardson's divorce came after an ethics complaint was filed by Georgia Democrats alleging that the Republican speaker had an "improper relationship" with a female utility lobbyist. The complaint alleged that the relationship took place at the same time Richardson was co-sponsoring a pipeline bill being sought by her employer.

A legislative ethics panel dismissed the complaint.