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Whistleblower suit being filed against Fulton County Commissioner

A whistleblower lawsuit being filed against Fulton County and Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington. Claims in the case mirror an issue first exposed by an 11Alive investigation.

Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington

ATLANTA -- A whistleblower lawsuit is being filed against Fulton County and Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington. Claims in the case mirror an issue first exposed by an 11Alive investigation.

Two weeks ago, the 11Alive Investigators questioned Commissioner Arrington's weekly use of a skybox at a county concert venue for hosting private parties.

But it seems another high level county official had been questioning it as well -- and is now blowing the whistle.

These private parties include family, friends and even campaign donors of Arrington, and happen weekly in Skybox 2 at Wolf Creek Amphitheater.

As assistant county manager, Lisa Rushin was tasked with overseeing operations at the venue, and what she saw from Arrington, she says, was this misuse of a county asset.

The county attorney was served notice on Monday morning, that Rushin and Amphitheater Entertainment Director Sandy Ward Poag will be filing a whistleblower suit in the coming days.

In their notice to the county, it says they cite the intentional and negligent actions of the county and Arrington to retaliate against, harass, and defame them after they refused to aid "Commissioner Arrington's use of his official position for private gain through Wolf Creek Amphitheater."

They claim that the actions began when Arrington took office in 2015, and then assumed control of the use of the skybox.

Rushin and Poag are each seeking $250,000 in damages, according to Monday's notice. Their attorney says she will have the full complaint filed within the next 30 days. Her notice was to ensure that all evidence in the case would be preserved.

11Alive News contacted the county for an official response, and received a short reply late Monday afternoon: "We decline to comment on any threatened litigation."

We will continue to follow the story as it progresses.

Read the notice as delivered from Rushin and Poag's attorney:

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