Politics & Government

Benefit Account Set Up for Lasseter

Duluth friend Jerry Robb sets up account "to help Shirley" at Gwinnett Community Bank in Duluth.

A friend has set up an account at a Duluth bank to benefit former Gwinnett County commissioner Shirley Lasseter, who pleaded guilty Thursday to accepting bribes in federal court.

Jerry Robb, a friend of Lasseter, posted the notice of the benefit account on Facebook:

"An account at the has been set up to help Shirley. For anyone interested in donating money..Checks should be made out to Shirley's Fund, account #0040946. Thanks so much!!"

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The bank is located on Buford Highway.

Lasseter apparently was in serious financial straits before her guilty plea. Her Duluth home was foreclosed on in 2009. Also, Robb was quoted in a recent media article as saying that Lasseter said her car ran out of gas because the gas gauge was not working properly and that she could not afford repairs.

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In addition to facing up to 10 years in prison on the bribery charge, Lasseter faces a fine of up to $250,000.

State campaign disclosure records list her current address as Woodiron Drive in Duluth.

Lasseter has not commented publicly or online since the news broke Thursday about her guilty plea and resignation from the Gwinnett Commission; Suwanee and Duluth were in her district.

Gwinnett officials still have not announced whether they will appoint someone to fill out her term, which expires Dec. 31.

Lasseter's son John Fanning also pleaded guilty to the same bribery scheme, in which an undercover FBI officer posed as a South Florida real estate developer. Lasseter accepted bribes totaling $36,500 in 2011, federal authorities said.

Other support for Lasseter, former long-time mayor of Duluth, also is evident on her Facebook page.Β 

"My thoughts and prayers are with you and the family. Even the best of us make mistakes. God will get you through this and you will be a better person (if that is possible) for it. You have done so many wonderful things for Duluth and Gwinnett County," posted Leigh Hudgins Landon.

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