Channel 2 confirms zoning board chairman tied to bribery case

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga — Channel 2 Action News has confirmed another DeKalb County official is under federal investigation; this time it's the chairman of the zoning board of appeals.
 
Darryl Jennings, Sr. is linked to a federal bribery case involving a nightclub vote that was the subject of a Channel 2 Action News investigation in 2012.  
 
"It calls into question all of the decisions that were made," said DeKalb County Commissioner Nancy Jester. "We just can't keep depending on reform by scandal or reform by indictment, we must move past that."
 
Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Jodie Fleischer obtained a copy of a new federal grand jury subpoena sent to DeKalb County government.          
 
The subpoena demands all county records relating to Jennings' service on the zoning board, including his emails, personnel file and any payments he's received. It also specifically asks for all county records relating to Lulu's Billiards, a nightclub that wanted to be grandfathered in under county rules in 2012, even though its own paperwork the prior year said it was not a nightclub.
 
Jeremy "Jerry" Clark served on the board with Jennings and has already pleaded guilty to accepting $3500 in bribes for that vote.  
 
Nightclub owner Ismail Sirdah has also pleaded guilty to paying those bribes.  
 
Both agreed to cooperate with the ongoing federal investigation.
 
Now Jennings is the subject of the new subpoena, linked to that same zoning decision.
 
"It calls into question any and everything that that zoning board has done and it is tragic for DeKalb but we must go back and look at those cases and those decisions," said Jester.
 
Jennings was appointed by Commissioner Larry Johnson, who says he's concerned about the subpoena. Johnson has the authority to remove Jennings from the zoning board.
 
"I have to look at all the options because you're innocent until proven guilty," Johnson said, adding that the county attorney is researching what to do. "Then I'll have all the information so I can make a prudent decision on where we need to go."
 
Johnson said he would like to speak with Jennings about the situation.
 
Fleischer tried to reach him but Jennings did not answer several calls to his cell phone.
 
The county must turn over the requested records by May 5. The next zoning board meeting is May 13.

WSBTV