Cordele residents sue to rid Deriso from City Hall

Four residents file suit to remove City Commission Chairman from office for unbecoming conduct

CORDELE, GA – A lawsuit has been filed in Crisp County Superior Court to remove recently elected City Commission Chairman Joshua Deriso.

The lawsuit is brought by attorney David Forehand on behalf of four Cordele residents, three of whom are African-American, including former Commission Chairman John Wiggins.

Deriso has steadily come under fire since being sworn into office on January 4th.

In one of the commission’s first moves, former City Manager Roland McCarthy was fired as current City Manager Angela Redding was hired.

During his campaign for office, Deriso publicly called for McCarthy’s ouster in favor of a woman of color.

In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim Deriso has violated Title 45 of the city’s charter, which pertains to conduct while in office.

Deriso took to social media to blast the lawsuit as well as a mailer sent to numerous Crisp County households last week championing consolidated government.