Jayden Williams made history in January as the youngest mayor Georgia had ever seen, sworn in at 22 to run Stockbridge, a city of about 30,000 south of Atlanta. On Saturday, September 13, after a hearing that ran from 9 in the morning to nearly 9 at night, the city council voted him out. The evidence that filled those ten hours was less about grand corruption than about a city purchasing card that kept showing up in places a city card should not: a barbershop, a movie theater, a Lyft, a clothing store, and a Pandora jewelry counter.
Where This Stands Right Now
- The Stockbridge City Council removed Mayor Jayden Williams, 23, on September 13 after a nearly 10-hour evidentiary hearing; three council votes are enough under the city charter.
- The city’s case: more than $4,000 in personal charges on a city purchasing card, about $2,600 on a city fuel card, and a city vehicle used 183 of the 192 days he held it.
- A separate set of exhibits covered text messages with an 18-year-old high school student that began in late November, before he took office.
- Williams has 30 days to appeal. Mayor pro tem Elton Alexander is running the city; a special election must be held within six months.
The Card Statement
The purchases the city walked through were small and personal. Lyft rides. Haircuts. Movie tickets. Clothing and alterations. Restaurant meals. A $322 purchase at a Pandora store in McDonough that Williams said was Father’s Day gifts for his whole family. Investigators added roughly $2,600 in fuel-card charges and found that the city vehicle assigned to him was in personal use on all but nine days between January and June; policy limits it to official business and emergencies.
Williams testified that he never intentionally misused the cards, that many of the charges were tied to city business or hospitality in his role as the city’s public face, and that he was never given the purchasing and ethics policy after his election despite asking for it. He said some charges were mistakes caused by cards that looked alike, and that he later repaid some of the money and replaced the cards.
The Messages
The second half of the hearing dealt with text messages between Williams and an 18-year-old student that started around December 1, roughly two months after the teen turned 18, and continued into January. The city’s exhibits included an alleged exchange of nude photos; Williams acknowledged explicit messages but disputed the account of what he sent. Police reviewed the exchange and filed no charges because the student was a legal adult. City attorneys tied the contact to a mentorship role connected to his position, which is what brought it under the ethics rules.
Youngest Mayor in Georgia FIRED — City Card Misuse and Sexual Texts to a… https://t.co/GlDkibchBz
It appears there are no qualifications to run for any office.— Elaine Fortune (@Snoopysmomma) September 16, 2026
“Certain Minds Were Already Made Up”
Williams’ attorney, Robert Kenner Jr., told reporters the mayor and he were “deeply disappointed” and that “certain minds on the council were already made up.” He argued the city presented no evidence of sexual misconduct during Williams’ time in office and said “this whole process smells bad.” City Attorney Quinton Washington countered that the charter allows three council members to remove a mayor and that every procedural step was followed. One councilwoman, LaKeisha Gantt, was barred from the proceeding after a retired judge found she was biased in Williams’ favor.
What Happens Next
Williams was seen clearing out his office and declined interviews. Kenner has not said whether they will use the 30-day appeal window. The city says it will publicly release the investigation exhibits, though it has not set a date, and some Georgia lawmakers have asked Governor Kemp to open a state investigation. Watch for the appeal decision, the exhibit release, and the special-election date, which the city must set with the Henry County registrar within six months. For a city of 30,000, the story that started as a history-making election is now a cautionary tale about a purchasing card.
Sources:
wsbtv.com, thegeorgiavirtue.com, us.headtopics.com
