Williams said she knew that a fair investigation would exonerate her, but she was distressed about having the ethics complaint pending for 10 months when she is waging a re-election campaign. Although she did not break any laws, the ethics commissioners said her situation was a first for them. Since Klein was applying with her partner, Vicki Richardson, and using the name JV Ventures, Williams was unsure about whether her friend even got a contract. She said she thought Klein didn't make the cut since her name wasn't on the agenda. Atkinson Gates said it was Askew's fault for asking her if any commissioners supported any candidates in the first place.
People have a right to observe the process by which decisions get made.
When asked why she voted for Morris, Atkinson Gates said it was because she learned Morris had the support of other commissioners. She said nothing publicly about her opposition to Morris on the day of the vote. It took gumption to admit he didn't bother to make his own list after getting the commissioners' list. There was a reason for the media to be suspicious that something wasn't right. She said afterward that when it came to this situation the county commissioners were either all guilty or all innocent.