ATLANTA (CN) — Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms called for the resignation of her entire cabinet Monday, directing them to turn in their letters of resignation by the end of the day.
It has been reported that she told the cabinet -- a group that includes 35 top city officials, many of them holdovers from the previous administration -- that she will review each position before deciding which resignations to accept and which to decline.
Bottoms won a narrow victory in the Dec. 5 runoff against Mary Norwood, in part because of the support she received from former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed.
After she was sworn in, Bottoms told the cabinet they could keep their jobs for at least 90 days as she got to know them.
Her 100th day in office is Thursday.
"I have asked for the resignation of all Cabinet members," Bottoms said in an emailed statement. "Consistent with what I said upon taking office in January, I have taken the first 100 days to evaluate the leadership of my Administration. There are many talented leaders within the City, and I look forward to continuing to work towards creating the team that best reflects alignment with the goals and opportunities we look to pursue over the next four years."
Although Bottoms has not indicated who will make the cut. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on Monday that the city-issued cell phone of city communications director Anne Torres was disconnected.
Torres, who previously served under Reed, provided an emailed statement to the newspaper Monday evening.
"Upon Mayor Bottoms entering office, I committed to assisting with the transition for the Administration's first 100 days. I have fulfilled that commitment and I am proud to have served the City of Atlanta for the last five and a half years," the statement said. "I look forward to rejoining the private sector as previously planned. I wish Mayor Bottoms and the Administration the best as they continue to work to create a more equitable Atlanta."
The city subsequently issued a press release Monday evening announcing that Bottoms will make "a major announcement on transparency" during a press conference on April 10 at 1 p.m.
The news comes after a tumultuous few months in Atlanta.
The city is still reeling from the effects of the March 22 ransomware cyber attack which left most city employees without access to their computers for several days.
As of Monday, the city's municipal court still could not accept ticket payments and judges were still limiting hearings to only those people currently being held in jail.
Political scandals have also rocked the city.
In late March, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation revealed it is conducting a probe into potential violations of the Georgia Open Records Act by the former Atlanta mayor's press office.
According to a report by Atlanta's WSB-TV, one of its reporters received text messages from multiple Atlanta officials that suggest that members of the former mayor press office may have knowingly and deliberately delayed the release of public records that may have embarrassed city.
In addition, on April 5, U.S. Attorney Byung J. Pak unsealed an 11-count indictment against Rev. Mitzi Bickers, a political consultant and former director of the city's Department of Human Services.
Bickers is accused of taking $2 million in bribes to steer city of Atlanta contracts to at least two contractors from 2010 to 2015.
She has pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on a $50,000 appearance bond.
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