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On Thursday, September 8, 2022 the Petition to review the Sufficiency for Recall hearing was held at 11:00 a.m. located at the Crisp County Courthouse. A judge from Swainsboro, Georgia presided over the hearing that lasted a few hours. Petitioner Joshua Deriso through per se representation petitioned the court for the review of the recall that was initiated by Trae Sims, recall petitioner and Cordele resident. David Forehand of the Cotton Law Firm in Cordele represented Sims. Evidence and testimony heard in the hearing included the removing of the “Thin Blue Line” picture from the city office, violating Trae Sims rights to free speech, and the slandering of Commissioner Shepard at commission meetings. Affidavits from both Commissioners Rainey and Beal-Shephard on behalf of Sims were read aloud in court. Testimony was heard from Mike Hathaway, former Cordele Police Chief and John Wiggins, former Chairman of the Cordele City Commissioners. A ruling will be made in the future and will be announced accordingly. “As a committee we are not trying to find anybody to replace him,” said Sims, “we are just trying to remove him and let the people that want to run for office, run for office.”