Georgia Democratic Official Arrested, Charged With Felony Theft

Georgia Power is accusing a former Democratic candidate for the state’s Public Service Commission of stealing company trade secrets, leading to her arrest this week by Georgia Capitol Police.

Patty Durand, a longtime critic of the utility giant and an unsuccessful PSC candidate, was charged with felony theft, according to Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB).

The arrest followed a public hearing concerning Georgia Power’s request to dramatically expand the state’s power grid, including what GPB described as an addition equal to “two Plant Vogtles’ worth of new power, mostly for data centers.”

Durand, who heads the activist organization Georgia Utility Watch, has been vocal in opposing both the data center expansion and potential rate increases that would follow.

However, surveillance footage from the hearing appears to show Durand taking confidential materials. Video reportedly shows her picking up and examining one booklet before returning it—but then placing a second booklet into her bag before leaving the room.

Durand has repeatedly criticized Georgia Power’s confidentiality agreements with data centers, claiming the public is being kept in the dark.

“The Public Service Commission allows very heavy redactions and trade secrets,” Durand told GPB in August. “So the contracts between Georgia Power and the data centers are also redacted and trade secreted. So no one will know what they actually charge data centers.”

Investigators have not yet publicly stated what Durand intended to do with the restricted documents. Georgia Power says it is cooperating with law enforcement.

The Georgia Recorder noted that this week’s proceedings weighed whether to add nearly 10,000 megawatts to the state grid—about 60% from expanded or new natural gas facilities and 40% from renewable sources.

Speaking during the hearing, Durand accused Georgia Power of acting solely to bolster its affiliated gas companies:

“There is no court in the land that would allow that kind of corruption to go on, and I have no idea why the state of Georgia does,” she said.

Republican leaders say the arrest exposes Durand’s activism as political theater.

Georgia GOP Chairman Josh McKoon issued a blunt statement:

“Patty Durand built her brand attacking the Public Service Commission and now she’s been arrested for stealing from it.”

He added:

“This is the same failed Democrat PSC candidate who parades around as a so-called ‘watchdog’ while caught on video taking confidential Georgia Power materials. While Republican leaders are working to keep energy reliable and affordable for Georgia families, Democrats like Durand are sneaking around government offices and walking off with stolen documents.”

Durand’s campaign website features her posing with Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, whose staffing and policy priorities—particularly on immigration-related benefits—have drawn scrutiny.

Meanwhile, Democrats nationally continue to grapple with a growing list of criminal scandals among their ranks. In Minnesota, state Sen. Nicole Mitchell was convicted of felony burglary in July after being caught entering her stepmother’s home in 2024.