COVINGTON, Ga. — Gov. Brian Kemp has accepted the resignation of Dorothea Bailey-Butts from the Newton County coroner’s office despite her public announcement she was withdrawing her notice.

Kemp sent a letter dated Thursday, May 27, to Bailey-Butts stating he had been “apprised of your resignation, effective 8:00 a.m. on May 28, 2021.” 

He also thanked her for her service, according to the letter county officials made public on their website today.

“Your resignation as coroner is hereby accepted, and I wish you all the best,” Kemp wrote.

Bailey-Butts had removed her items from the Coroner's office in the Historic Courthouse today before 8 a.m., county officials said.

Kemp’s letter followed a Wednesday, May 26, order signed by Probate Judge Melanie Bell based on a letter of resignation from Bailey-Butts dated the same day, according to information from the county government. 

In the same order, she appointed former coroner Thomas E. “Tommy” Davis to fill the vacancy.

Bailey-Butts, a Democrat, defeated Davis, a Republican, in the Nov. 3 election for the job Davis held for 12 years.

A posting on her Facebook page Wednesday said Bailey-Butts announced she was rescinding the resignation she gave the day before. She told a reporter on Atlanta TV station Fox 5 she decided to withdraw the resignation after being interviewed by the station.

She then posted on her Facebook page: "PSA..... I have decided that I am not going to resign as Newton County Coroner. I am withdrawing my resignation effectively today. I am not resigning from my position. The citizens voted me in this position.

"I apologize for the inconvenience."

She declined to respond to interview requests Wednesday and Thursday from The Covington News and referred questions to her attorney, who had not responded to emailed requests for comment by today, May 28.