Atlanta Unfiltered

Leaders in the public sector have plenty of resources to promote their political views, accomplishments and experience. Often the public record holds much more: personal and campaign finance disclosures, expense reports, and business, tax and court filings. Here’s what they show:

Samuel Kyser Teasley (R-Marietta)

District 37 (Cobb County)

Legislative website

Campaign website

Voting record

Overview

Republicans in the Georgia Legislature comprise Teasley’s largest bloc of financial donors by far. Collectively, they’ve given his campaign $43,650 since 2010.

Not bad for a freshman: Lobbyists did all right by Teasley in 2011, his first legislative session, treating him to dinners and other meals to the tune of $2,073. The big spenders were lobbyists for AT&T, Wellstar Health System and Georgia Power Co.

The American Legislative Exchange Council awarded a $628 “scholarship” to Teasley in 2010, records show. Corporate donors — including petroleum, pharmaceutical, utility, tobacco and health-care interests — funded the scholarships, which were meant to cover the costs of airfare and lodging to attend ALEC functions. The donations generally are not disclosed as lobbyist gifts, since ALEC does not have a registered lobbyist in Georgia.

Political career

• Elected 2010 to the House, unseating incumbent Democrat Pat Dooley with nearly 57 percent of the vote
• Re-elected 2012 with 60 percent of the vote.

Committee assignments

• Banks & Banking (2011 – present)
  
• Code Revision (2011 – 2012)
  
• Education (2011 – present)
  
• Energy, Utilities & telecommunications (2013 –
• Insurance (2013 – )

Occupation

•  Real estate agent, Atlanta Communities Real Estate Brokerage

Business ownership

• owner, New South Investments LLC, manages residential rental property
• president, Teasley Homes Inc., real estate

Property holdings

• Personal residence in Marietta, valued at $285,000
• Residential property in Marietta, valued at $125,000
• Residential property in Kennesaw, valued at $65,000

Investments

• None disclosed

State payments

• None disclosed

Campaign contributions

• 2010: $79,254
• 2011-12: $48,876 (through Sept. 30)

Top donors

• $43,651 Speaker David Ralston & other Republican legislators
  
• $3,500 Georgia Association of Realtors
• $5,000 Republican Party of Cobb County
• $3,400 Sen. Chip Rogers
• $3,000 Georgia Credit Union League (CUPAC)
• $3,000 Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (Civil Justice PAC)
• $2,500 Select Management Resources LLC, title pawn
• $2,400 Republic Services Inc.
• $2,400 Charles Rice Jr.
• $2,000 American Federation for Children
• $2,000 Lance A. Cooper, P.C., personal injury law firm
  
• $2,000 Robert Fuoto, president Anchor Funding Corp.
• $2,000 Huck PAC (former Ark. Gov. Mike Huckabee — Teasley was co-director of Huckabee’s 2008 Georgia campaign)
• $2,000 Humana Inc.
• $2,000 Ron Wiley
  

Campaign to campaign

Candidates may make political donations with campaign funds, allowing prolific fund-raisers to share their contributions with other legislators or candidates. Some advocacy groups believe such transfers should be limited to an aggregate of $10,000 per election cycle. Teasley’s committee made these political donations:

• 2010: $1,500
• 2011-12: $7,450

Lobbyist spending

Lobbyists have reported paying for meals and other gifts for Teasley valued at more than $2,600 since 2008. The big spenders: AT&T ($398), Wellstar Health System ($258) and Georgia Power Co. ($229).

• 2010: $17
• 2011: $2,073
  
• 2012: $597

Friends and family

• Teasley and former Sen. Chip Rogers, one of his top donors, both attend First Baptist Church of Woodstock. Rogers paid Teasley $1,550 from his Senate expense account in 2008 for work as a legislative aide.
• Teasley served as Rep. Ed Setzler’s campaign manager in 2008.

Per Diem

When the Legislature is out of session, members may collect $173 per diem, plus mileage, for committee meetings or other official business. (Per diem was $127 prior to 2007.) Lawmakers living within 50 miles of the Capitol are taxed on these payments, which were originally intended to cover out-of-town members’ food and lodging. Here’s the annual breakdown, based on the year in which the expenses were paid:

• 2011: $2,159 (12 days)
• 2012: $2,504 (13 days)
  
• 2013: $748 (4 days through April 25)

Posted Oct. 4, 2012; updated May 26, 2013