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Samuel Kyser Teasley (R-Marietta)

District 37 (Cobb County)

Republicans in the Georgia Legislature comprise Teasley’s largest bloc of financial donors by far. Collectively, they’ve given his campaign more than $51,000 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. They’ve spent about $2,900 on him since then.

Legislative website

Campaign website

Voting record

Political career

• Elected 2010 to the House, 57-43%, unseating incumbent Democrat Pat Dooley.
  
• Re-elected with 60% of the vote in 2012 and 62% in 2014.
  
• Faces Democratic challenger Bill Bolton, whom Teasley has beaten twice before, in the November 2016 general election.

Committee assignments

• Banks & Banking (2011 – present)
  
• Education (2011 – present)
  
• Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications (2013 – present)
• Ethics (2015 – present)
• Insurance (2013 – present)
• Ways & Means (2015 – present)

• Code Revision (2011 – 2012)

Occupation

•  Real estate agent, self-employed.

Business ownership

• Owner, New South Investments LLC, manages residential rental property.
• President, Teasley Homes Inc., helps clients buy and sell real estate.
  

Property holdings

• Personal residence in Marietta, valued at $317,000.
• Three residential rental properties in Marietta, valued at a total of $383,000.
  
• Residential property in Kennesaw, valued at $114,000.

Investments

• None disclosed.

Payments from state agencies

• None disclosed.

Campaign contributions

Teasley has raised more than $283,000 in political donations since 2010. The breakdown by election cycle:

• 2010: $79,042
• 2011-12: $65,376
• 2013-14: $67,235
• 2015-16: $50,687
• Reported cash on hand (Oct. 2016): $109,711

Top donors

• $56,001 House Speaker David Ralston & other Republican legislators
  

• $14,000 Georgia Trial Lawyers Association & leadership
  
• $7,400 Georgia Association of Realtors
• $7,250 Georgia Credit Union League
  
• $5,600 AT&T
• $5,450 Georgia Bankers Association
• $5,000 The Doctors Co., Napa, Calif., malpractice insurance provider
• $5,000 Humana Inc., Louisville, Ky., health care
  
• $4,500 American Federation for Children
• $4,250 Georgia Apartment Association
• $3,500 Georgia Automobile Dealers Association
• $3,500 Lance A. Cooper P.C.

Campaign to campaign

Candidates may give campaign funds to other candidates, a practice that some say provides a legal means to circumvent contribution limits. A 2003 bill to ban such transfers altogether passed in the Senate but died in the House. Teasley’s campaign made these donations:

• 2010: $1,500
• 2011-12: $7,450
• 2013-14: $24,650
• 2015-16: $8,500

Lobbyist freebies

Since 2010, lobbyists have reported paying more than $5,000 for meals and other gifts for Teasley. The big spenders:

• $772 McGuire Woods Consulting. lobbying firm
  
• $495 AT&T
  
• $316 Georgia Power Co.
  
• $300 Georgia Cable Association
• $258 Wellstar Health System

The American Legislative Exchange Council also awarded a $628 “scholarship” to Teasley in 2010 to cover the cost of attending ALEC functions, records show. Corporate donors — including petroleum, pharmaceutical, utility, tobacco and health-care interests — fund the scholarships, which are not disclosed as lobbyist expenses since ALEC has no registered lobbyists in Georgia.

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.
• Teasley’s wife, Michelle, is a teacher at Shiloh Hills Christian School.

Committee days & travel expenses

When out of session, legislators may collect $173 per day plus mileage for committee meetings or other official business. Those living within 50 miles of the Capitol are taxed on these payments, originally intended to cover out-of-town members’ food and lodging.

• 2011: $2,159 (12 days)
• 2012: $2,504 (13 days)
  
• 2013: $3,050 (15 days)
• 2014: $3,222 (16 days)
• 2015: $6,258 (27 days)

Updated Dec. 17, 2016