Atlanta Unfiltered

If a politician goes broke, who gets the campaign cash? Opinion: Delta perks expose lawmakers’ weak ethics Cobb EMC seeks OK to bring back Brown State standards minimal for workers at personal care homes Gwinnett Co. attorney resigns in lieu of firing Watchdogs warn of gerrymandering

Is Hall Co. transferring students to improve graduation rates? LNG trucking foes: Lobbyists, campaign cash stymied close scrutiny Deal’s office slams TV report about daughter-in-law

Lottery gives larger share to jackpots, less to HOPE, pre-K Campaign cash accompanies bid for corporate tax breaks Lawyers ask for review of ex-judge Camp’s rulings, sentences Judge orders mediation in costly DeKalb school suit DeKalb educator charged with altering attendance records Class action demands attorneys for indigent parents jailed over child support Ex-Villa Rica […]

March 14, 2011 — Georgia’s ethics reformers have a bill to push, but they’ll be pushing uphill if they want to restrict politicians giving large sums to each other, a practice sometimes described as “empire-building.” A case in point? Three top Senate Republicans, as they maneuvered to strip Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle last year of some of his power, donated $45,000 to 12 Senate freshmen. Caucus Chair Bill Cowsert said the contributions were part of his obligation as a party leader, not an effort to sway votes.

Jan. 18, 2011 — Under Georgia law, candidates must give back campaign donations for an election they don’t ultimately qualify for. It just doesn’t say when. That provision — some might call it a loophole — may leave John Oxendine with a half-million-dollar legal defense fund to fight pending ethics charges. But Oxendine’s access to that money relies on a somewhat tenuous interpretation of Georgia’s campaign finance law.

Cracks in system let trooper shooting suspect stay free Deal brings in campaign cash since winning

The State Ethics Commission ruled today that political campaigns may not give unlimited amounts of donations to other campaigns, reversing a position it took just two weeks ago. On Aug. 17, the commission dismissed a complaint over a $10,000 contribution to Warner Robins mayoral candidate Chuck Chalk late last year, holding that state law might exempt political candidates from contribution limits. But the commission said today that other language in the statute caps those types of donations.

Lobbyists, more than anything else, sell access to politicians. Political fund-raisers sell candidates on their ability to generate boodles of campaign cash, frequently from donors that want, well, access to politicians. Put the two jobs together, and you get Dave Simons.

Most major candidates for governor back a limit on lobbyists’ gifts to legislators and on inter-campaign cash transfers, a new survey shows. Both measures drew support from leading candidates except for Thurbert Baker and John Oxendine, who have not yet responded to the survey. “It looks like from this list here … that the new governor will be somebody who stands behind these reforms,” Common Cause director Bill Bozarth said.

Grady CEO’s $291K bonus stirs criticism Governor spends big on North Georgia land GBI: Floyd magistrate judge’s fraud totaled $500K Candidates tap familiar sources for campaign cash Opinion: How many millions will ATL favoritism cost us? Barrow Co. fire chief accused of stealing cable TV service

Elected officials, under Georgia law, can use campaign money for the “ordinary and necessary” expenses of holding office. So is it “necessary” for a south Georgia lawmaker — Rep. Bob Hanner — to drop nearly $100,000 on renting an Atlanta apartment year-round? That, it seems, depends on who you ask. Read on …

Thanks to House Speaker David Ralston, departing Georgia lawmakers have $1.3 million in campaign cash to distribute as they see fit this year — to political parties, PACs and other candidates. House Bill 920, if it had passed, would have required that those lawmakers pass the money on to charity, or return it to the original donors. Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a bill last week to allow citizens to donate money to the state treasury. Wonder how many of them will follow through on that?