State Ethics Commission adopts dozens of consent orders resolving campaign‑finance and disclosure violations

The State Ethics Commission on Wednesday adopted a package of consent orders resolving more than 20 enforcement matters, the body said at its Sept. 17 meeting in Savannah.

The orders impose civil penalties and late‑filing fees for failures to file campaign disclosure reports, personal financial disclosure statements and other violations of Georgia campaign‑finance and disclosure statutes. The largest penalty in the package was a $5,000 consent order against Mayor Lester Miller of Macon‑Bibb County for transferring campaign funds to a nonprofit he controlled; other penalties ranged from $125 to several thousand dollars.

Why it matters: The consent orders clear longstanding cases from the commission’s docket and impose financial penalties intended to enforce filing and disclosure rules for candidates, committees and public officials.

Most important outcomes - The commission adopted the package of consent orders as presented, with two cases pulled for separate consideration and later adopted after minor edits. - Penalties ranged from $125 (late‑filing fees) to $5,000; several officeholders and campaign committees agreed to pay fines and file missing reports.

Details and notable cases - Case 25‑0037‑C, Charles Bourgeois (candidate for Atlanta City Council, District 9): staff found one violation for failing to file the municipal declaration of intent (DOI) before accepting contributions; agreed penalty $500. Staff told the commission the campaign “mistakenly believed” an RC filing with the state satisfied the municipal DOI requirement and that “it was simply an error.” (Staff presenter)

- Case 25‑0031‑C, Go Big for Macon‑Bibb, Inc. (county ballot question committee): staff described a $50,000 transfer that was treated as a contribution though made by the Macon Industrial Authority from private donors handled through the authority; agreed penalty $1,500.

- Case 25‑0040‑C, Lester Miller (mayor of Macon‑Bibb): five violations related to transferring excess contributions to a nonprofit in which he had a controlling interest; agreed penalty $5,000. Staff and commissioners discussed ambiguity in the statutory term “controlling interest” and noted Georgia law varies by code section; the commission noted rulemaking could clarify the term.

- Case 25‑0069‑C, Georgia Freedom Fund (registered PAC making independent expenditures): staff found failures to register and to file multiple CCDRs and two‑business‑day reports for large expenditures; agreed total penalty $5,000 (civil penalty plus late fees). Commissioners discussed enforcement limits when an organization terminates and the practical difficulty of collecting larger penalties from defunct entities.

- Additional adopted matters included a range of small‑campaign reporting cases and missed personal financial disclosure statements; where respondents provided bank records and cooperated, staff recommended—and commissioners adopted—reduced penalties in recognition of cooperation and the size of campaigns.

Votes at a glance (adopted; penalty shown where specified in the record): 25‑0037‑C Charles Bourgeois ($500); 25‑0031‑C Go Big for Macon‑Bibb, Inc. ($1,500); 22‑0104‑C Chad Jones Smith ($525); 25‑0013‑C Kenya Wicks ($325); 25‑0010‑C Derek Mallow and Friends ($1,000); 25‑0004‑C Cindy Mills and Citizens for Cindy ($1,500); 25‑0040‑C Lester Miller ($5,000); 23‑0017‑C Edward ‘‘Ted’’ Terry ($2,000); 24‑0127‑C Jeffrey Lee Powers ($1,000); 25‑0038‑C Justin Hawkins ($1,000); 25‑0039‑C Gary Beckman ($1,500); 25‑0057‑C Miriam Paris ($500); 25‑0069‑C Georgia Freedom Fund ($5,000); 25‑0051‑C Cesar Gonzales ($250); 25‑0052‑C Stephanie Donegan ($250); 25‑0053‑C Deborah Shigley ($250); 25‑0054‑C Steve West ($125); 25‑0055‑C Lance Calvert ($250); 25‑0056‑C Brian Will ($125); 25‑0059‑C Michael Shane Howard ($2,000); 25‑0067‑C William Whaley ($500); 25‑0063‑C Tarinia Carthen ($1,500); 25‑0062‑C Sonya Compton ($1,500).

Commissioners and staff who spoke during the consent‑orders discussion included Commissioner Thompson, Commissioner Wise, Commissioner Burge, Commissioner Dana DeMint, and a staff case presenter identified in the record. Commissioners asked staff for factual clarifications in several matters and discussed when consent orders set precedents versus when they reflect negotiated settlements unique to the facts of a case.

Ending: The commission recorded a motion and second to adopt the package (with two items pulled for separate votes); the chair called the question and commissioners answered in the affirmative. Two of the pulled matters (Edward Terry and Miriam Paris) were amended on minor, non‑substantive wording and then adopted on separate motions later in the meeting.