State ethics commission finds reasonable grounds in candidate Shaquita Maxwell preliminary hearing

The Government Transparency & Campaign Finance Commission on Jan. 15 denied a continuance request from respondent Shaquita Maxwell and found reasonable grounds to believe six violations of Georgia campaign finance law occurred during her 2024 mayoral campaign.

The commission’s investigator, identified in the meeting as Mr. Baywell, presented the agency’s investigation into errors and omissions on Maxwell’s candidate contribution and expenditure reports and the campaign’s financial practices. Baywell said the primary factual issue in the original complaint was an apparent $3,000 anonymous cash contribution recorded on an April 30, 2024 campaign report, and he described multiple related reporting and bookkeeping deficiencies.

Baywell told commissioners that the April 30 report showed itemized entries such as “Macedonia Church Family” and “Maxwell family and friends,” which the investigator said were insufficient because donors who give more than $100 must be itemized individually with name and address. He said the amended April 30 report filed May 9 identified “Wanda Middleton” (later confirmed to be Maxwell’s mother) as the donor for the $3,000 item, and that Maxwell told staff she had received information that the funds came to her mother in cash and that neither Maxwell nor her mother could identify the original donor.

Baywell also presented evidence of campaign expenditures visible on social media (website registration, advertisements, printed materials) that were not reflected properly in filed reports, and he said Maxwell had not timely filed several required CCDRs (candidate contribution/disbursement reports) for June 30, Sept. 30 and Oct. 25, 2024. Baywell summarized applicable law, citing OCGA 21-5-30 (anonymous contributions; campaign depository requirement) and OCGA 21-5-34 (filing requirements and reporting of contributions and expenditures).

Before Baywell began the merits, he explained that Maxwell was not present and staff had an email exchange and a screenshot purporting to show an appointment on the afternoon of Jan. 15; staff said the documentation did not establish a valid medical excuse and that Maxwell had previously requested continuances. The chair made a motion to deny Maxwell’s motion for continuance; the commission voted in favor of denying the request and Baywell proceeded to present the merits.

After the presentation, the commission voted that reasonable grounds exist for each of six alleged violations: (1) acceptance of an anonymous contribution of $3,000 (OCGA 21-5-30); (2) failure to open and maintain a campaign depository account (OCGA 21-5-30(c)); (3) failure to timely file the June 30, 2024 CCDR (OCGA 21-5-34(c)(2)(A)); (4) failure to timely file the Sept. 30, 2024 CCDR; (5) failure to timely file the Oct. 25, 2024 CCDR; and (6) failure to report campaign contributions and/or expenditures (OCGA 21-5-34(b)). The chair moved each finding; the motions were seconded and each carried with the commission’s voice vote.

Baywell told the commission he had spent multiple hours advising Maxwell about reporting requirements, had urged her to assemble lists of contributors and expenditures, and explained the legal consequence for accepting an anonymous donation (forfeiture to the state treasurer). Baywell also said that while Maxwell’s campaign budget was small (he referenced a $5,000 campaign total), turning over a $3,000 anonymous contribution to the state treasurer would be significant for the campaign; staff nonetheless recommended the commission find reasonable grounds on the listed allegations.

The commission’s finding of reasonable grounds advances the administrative proceeding to the next stage; staff may pursue formal charges and recommendations to an administrative law judge or seek negotiated resolution. The commission also accepted other consent orders later in the meeting and moved on to other agenda items.