State Ethics Commission finds reasonable grounds in Shaquita Maxwell preliminary hearing over $3,000 anonymous donation

The State Ethics Commission on Jan. 15 denied a request to continue a preliminary hearing for Shaquita Maxwell and voted that reasonable grounds exist that she accepted an anonymous $3,000 campaign contribution and violated multiple campaign-finance filing requirements.

Commission staff presented investigation findings showing a $3,000 cash entry on an April 30, 2024 campaign contribution disclosure that appears to be marked “anonymous,” and concluded Maxwell failed to open and maintain a campaign depository account and missed several statutorily scheduled filings. "The law is pretty clear. That's number 1, a violation," commission staff said when describing the anonymous-contribution allegation.

The commission treated a staff report and an email record of communications with Maxwell as the basis for a motion on a continuance request. The panel denied the respondent’s motion for continuance after hearing that Maxwell had not provided sufficient documentary proof of a medical appointment that staff had been offered as the reason for her absence. The chair moved to deny the continuance and the motion carried after a second and an affirmative voice vote.

Afterward, the commission heard the merits presented by staff. Investigators described discrepancies in Maxwell’s April 30, 2024 CCBR (candidate contribution and expenditure report), including grouped entries labeled “Macedonia Church Family” and “Maxwell family and friends” that staff said did not meet itemization requirements for contributions over the reporting threshold. An amended report filed May 9 listed an identified person, Wanda Middleton, in place of an earlier “anonymous” entry; staff said that change raised additional concerns because it suggested a third-party handoff to the candidate’s family and did not resolve whether the original donor remained anonymous.

Staff also presented unreported campaign spending indicators drawn from social media posts and advertising examples, and said the campaign lacked a verified campaign bank account for large cash amounts reported. Staff told the commission it had advised Maxwell in May 2024 to inventory contributors and expenditures and to open a depository account but that required filings remained insufficient.

The commission then voted, by individual motions, that reasonable grounds exist for six alleged violations: (1) acceptance of an anonymous contribution in violation of OCGA 21-5-30(e); (2) failure to open and maintain a campaign depository account in violation of OCGA 21-5-30(c); (3) failure to timely file the June 30, 2024 CCBR in violation of OCGA 21-5-34(c)(2)(A); (4) failure to timely file the September 30, 2024 CCBR in violation of OCGA 21-5-34(c)(2)(A); (5) failure to timely file the October 25, 2024 CCBR in violation of OCGA 21-5-34(c)(2)(A); and (6) failure to report campaign contributions and/or expenditures in violation of OCGA 21-5-34(b).

Each motion was seconded and carried on an affirmative voice vote. The commission did not record roll-call tallies in the meeting transcript for these motions; the minutes reflect that the motions carried after the chair called the question and commissioners responded, "Aye."

The finding of reasonable grounds advances the matter to the next stage of the commission’s enforcement process, where formal charges, settlement negotiations, or an administrative hearing could follow. Staff emphasized that the anonymous-contribution statute requires forfeiture to the state treasurer when a donor cannot be identified; staff said they discussed this requirement and other compliance steps with Maxwell during their prior contacts.

Maxwell was not present at the hearing. Staff said they had email and a power-point exchange with her and described at least two prior continuances and phone contacts dating back to 2024. Staff also said they had warned Maxwell of potential penalties but had offered flexibility if she corrected reporting deficiencies.