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State commission finds reasonable grounds in several campaign-finance cases
Summary
The Government Transparency & Campaign Finance Commission voted Dec. 13 to find reasonable grounds in preliminary hearings for multiple candidates, citing failures to file required disclosure reports, a missing separate campaign depository account, and unreported expenditures under OCGA reporting statutes.
The Government Transparency & Campaign Finance Commission on Dec. 13 voted repeatedly to find "reasonable grounds exist" to pursue administrative enforcement against several candidates for alleged campaign-finance violations, moving three preliminary hearings toward formal adjudication.
At the hearing in Atlanta, staff presented evidence — including late or missing campaign contribution disclosure reports (CCDRs), a missing personal financial disclosure statement (PFDS), social-media posts and limited bank records — alleging that Nicole Jones (case 24-0054-C) failed to file multiple election-year CCDRs and a 2023 PFDS and did not maintain a separate campaign depository account. Chair motions to find reasonable grounds on each cited OCGA provision were approved by voice votes.
The commission reached similar findings in the case of Grama DeMitt (24-0087-C). Staff told the commission DeMitt filed at least one zeroed CCDR but did not respond to subpoenas seeking bank records; commissioners voted that reasonable grounds exist for the failure-to-file violations staff listed.
In the preliminary hearing for Joe Ray Jenkins (24-0069-C), staff outlined five alleged violations: failing to timely file a 2023 PFDS, late CCDRs for multiple report dates, failing to open or maintain a separate campaign depository account, and failing to report campaign contributions and expenditures. Staff referenced social-media posts and other campaign materials as evidence of expenditures not reflected in filings. Commissioners voted to find reasonable grounds on each alleged violation and referred the matters to the Office of the Attorney General for further action.
Each motion at the preliminary-hearing stage was presented and carried by voice vote; where evidence was limited, staff said additional allegations could be added later after further investigation. The board emphasized that a reasonable-grounds finding triggers referral to the Attorney General's Office and potential prosecution at the Office of State Administrative Hearings.
Next steps: the cases with reasonable-grounds findings will proceed through the administrative process; the AG’s office and OSA will handle hearings and any civil-penalty determinations.
Quotes: "All in favor say aye," the Chair said as motions passed; staff argued the filings and bank records supported referral to enforcement.
