Latest news with #campaignfinance
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Georgia Ethics Commission won't investigate source of Republican Burt Jones' $10M loan
Georgia's State Ethics Commission on Monday declined to investigate whether Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones broke state law when he loaned $10 million to a campaign committee after showing far less cash on an earlier financial disclosure. However, a request for a legal opinion on whether such loans are legal is still pending before the ethics body. Bryan Tyson, a lawyer for Attorney General Chris Carr had made the complaint Thursday. Carr is running against Jones for the 2026 Republican nomination for governor. The GOP primary is next May, followed by the general election in November 2026. Gov. Brian Kemp legally can't run again after two terms. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Ethics Commission Director David Emadi on Monday wrote back that the commission was rejecting the complaint and wouldn't investigate because it didn't allege a legal violation. Jones' 2022 financial disclosure showed Jones had a net worth of $12.4 million, but only $700,000 in cash and securities. TRENDING STORIES: Chris Carr questions legality of rival Burt Jones' $10M campaign loan 'I feel confident.': Burt Jones wants to get rid of state income tax if he's elected governor As Georgia lieutenant governor raises cash, a possible 2026 opponent questions how it can be spent Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr plans to run for governor Carr's campaign questioned how Jones could have come up with $10 million in cash, suggesting Jones had falsely reported either his finances then or the source of the cash now, but Emadi wrote the 2022 report 'does not form a factual and legal basis to investigate an alleged false or incorrect filing regarding a loan made in a campaign disclosure report more than three years later.' Julia Mazzone, a Carr spokesperson, said Carr 'respectfully' disagrees with the decision, calling the source of Jones' case 'mysterious.' Jones spokesperson Kendyl Parker said the complaint was a 'pathetic cry for attention' and called the decision 'the first of many losses for the Carr campaign.' Still pending is the Carr campaign's request for an advisory opinion arguing that Jones was prohibited from making the loan to his leadership committee, a special fundraising vehicle that allows the governor, lieutenant governor and legislative leaders to raise unlimited funds. Tyson argued that under Georgia law, loans can be made only to a candidate committee, not to a freestanding political action committee or a leadership committee. Carr's campaign has beenvoicing concerns for monthsthat Jones will use his leadership committee and his family wealth from a string of gas stations to outspend them in the primary. Campaign officials citea 2022 federal judge's rulingthat a leadership committee for Kemp could not spend money against challenger David Perdue during the Republican primary that year because it would violate Perdue's free speech rights. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Georgia Ethics Commission won't investigate source of Republican Burt Jones' $10M loan
Georgia 's State Ethics Commission on Monday declined to investigate whether Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones broke state law when he loaned $10 million to a campaign committee after showing far less cash on an earlier financial disclosure. However, a request for a legal opinion on whether such loans are legal is still pending before the ethics body. Bryan Tyson, a lawyer for Attorney General Chris Carr had made the complaint Thursday. Carr is running against Jones for the 2026 Republican nomination for governor. The GOP primary is next May, followed by the general election in November 2026. Gov. Brian Kemp legally can't run again after two terms. Ethics Commission Director David Emadi on Monday wrote back that the commission was rejecting the complaint and wouldn't investigate because it didn't allege a legal violation. Jones' 2022 financial disclosure showed Jones had a net worth of $12.4 million, but only $700,000 in cash and securities. Carr's campaign questioned how Jones could have come up with $10 million in cash, suggesting Jones had falsely reported either his finances then or the source of the cash now, But Emadi wrote the 2022 report 'does not form a factual and legal basis to investigate an alleged false or incorrect filing regarding a loan made in a campaign disclosure report more than three years later.' Julia Mazzone, a Carr spokesperson, said Carr 'respectfully' disagrees with the decision, calling the source of Jones' case 'mysterious.' Jones spokesperson Kendyl Parker said the complaint was a 'pathetic cry for attention' and called the decision 'the first of many losses for the Carr campaign.' Still pending is the Carr campaign's request for an advisory opinion arguing that Jones was prohibited from making the loan to his leadership committee, a special fundraising vehicle that allows the governor, lieutenant governor and legislative leaders to raise unlimited funds. Tyson argued that under Georgia law, loans can be made only to a candidate committee, not to a freestanding political action committee or a leadership committee. Carr's campaign has been voicing concerns for months that Jones will use his leadership committee and his family wealth from a string of gas stations to outspend them in the primary. Campaign officials cite a 2022 federal judge's ruling that a leadership committee for Kemp could not spend money against challenger David Perdue during the Republican primary that year because it would violate Perdue's free speech rights.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Georgia Ethics Commission won't investigate source of Republican Burt Jones' $10M loan
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia's State Ethics Commission on Monday declined to investigate whether Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones broke state law when he loaned $10 million to a campaign committee after showing far less cash on an earlier financial disclosure. However, a request for a legal opinion on whether such loans are legal is still pending before the ethics body. Bryan Tyson, a lawyer for Attorney General Chris Carr had made the complaint Thursday. Carr is running against Jones for the 2026 Republican nomination for governor. The GOP primary is next May, followed by the general election in November 2026. Gov. Brian Kemp legally can't run again after two terms. Ethics Commission Director David Emadi on Monday wrote back that the commission was rejecting the complaint and wouldn't investigate because it didn't allege a legal violation. Jones' 2022 financial disclosure showed Jones had a net worth of $12.4 million, but only $700,000 in cash and securities. Carr's campaign questioned how Jones could have come up with $10 million in cash, suggesting Jones had falsely reported either his finances then or the source of the cash now, But Emadi wrote the 2022 report 'does not form a factual and legal basis to investigate an alleged false or incorrect filing regarding a loan made in a campaign disclosure report more than three years later.' Julia Mazzone, a Carr spokesperson, said Carr 'respectfully' disagrees with the decision, calling the source of Jones' case 'mysterious.' Jones spokesperson Kendyl Parker said the complaint was a 'pathetic cry for attention' and called the decision 'the first of many losses for the Carr campaign.' Still pending is the Carr campaign's request for an advisory opinion arguing that Jones was prohibited from making the loan to his leadership committee, a special fundraising vehicle that allows the governor, lieutenant governor and legislative leaders to raise unlimited funds. Tyson argued that under Georgia law, loans can be made only to a candidate committee, not to a freestanding political action committee or a leadership committee. Carr's campaign has been voicing concerns for months that Jones will use his leadership committee and his family wealth from a string of gas stations to outspend them in the primary. Campaign officials cite a 2022 federal judge's ruling that a leadership committee for Kemp could not spend money against challenger David Perdue during the Republican primary that year because it would violate Perdue's free speech rights.
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
RNC ends first half of 2025 with $65.6 million cash advantage over DNC
The Republican National Committee ended the first half of 2025 with a $65.56 million cash on hand advantage over the Democratic Party, as the left works to rebound from 2024 election losses and the right continues to deeply intertwine its future with President Trump. New campaign finance filings show the RNC had more than $80.7 million at the end of June, while the Democratic National Committee finished with around $15.2 million in cash on hand as both parties prepare for next year's midterm elections. "The RNC has been working hand in glove with President Trump's team to build the war chest needed to protect and expand our Republican majorities in Congress next year," RNC spokesperson Kiersten Pels said in a statement. "Vice President Vance has done an amazing job as the RNC's finance chair working with Chairman Whatley to do just that, and we're not going to stop." The gap between the two is far wider than this same time period before the 2018 midterms, when the RNC's cash on hand advantage over the DNC was $37.2 million at the end of June 2017. The political dynamics at that point were similar to now, with President Trump months removed from winning the White House and Republicans controlling the House and Senate. In the 2018 midterms, Democrats won back the House and started to build momentum that carried over into Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election. While the midterms are still more than a year away, it already appears likely the House will be Democrats' easiest route to winning back power in Washington. Republicans are also contending with the potential challenge that often befalls the party of the president, where the midterms become a referendum on the commander in chief. Democrats are facing continued questions about their approach moving forward after last fall's election setbacks, where Mr. Trump won a second term as president and the party lost the Senate and failed to retake the House. Earlier this year, party leaders chose Ken Martin, then the head of Minnesota's Democratic Party, to take over the DNC in an attempt to gain stronger footing with next year's midterms and the 2028 presidential election in mind. But in his first months as party chair, Martin was forced to contend with intraparty tensions and disputes as he attempted to offer a stronger counter to Mr. Trump's second term and Republican control in Washington. The Martin-led DNC has succeeded however in raising more money than the national party organization did at this same stage in 2017, and in a recent news release, the DNC shared its finding that "contributions during the first five months of Chair Martin's leadership are nearly 2:1 dollars raised in the months after the 2016 cycle." "The DNC is breaking grassroots fundraising records, bringing on more volunteers than ever, and raising record-setting funds to beat Republicans. Democrats are back in the ring thanks to grassroots energy across all 50 states, and together, we're going to defeat the toxic Republican agenda and put this country back on track for hard-working families," Martin said in a statement. But the new round of campaign finance disclosures also underscores the challenges Democrats continue to face this year. Through the first six months of 2025, filings show the DNC taking in a little more than $69 million while the RNC's total receipts were over $96 million.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Chris Carr questions legality of rival Burt Jones' $10M campaign loan
A Republican candidate for Georgia governor asked a state ethics body Thursday to determine whether his GOP rival illegally lent $10 million to a campaign committee to evade restrictions under state campaign finance law. Attorney General Chris Carr's campaign lawyer asked the Georgia Ethics Commission for a legal opinion saying Lt. Gov. Burt Jones was prohibited from making the loan to his leadership committee, a special fundraising vehicle that allows the governor, lieutenant governor and legislative leaders to raise unlimited funds. A spokesperson for Jones called the complaint a 'weak attempt to get attention' in a statement. Carr and some other candidates for state office cannot have the so-called leadership committees for campaign fundraising under a 2021 state law that created the committees unless they win their party's nomination for governor or lieutenant governor. Instead, they are limited to candidate committees, which can raise a maximum of $8,400 from each donor. Opponents say that's an unfair advantage for incumbents. Jones and Carr are competing for the Republican nomination to succeed Gov. Brian Kemp, who legally can't run again after two terms. The GOP primary is next May, followed by the general election in November 2026. Jones filed documents showing he made loans of $7.5 million and $2.5 million to the WBJ Leadership Committee when he announced his long-anticipated run for governor on July 8. The cash infusion was part of Jones' strategy to set himself up as the front-runner in the race. Carr announced his run for governor last year, saying he needed a long runway to raise money because he isn't personally wealthy. Carr's campaign has been voicing concerns for months that Jones will use his leadership committee and his family wealth from a string of gas stations to win the primary. Bryan Tyson, a lawyer for Carr's campaign, on Thursday requested an advisory opinion from the Ethics Commission on whether the loans are legal. Tyson argued that under Georgia law, loans can be made only to a candidate committee, not to a freestanding political action committee, or even a leadership committee, which is allowed to coordinate with a candidate committee. Carr's campaign cited a 2022 federal judge's ruling that a leadership committee for Gov. Brian Kemp could not spend money to get Kemp reelected during the Republican primary that year. U.S. District Judge Mark Cohen found that the 'unequal campaign finance scheme' violated challenger David Perdue's First Amendment right to free speech. RELATED NEWS: Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr plans to run for governor Too early? Political experts weigh in on Chris Carr's announcement that he's running for governor Lt. Gov. Burt Jones forms committee to explore getting rid of state income tax Lt. Gov. Burt Jones announces run for governor Jones spokesperson Kendyl Parker said in a statement she was 'not surprised by this weak attempt to get attention — it's exactly what you'd expect from a campaign that's losing steam with many months to go until Election Day.' Tyson suggested that if Jones could make a loan to the leadership committee and then raise unlimited sums to repay himself, he could give the repaid money to his candidate committee to spend in the primary. That would evade Cohen's ban on the use of leadership committee money in the primary. Tyson warned that such laundering would 'wash away contribution limits entirely.' The Ethics Commission must issue an advisory opinion within 60 days under state law. In a related complaint to the commission on Thursday, Tyson alleged that Jones broke state law because his previous financial disclosures didn't show that he had $10 million in cash or securities to be able to afford such large loans. Tyson pointed to a 2022 financial disclosure that showed Jones had a net worth of $12.4 million, but only $700,000 in cash and securities. The rest was tied up in the value of real estate and Jones' insurance agency, the disclosure stated. Tyson noted that Jones' 2024 disclosure showed he hadn't sold real estate or his business, arguing 'it appears he could not have sufficient liquid assets to loan his leadership committee $10 million.' Ethics complaints can take years to resolve, but Tyson said it was 'imperative' that the commission move quickly to determine the source of the loan, whether it was properly reported and whether Jones planned to spend from his leadership committee in the primary.
