Atlanta Unfiltered

The State Ethics Commission ruled today that political campaigns may not give unlimited amounts of donations to other campaigns, reversing a position it took just two weeks ago. On Aug. 17, the commission dismissed a complaint over a $10,000 contribution to Warner Robins mayoral candidate Chuck Chalk late last year, holding that state law might exempt political candidates from contribution limits. But the commission said today that other language in the statute caps those types of donations. Full Story

The board of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference was justified in removing officials under investigation for financial misconduct, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Al Dempsey ruled today. Dempsey said former SCLC chairman Raleigh Trammell and treasurer Spiver Gordon breached their fiduciary duty by using SCLC funds without authorization to pay their legal fees. Dempsey gave control of the civil rights organization and its bank accounts to a board whose members include Martin Luther King III. Read his final order here. More later… Full Story

Bill Jordan and Kent Alexander are out and Kevin Abernethy is in as a member of the State Ethics Commission. Abernethy, a former legislative aide in the Georgia Senate, was named as that chamber’s replacement for Jordan, whose term had expired. Alexander, a former U.S. attorney, announced last week that he would step down Sept. 7 after less than a year. Full Story

The DeKalb County Housing Authority misspent $2.5 million in restricted funds intended for low-income housing subsidies, federal auditors said Wednesday. The money was used instead to pay administrative expenses including rental cars, office supplies, office space, worker’s compensation and temps’ salaries, they found. Results of a follow-up forensic audit are expected soon. Full Story

Attorney General Thurbert Baker has been asked to opine on whether political campaigns may make unlimited financial contributions to other campaigns. A decision by the State Ethics Commission last week raised the possibility that unopposed candidates with fat campaign accounts could give unlimited amounts to candidates in close races, creating a legal path to circumvent contribution limits. Full Story

Former House Speaker Glenn Richardson must pay a $500 fine, but his political fund may keep $219,915 that was transferred improperly from his campaign account last year, the State Ethics Commission ruled today. The panel also dismissed a separate case, ruling that state law may place no limits on campaign contributions from one candidate to another. Full Story