Georgia Governor Nathan DealATLANTA – Lobbyists and business groups that successfully backed a state tax overhaul contributed more than $100,000 to Georgia lawmakers in the weeks leading up to the recent legislative session.
In the week before the session in January, lawmakers received at least $80,000 from the tax bill’s supporters and other businesses that would benefit from the bill, according to recently filed reports reviewed by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The groups doled out more than 200 checks to lawmakers that week.
Gov. Nathan Deal signed the tax bill – which helps auto dealers, manufacturers, farming and mining interests, airlines and brick-and-mortar retailers – into law Thursday in front of an applauding crowd attending a manufacturers’ awards luncheon in College Park.
While lawmakers say there is no connection between the dozens of last-minute campaign checks and their votes, businesses including Wal-Mart and auto dealers wound up getting what they wanted in the bill.