ATLANTA-Gov. Nathan Deal raised more than $1.6 million for his inaugural celebrations and transition into office, documents released Friday show.
The documents from the Deal inaugural committee show that the former congressman spent about $1.3 million of the money. About half the money was spent on the two inaugural galas – one in January that was canceled because of an ice storm that coated the city and a second in May.
About $234,000 worth of tickets were sold to the January event, but those were refunded. The second gala was free, though the committee reused programs and party favors from the canceled event rather than ordering new ones.
No state money was spent on either celebration.
“Our frugal management of these donations paid off because we ended up having to pay for two inaugural galas after the first one was canceled because of January’s ice storm,” Deal spokesman Brian Robinson said.
The fundraising is in keeping with Deal’s predecessor, Sonny Perdue, who raised $1.4 million for his 2002 inauguration and $1.2 million for a gala in 2007.
Other large expenses included $357,862 in staff costs between when Deal was elected in November and when he took office in January and $143,000 for the Jan. 10 inauguration ceremony.
Big donors included AT&T, Cigna, Georgia Power, Select Management Resources and Dalton businessman Ken Boring. Each gave $50,000.
Several of those donors had their eye on key bills proposed during the legislative session.
Georgia Power pushed for legislation Deal signed into law this year allowing utilities and their employees to be able to donate to political candidates in Georgia.
And AT&T was closely watching a tax reform plan that would have placed a tax on cell phone service. The plan ultimately died.
AT&T was the biggest donor for Perdue’s inauguration celebration, forking over $200,000.
Former state Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Joe Tanner donated $5,000 through his company, Joe Tanner & Associates, which handles private contracting work for reservoirs. Deal signed a bill into law this year that will pave the way for public-private partnerships to increase Georgia’s water supply in the wake of a legal battle with Florida and Alabama over water resources.
Other donors included Atlanta-based companies Home Depot, which gave $25,000, and Delta Air Lines, which donated $10,000. Nearly $102,000 was donated in gifts of $1,000 or less, which were not broken out individually.
Other big individual donors include Atlanta publishing house owner Harold Anderson and Southeastrans Inc. president Steve Adams, who both gave $25,000.
There are no limits on contributions to inaugural committees in Georgia and state law does not require the disclosure of donors. But it has been recent practice to make the list of contributors public following the event. Georgia caps donations to individual candidates at $6,300 each for a primary and general election races.