State Rep. Eddie Lumsden, R-ArmucheeSUMMERVILLE, Ga. – The Chattooga County Republican Party raffled a gun without the proper paperwork, which is against the law in Georgia.
On Aug. 30, the political party raffled off an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle at the county fair. Selling the gun to raise money is legal. But, Sheriff Mark Schrader said, the members of the party did not apply for a raffle license. In Georgia, that is illegal.
According to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated 16-12-22.1, anyone hoping to hold a raffle must apply for a license with the local sheriff’s office, providing law enforcement with details about the event. The applicant also must prove the raffle is for a nonprofit organization.
A flyer advertising the Chattooga County Republican Party’s raffleSchrader said no members of the party talked to him about the raffle. Republican Party Chairman Spencer Hogg, however, said he has not received any complaints about the raffle and that the party “handled” the raffle license with the sheriff’s office.
“To the best of my knowledge,” he said, “we did things directly by the book.”