Skip to main content
Friday, November 13, 2026Nov 13

Ethics reform stymied by federal intrusion

Legislature coverageFollow coverage of the Georgia Legislature by Ashley Speagle in the Times Free Press in print and online at timesfreepress.com.

By Ashley Speagle, Correspondent

ATLANTA — Attorneys at a legislative committee hearing Monday said a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision may restrict ethics reform this session.

Handed down last week, the Supreme Court decision struck down a long-standing rule that limited the amount of money that corporations can give to political campaigns. Such limitations constrict the organizations’ right to free speech, the justices said in a 5-4 decision.

With the ruling, “any legislation that limits corporations’ say may have problems,” attorney Robert Highsmith told the House and Senate committee Monday.