Lt. Gov. Burt Jones’ $10 million loan to his gubernatorial campaign didn’t violate the law, the Georgia State Ethics Commission ruled on Thursday, effectively putting an end to a legal fight from rival Republican gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Chris Carr.
Jones made the loan through a financial structure called a leadership committee, which was created by a 2021 state law.
As lieutenant governor, Jones is one of a handful of legislative leaders who can form such a committee, which is allowed to collect unlimited contributions and raise cash during the annual legislative session, unlike the regulated limits of a standard campaign committee. Carr, as attorney general, does not have access to this powerful fundraising tool.
The commission’s position was that a personal loan from a candidate to a leadership committee is permitted because when the loan is repaid by the leadership committee, the candidate is simply receiving their own personal funds back, meaning no excessive or illegal contribution has occurred. The commission also stated that this analysis does not change if funds are loaned to the candidate committee during a primary election.
“The money in this scenario is, and always has been, the candidate’s personal funds, so there’s no liability for a candidate to loan the money,” said Steve Knittle, the commission’s deputy director and general counsel.