Former state Rep. Ron Sailor's acceptance of $80,000 from a lobbyist pushing a payday lending bill last year came the day after he promoted the bill in a House committee, according to a review of House records.

The state Ethics Commission is investigating Sailor and Willie A. Green, the lobbyist who gave him the money in February 2007. Green's attorney, Morris Wiltshire Jr. of Athens, has described the transaction as a loan for a real estate venture and not an attempt to influence Sailor.

Sailor resigned last week after pleading guilty in federal court to money laundering. Prosecutors say the former Lithonia representative is cooperating with a public corruption investigation. They have not said what the probe is about.

On Feb. 22, 2007, the House Banks and Banking Committee voted 17-11 to recommend passage of a bill legalizing payday lending, with Sailor voting yes. The Journal-Constitution reported Tuesday that Sailor was one of 11 Democrats who crossed party lines to vote for the bill March 20 when it came before the full House.

The bill, which needed 91 votes to pass, failed on an 84-84 tie vote.

Green attended the Feb. 22 committee meeting, Wiltshire said. The next day, Sailor signed a security deed acknowledging a debt of $120,000 to Green and agreeing to pay him back within five days, according to court records.

A video recording of the committee meeting shows Sailor asking friendly questions of the bill's sponsor.

"One of the reasons for this bill is to broaden the spectrum of choices available for Georgia consumers should they choose to use a payday loan product," Sailor said. "Am I also correct in my understanding that in the event this bill does not pass, there is only one type of ... loan product available for Georgia residents, almost leaving us in a monopoly-type posture?"

Payday loans are short-term, high interest loans for people with poor credit.

Wiltshire said it would have been pointless for his client to try to buy Sailor's vote. Sailor had voted against banning payday lending long before Green started lobbying Georgia lawmakers on the issue. Green registered as a Georgia lobbyist on Feb. 1, 2007.

Bill Bozarth, executive director of Georgia Common Cause, wasn't satisfied with Wiltshire's explanation.

"Even though Sailor may have shown some inclination to support it, it's still very hard to ignore such a large transaction that was never repaid and only reported when discovered by news sources," Bozarth said.

As Sailor's corruption scandal continued to reverberate in the Capitol, ethics legislation was set for discussion this morning before the House state planning and community affairs committee. The bill would require lobbyists to complete special training about ethics rules before being registered. Sen. Eric Johnson (R-Savannah) added the amendment.

"Sometimes lobbyists are violating ethics laws or are getting too close to the line," Johnson said. "We offer training now, and I want to require it quid pro quo. We see too many cases of violation."

Staff writer Andrea Jones contributed to this article.