Ga. House leader Jon Burns failed to disclose payments
Georgia law requires politicians to publicly disclose income from state agencies on personal financial disclosure statements available for anyone to see.
Most of the undisclosed money came from the Department of Natural Resources, which paid Burns' agricultural business for supplies. That's significant because Burns for years has served on the House House Game, Fish & Parks Committee, and was its chairman. The committee oversees legislation relevant to DNR.
Allowing voters to know about potential conflicts of interest between lawmakers and the agencies they regulate is exactly why Georgia has a law requiring elected officials to disclose how they make their money.
Burns, who lives in mostly rural Effingham County, said he believed his reports were accurate and that his compliance with the law had been "pretty good for a country boy."
About the Author
Ken Foskett has been an AJC reporter and editor since 1989 and is Senior Editor/Investigations, leading a team of investigative and data journalists who watchdog state and local government. Additionally, Foskett manages the AJC's year-round internship program for collegiate journalists.
