Democrat Jason Carter found himself in hot water last week over scrutiny of a fundraiser his gubernatorial campaign helped arrange before the legislative session's end. This week, Gov. Nathan Deal is facing questions about donations he appeared to receive during past sessions.
Campaign finance records show more than two dozen instances since 2011 where campaign contributions to Deal were logged after the session's start. Some were just a minute after midnight on the day of the legislative session's opening, others were noted days or weeks after lawmakers had convened.
Since campaign finance law bars statewide office-holders and state lawmakers from accepting contributions during the legislative session, this would be a no-no. But the governor's team said there's more to it.
They point to a provision in the code that exempts donations from fundraisers held before the session opens. Specifically, it allows the "receipt and acceptance during a legislative session of a contribution consisting of proceeds from a dinner, luncheon, rally or similar fundraising event held prior to the legislative session."
Several of the checks that came in for Deal were from events held the weeks before the session started and weren't processed until after the gavel's first bang, his campaign said. Others were direct-mail solicitations that the campaign received before the session but didn't deposit until after it started, it said. One entry date is believed to be a typo.
"Deal for Governor does not fund-raise or accept contributions during the legislative session," the campaign said in a statement. "In fact, the campaign returned more than $13,000 received" during the session.
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