A former Republican lawmaker filed an ethics complaint claiming a star-studded fundraiser boosting Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jason Carter is “grossly unethical and illegal.”
The July 17 complaint contends that Carter, a state senator, violated rules barring lawmakers and statewide officers from accepting contributions or pledges for campaign cash while the Legislature is in session. It was filed by John Douglas, a former state senator.
The fundraiser in question was held March 23 in New York, three days after the legislative session ended, and featured Carter’s grandfather, former president Jimmy Carter, as well as REM front-man Michael Stipe.
Gov. Nathan Deal’s campaign and its allies took issue with invitations sent out before the session gaveled to a close that sought pledges of at least $1,000. The invitation, pictured above, noted that it was “paid for and authorized by Carter for Governor, Inc.”
Carter’s campaign had not yet received official notice of the complaint Friday, but it said in March that the invites were legal because the fundraiser went to benefit the Democratic Party of Georgia and not Carter’s campaign. The event went forward as planned, though it’s not certain how much money it raised. Republicans say Carter banked $24,000 from New York donors the same weekend.
In his complaint, Douglas said that argument is “completely bogus and mocks current Georgia law” because it didn’t benefit other Democratic candidates. Douglas, now a Newton County commission member, said Carter should be forced to return the money raised from the fundraiser immediately.
“If this event was to benefit Jason Carter, Connie Stokes and Greg Hecht, it would have been legitimate,” wrote Douglas, mentioning candidates for lieutenant governor and attorney general. “It plainly was not. The invite was clear proof that this event was purely to benefit Jason Carter.”
Campaign finance rules are complicated and these types of issues are oft-litigated. But questions about the event have given Deal a comeback when Democrats target the ethics questions questions swirling around his campaign.
It also comes as the GOP increasingly targets Democratic interests with ethics complaints. The left-leaning Better Georgia, one of Carter’s staunchest defenders, was targeted by two ethics complaints filed by residents with ties to the GOP. One was rejected while the other is still pending.
