After trying to resolve allegations of campaign violations before the state ethics commission for seven years, former Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine is asking a Superior Court judge to weigh in on his case.
Allegations that Oxendine took illegal contributions and spent campaign money on races he never ran stem from his failed 2010 campaign for governor, and in part, from Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports about what he did with about $750,000 in contributions after he lost the Republican primary that year.
A hearing has been set in the case for June 17 in Fulton County Superior Court.
If the colorful former commissioner is successful, the case could lead to more politicians asking the courts to interpret state ethics laws, rather than leaving it up to the commission. The ruling could also affect other ethics complaints awaiting commission action.
“At the end of the day, any reasonable person would say what John Oxendine has done with his campaign funds is wrong and unethical,” said William Perry of Georgia Ethics Watchdogs. “Clearly what he did with campaign funds shouldn’t be allowed.”
Read more on myajc.com
About the Author
