Georgia elected officials who drag their feet when it comes to personal financial disclosures, could pay thousands in fines if a state watch dog agency gets its way. Elected officials are required by law to file annual personal financial disclosure statements, including details of campaign contributions.
The Ethics in Government Act is intended to prevent conflicts of interest arising out of income earned working for the state versus income earned from personal investments or from the family business.
However, not even the threat of an ethics violation charge can prompt some officials to submit the required information. Now, the state agency overseeing financial disclosures, wants to turn up the heat on lawmakers to either disclose or pay up. William Jordan heads the State Ethics Commission.
"For those individuals who routinely not filed their documents, the commission is opening investigations and we're enforcing civil penalties to make sure that the citizens do have an opportunity to see what the financial interests are of the people who are making decisions on behalf of the taxpayers."Jordan says most officials who are slow when it comes to filing the required information, say they aren't aware of the disclosure laws. That excuse wasn't enough to keep the commission from going after one former Byran County Commissioner, who was recently fined more than 9-thousand dollars.
Although there is no penalty if a candidate for public office or a lobbyist fails to disclose campaign contributions, that could change if the State Ethics Commission can persuade the General Assembly to rewrite the law.
