ATLANTA — Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones can legally loan $10 million to his campaign for governor, the Georgia Ethics Commission ruled Thursday.
The commission’s decision, made during a meeting in Carrollton, determined that a loan to a leadership committee is considered a contribution under state law.
The ruling allows Jones to use his personal wealth to pursue the Republican nomination, despite allegations from Attorney General Chris Carr that the loan evades campaign finance restrictions.
“We definitely think this is an unfair advantage that doesn’t allow for a true democratic process for voters,” Rosario Palacios, executive director of Common Cause Georgia, said.
Jones filed documents showing he made loans of $7.5 million and $2.5 million to the WBJ Leadership Committee when he announced his run for governor on July 8.
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As the incumbent lieutenant governor, Jones controls a leadership committee, which, under a 2021 state law, can raise unlimited funds and coordinate with candidates.
Carr argued that loans should only be made to candidate committees, not leadership committees, and previously filed a complaint alleging Jones lacked sufficient liquid assets to make such large loans.
However, the commission declined to investigate this complaint.
“It’s troubling that the commission shows no interest in understanding how Burt Jones went from claiming a net worth of $700,000 to loaning himself $10 million,” said Julia Mazzone, a spokesperson for Carr.
Carr’s lawsuit against Jones was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Victoria Marie Calvert, who ruled that Carr should have challenged the constitutionality of the law rather than suing Jones for following it.
The Republican and Democratic primaries are scheduled for May, with the general election set for November 2026. Carr, Raffensperger, and Jones are among the top candidates vying to succeed Gov. Brian Kemp, who cannot run again after two terms.
The ruling clears the way for Jones to continue utilizing his leadership committee’s funds in the gubernatorial race, highlighting the contentious nature of campaign finance laws in Georgia.
Information from the Associated Press used for this article.