ATLANTA — Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr issued official guidance Friday reminding lobbyists and lawmakers that bribery and extortion are felonies punishable under state law.
The warning comes as the state enters a simultaneous legislative and campaign season.
Carr, who is running for governor, released the letter to clarify rules regarding the interaction between legislative measures and political campaigns.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
The guidance identifies how individuals can seek assistance or report suspicious activity to the attorney general’s office.
Carr emphasized that the guidance is intended for legislators, lobbyists and the general public. He noted that some individuals may be unsure of the specific rules regarding the intersection of legislative bills and political campaigns.
“There’s a right way and a wrong way to deal with the legislature, to deal with legislation getting passed,” Carr said. “We wanted to provide guidance to legislators, to lobbyists, to the public at large, what is allowed and what isn’t.”
The attorney general expressed concern that political support could improperly influence the legislative process during an election year. He stated that bills should be evaluated based on their content rather than political alliances.
“And the people of Georgia need to know if a bill passes or fails, it does so on its own merits, not because somebody may or may not have been supporting a particular candidate or their opponent,” Carr said.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Family settles with car dealership after saying they took advantage of elderly man with dementia
- Officer-involved shooting shuts down I-20 in Douglas County
- Super Bowl champion, Atlanta native receives pardon from President Trump
Because he is currently running for governor, Carr stated he will recuse himself from any specific inquiries that come into the office related to these issues. His office will handle those investigations separately to avoid conflicts of interest.
Carr encouraged individuals to contact his office if they have information about potential wrongdoing.
“And we wanted people to be able to reach out to us, which they have done to be able to provide information and I want folks to know that they’re going to be protected when they do that,” Carr said.
Carr is currently seeking the Republican nomination for governor. He is running against Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Burt Jones and Rick Jackson. The Democratic primary also features a crowded field of candidates.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2026 Cox Media Group
