Former rep uses loan, rollover funds to build cash advantage over Dugan – Douglas County Sentinel: Local News

Former state Rep. Bill Hembree’s exit from the political stage in 2012 was unexpected. He served the west Georgia area in the House for nearly 20 years and was the favorite to win an open state Senate seat in District 30, which covers almost all of Carroll County and western Douglas and southern Paulding counties.

But political newcomer Mike Dugan (R-Carrollton) stunned Hembree, beating him by 11 points in a Dec. 2012 runoff election.

The sting from that untimely departure from the Legislature may be why Hembree continues to defy the head of the state ethics commission by carrying over nearly $35,000 in unspent contributions from that race two years ago for a May 20 Republican primary rematch with Dugan.

Hembree, of Winston, has loaned his campaign $35,000, according to his latest Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report. And Hembree said he’s still planning to carry over $34,985.25 from his 2012 campaign despite warnings from Holly LaBerge, who heads the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, formerly the state ethics commission, that doing so is illegal.Hembree says he has consulted attorneys and feels that it is legal and appropriate.

As a result, Hembree lists $65,585.25 in cash on hand, compared with $24,112.28 for Dugan, the reports due no later than April 7 show.

LaBerge told the Sentinel last month it is against the law for Hembree to transfer campaign funds from one campaign cycle to the next. She said Hembree could face penalties if a citizen files an ethics complaint against him.

LaBerge said Hembree and other candidates who are out of office must also file a new Declaration of Intent (DOI), which allows candidates to begin fundraising. Hembree hasn’t filed a new DOI and said he doesn’t plan to.

via Former rep uses loan, rollover funds to build cash advantage over Dugan – Douglas County Sentinel: Local News.