Indicted state Sen. Don Balfour goes to trial | www.myajc.com

State Sen. Don Balfour, R-Snellville, goes on trial Monday for claiming reimbursements from taxpayers for expenses he never incurred. His attorneys will build Balfour’s defense on the simplest of arguments: Mistakes happen.

And to make the case they’ll call on the testimony of a who’s who of Capitol lobbyists and politicos, from former governors to longtime Gold Dome power brokers.

Will a jury buy it? Experts say they might. Under the law, prosecutors must prove that Balfour, once one of the state’s most powerful Republicans, purposely tried to defraud the state.

“Don is looking forward to having this behind him so that he can go back to doing what the people of his district elected him to do, and that is serve their interests in the Georgia General Assembly,” said Balfour’s lead attorney, Ken Hodges. “There was never any intent to submit inaccurate reimbursement requests … Don has admitted the mistakes and regrets them.”

Balfour, who has an accounting degree, is charged with 18 felony counts related to filing false expense claims. A grand jury indicted him in September on allegations that he charged the state for expenses on days he did not incur those expenses. If convicted on all counts, Balfour would face up to 10 years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines. He also would lose his seat in the Senate.

State Attorney General Sam Olens’ office is prosecuting the case. Through a spokeswoman, Olens declined to comment, although members of his staff have indicated they, too, will simplify their strategy: A person may not have meant to break the law, but that doesn’t give him a free pass.

Both sides expect a quick trial, lasting only a few days. Prosecutors have whittled their witness list from about 19 to between three and five. Olens’ office has not released its witness list, but one subpoenaed state witness is Sen. Josh McKoon, R-Columbus, who filed the original ethics complaint against Balfour.

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