fter a stinging audit and a staffing overhaul, the state ethics commission looks to a new year that could bring even more significant changes.
It’s been a tumultuous time at the state ethics commission, which has been mired in recent years by a number of lawsuits filed by former employees, personnel issues and allegations of outside influence with questions raised about its ability to ensure candidates, campaign committees, lobbyists and others are disclosing their financial activities as required by law.
Meanwhile, the commission has had 216 open complaints that have been pending an average of three years and has failed to consider a single complaint for a year and a half amid an employee turnover rate of 46 percent in the last two years.
That was all noted in an October audit conducted by the state that found the commission was not achieving its mission and noted commissioners had not provided adequate oversight of key personnel who, in turn, failed to ensure employees operated effectively. The audit describes the agency as an “unprofessional work environment” that was unable to ensure those required to file disclosures and campaign finance reports actually did so, that such filings were reviewed for accuracy and that cases were handled in a timely, consistent and thorough manner.
via More changes ahead for Georgia’s ethics agency | www.ajc.com.
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