Senator received support from probation firm owner, bondsmen group | The Augusta Chronicle

Less than a week before a Senate committee stripped a bill of provisions that limited the fees private probation companies can charge, the owner of such a firm wrote a letter of recommendation for the Waynesboro state senator who headed the committee and is in line for a judgeship that will supervise people affected by the legislation.

In addition, three days before the legislative session began, state Sen. Jesse Stone received his largest single campaign contribution from the Georgia As­so­­ciation of Professional Bonds­­men, according to his campaign contributions reports.
During the session, the Re­publican sponsored a bill that increases the fees these companies charge to post bonds, which are generally set by judges.

Stone is one of two candidates to become the next Burke County State Court judge. The court contracts with a private company, CSRA Pro­bation Services, to supervise those on probation for misdemeanors.

On Feb. 18, the owner of CSRA Probation Services, Mi­chael Popplewell, wrote a recommendation letter for Stone to the governor. Stone said he knew Pop­ple­well intended to write the letter.

Stone qualified to run for re-election on March 6. On March 7, he announced that he would seek the State Court judgeship. Stone said Popplewell’s endorsement had nothing to do with what happened to the private probation bill after it was assigned to the judiciary non-civil committee, which he heads.

via Senator received support from probation firm owner, bondsmen group | The Augusta Chronicle.