Ethics deals signed for ex-Speaker, 10 current & former lawmakers

Former House Speaker Terry Coleman and 10 current and former lawmakers closed ethics complaints with the payment of a fine and a promise not to do it again.

According to Atlanta Unfiltered, The State Ethics Commission, meeting in person for the second time this year, signed off on more than two dozen consent orders, including:

Coleman, now Georgia’s deputy agriculture commissioner & potential candidate for Agriculture Commissioner in 2010, who made more than $38,120 in mortgage payments on an Atlanta condominium from his campaign account beginning in 1997. Coleman’s business, Nameloc Corp., paid the money back in 2002 shortly before the vote in which the Dodge County lawmaker became speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives. Coleman paid a $2,900 fine as part of today’s consent order.

U.S. Rep. David Scott, who failed to file reports after his 2002 election to Congress on the status of $83,053 left in his state Senate campaign account. As of his last report in January 2008, the money was still sitting there. Scott was fined $7,500.

Former Secretary of State Cathy Cox, who was fined $500 for failing to specify the purpose of reimbursements to staff members from campaign funds.

For more go to Atlanta Unfiltered.