ATLANTA, Ga. - A major shake-up is underway at the state’s ethics commission. The top two staffers are both on their way out after the commission voted to slash one staffer's salary and eliminate the other staffer's position.
But there is more. The budget decision was made while those two staffers were conducting an investigation of Governor Nathan Deal's campaign-- an investigation that the FBI offered to help with.
Senior I-Team reporter Dale Russell has been following that investigation and is here with the latest.
The investigation was so far along that executive secretary Stacey Kalberman had subpoenas for the governor's campaign financial records drawn up and ready to be signed by ethics commission chairman Patrick Millsaps. According to emails obtained by the I-Team, Millsaps didn't sign the subpoenas, but did begin to question the staff budget.
Members of the state ethics commission showed no interest in answering questions about slashing the staff budget during an ongoing investigation of Governor Deal's campaign. Ethics commissioners left immediately after a meeting in which the agency director, Stacey Kalberman, resigned after the commission voted to cut her salary. Also, the commission eliminated the position of her top deputy.
Commissioners said a tight budget forced the decision-- not an ongoing investigation of Governor Deal's campaign.
The personnel decision followed a meeting a month ago, in which ethics commission director Stacey Kalberman tried to get the commission chairman to sign off on subpoenas targeting Governor Deal's campaign.
Internal staff reports obtained by the I-Team show the ethics staff was ready to issue subpoenas against Deal's campaign on three key issues: using campaign funds for legal fees, questionable expenditures for the campaign airplane, and contributions that exceed legal limits.
Stacey Kalberman did not want to talk, but according to an email obtained by the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Kalberman argued the commission chairman's "concern with the budget" coincides with request for his signature on subpoenas relating to the "ongoing Nathan Deal investigation." She also writes that "the FBI offered at no cost" the use of a "forensic accountant" to assist the investigation.
William Perry of the government watchdog group Common Cause says the budget cuts have gutted ethics commission's ability to investigate anyone.
“The people who carry forth these investigations are no longer going to be here, so it's a big problem,” Perry told the I-Team.
A governor's spokesperson said Nathan Deal had no communication with the ethics commission. Chairman Patrick Millsaps was recently reappointed by Governor Deal.
In one email, it is mentioned that Millsaps was concerned with the cost of the investigation of the governor's campaign. To date, those subpoenas are still unsigned.
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