The office of Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger can’t — or won’t — say whether an elected official in the state may legally use his political office to solicit donations for a nonprofit organization tied to his family, citing the need for a formal review.
Robert Sinners, communications director for the secretary of state’s office, said the agency would only make a determination after the charities division reviews an official complaint.
The secretary of state’s office, whose communications team is widely viewed by many Peach State political insiders as notoriously ham-handed, initially referred questions to the Georgia State Ethics Commission, but the commission said it lacks jurisdiction because it handles campaign finance matters rather than nonprofit oversight.
Instead, it referred the question back to Raffensperger’s office, which oversees charities in Georgia. As the office does with most issues, particularly after the 2020 election, it declined to take a stand.
Raffensperger is seeking the Republican gubernatorial nomination.
