Augusta Mayor Hardie Davis Jr. filed notice that he intends to continue to fight the release of information about how he has spent campaign funds on mayoral duties.
On Monday, Aug. 22, Superior Court Chief Judge Daniel J. Craig issued a written order that formalized his ruling from the bench Friday in which he found Davis was in violation of the state’s Open Record Act by refusing to provide documentation on the expenditure of certain campaign funds.
Because Davis himself claimed to the state’s commission overseeing campaign funds that he used certain campaign funds to fulfill his duties as mayor — and the mayor’s office is covered by the Open Records Act — the information sought by The Augusta Press had to be turned over, Craig wrote in Monday’s order.
Craig also imposed a $1,000 fine on Davis for what he found was at minimum negligence in violating the Open Records Act. Craig gave The Press’ attorney David Hudson five days to file an affidavit on attorney fees and court cost. The judge can require Davis to pay those expenses, too.
Later Monday, Davis’s attorney Edward Tarver filed notice that Davis will appeal Craig’s ruling.
Davis contended because the information The Press sought was referenced in a response to a complaint filed with the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, the information was covered by the state’s campaign law and not the Open Records Act.
The expenditures in question involved four expenditures total nearly $1,900.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.
