Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat will hand over $43,000 after admitting to several campaign finance violations during his 2020 election bid. The Georgia State Ethics Commission has issued a consent order detailing the infractions, which include Labat's failure to report substantial campaign expenditures, undisclosed business interests belonging to his wife, and a lack of documentation for his association with the nonprofit 'Think Twice Save a Life,' as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
In his response, Labat acknowledged the mishaps, attributing them to the absence of a professional campaign staff that left Jacqueline Labat, his wife, as the sole campaign aide until mid-2023, which contributed to unintentional errors, in a statement issued after the commission's action, Labat told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “During my 2020 campaign, like many candidates for county and local office, I operated without the support of a professional campaign staff, treasurer or legal counsel,” he said, this lack of guidance seemingly led to erroneous reports and overdue financial disclosures. Highlighting his focus on serving Fulton County with "dedication and integrity," Labat assured that updated procedures are now in place to prevent future discrepancies, including hiring a professional to prepare his disclosure reports.
Details revealed in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation showed the missed disclosures included about $149,000 to Alliance Business Management Group, a company organized by Jacqueline Labat, and $72,000 transferred to her via Zelle from the campaign account. Also, his wife's interests in other business entities and his own role in the nonprofit were not disclosed. Under the consent order, Labat is obliged to pay a $42,500 civil penalty and $500 in late fees.
Amidst these financial foibles, Sheriff Labat has been navigating tumultuous waters with his management of the Fulton County Jail under scrutiny, only recently a private security firm was promised $1.4 million by the sheriff's office to settle unpaid bills and resolve a guard walkout, while beyond these walls the Justice Department condemned the county jail's conditions as violating the rights of inmates; these issues compound the sheriff's already complex ledger of responsibilities and public trust, according to the order, Labat insists that corrective measures are of utmost priority. “My focus has always been — and continues to be — serving the citizens of Fulton County with dedication and integrity,” Labat told Atlanta Journal-Constitution, vowing to prioritize compliance and transparency moving forward.
Executive Director David Emadi of the State Ethics Commission, reaffirmed the importance of lawful campaign conduct, emphasizing the expectation that elected officials abide by the rules and the commission's resolve in upholding them, “Georgians expect their elected officials to follow the law with respect to their political campaigns,” Emadi stated, signaling a unifying expectation for adherence to legal and ethical standards in future election cycles, “This order shows that failure to do so will not (be) ignored or treated lightly,” according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
