Ethics Commission files campaign finance complaint against Atlanta Council President Ceasar Mitchell

The Georgia Ethics Commission has filed a twelve page campaign finance complaint against Atlanta City Council president Ceasar Mitchell.

Also, the FOX 5 I-Team has learned the commission subpoenaed Mr. Mitchell’s campaign finance records as well as the bank records of his leadership PAC, AtlantaNext.  

Mr. Mitchell calls the complaint a “frivolous anonymous complaint” that “bares no facts and is filled with inaccuracies.”

The ethics complaint follows a FOX 5 I-Team report that showed Mr. Mitchell's leadership PAC, AtlantaNext, has been aggressively raising money across the country for at least three years.

At the time, Mr. Mitchell said the PAC was properly registered and Georgia campaign finance law didn't’t require the PAC to report contributions and expenditures, because it hadn't spent more than $25,000.

The ethics complaint alleges AtlantaNext "failed to register" as a PAC with the commission before it raised money in 2012 and 2013 and failed to file campaign disclosure reports.

The commission also examined Ceasar Mitchell's City Council Campaign disclosures. The Commission alleged Mitchell improperly took a total of $4050 in speaking fees, and "improperly utilized" more than "$4000" in campaign contributions spent on questionable reimbursements, dues, and "Falcons" tickets.