Augusta mayor takes podium to deny state 'dark money' ethics violation

Augusta Mayor Hardie Davis on Wednesday denied he and former chief of staff Tonia Gibbons took part in a dark money campaign to promote building an arena at Regency Mall.

An amended complaint filed in June by the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, said Davis, Gibbons and mall representative James McKinnon “operated as a dark-money ballot committee” to win voter support on a May 2018 ballot question.

The complaint, as well as a second Davis did not address Wednesday, came to light last week when both appeared on an ethics commission agenda. It contended Davis, Gibbons and McKinnon were the Concerned Citizens of Richmond County, the group named on pro-Regency billboards as responsible for them.

“I vehemently deny the allegations,” said Davis. “More importantly, Tonia nor I were a part of this group, nor do we know who was.”

At a hastily-called news conference, Davis emphasized the fact that the original complaint, filed by Republican strategist Dave Barbee, did not name him or Gibbons. Barbee’s complaint named the Concerned Citizens in an effort to identify who they were.

Davis claimed Wednesday that Barbee amended his complaint to include Gibbons, McKinnon and himself after it failed to gain “traction” with the ethics office. Davis walked out after making brief remarks, refusing to take any questions.

Reached for comment, Barbee laughed characteristically out loud at the assertion he’d amended the complaint.

“I didn’t amend squat,” he said. “I filed a complaint – I didn’t know whether Hardie was involved or not. It was the ethics commission that did all the legwork.”

Some of that "legwork" was attached to the amended complaint. It included a chain of emails between Commissioner Brandon Garrett, Garrett’s then-employer Lamar Advertising, sign-designer Augusta Blueprint, McKinnon, Davis and Gibbons.

In one email, Davis responds to a proof of the sign.

“Let’s go with the first template picture,” he said.

The second complaint, which Davis did not address Wednesday, said he'd filed campaign finance and personal financial reports late at least eight times during his seven years in office.

The filing deadlines carry fines and frequently ensnare politicians but rarely result in a formal complaint.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Mayor Hardie Davis denies state ethics violations in news conference