Georgia

Anonymous money fuels $5 million in attacks on Georgia’s Lt. Gov. Burt Jones

Published

3 weeks ago

December 27, 2025

Anonymous money fuels million in attacks on Georgia’s Lt. Gov. Burt Jones

ATLANTA (AP) — It’s the biggest mystery in Georgia politics right now: Who’s paying for the attacks on Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones?

Someone operating under the name “Georgians for Integrity” has dumped around $5 million into television ads, mailers and texts. The attacks claim Jones, who already has President Donald Trump’s endorsement in his run for governor next year, has been using his office to enrich himself.

For any Georgian settling down to watch a football game, the ads have been nearly inescapable since Thanksgiving. They’re the opening shot in the public battle for the Republican nomination that will be settled in May’s primary election. But the ads also show how dark money is influencing politics not only at the national level but in the states, with secretive interests dropping big sums seeking to shift public opinion.

The Jones campaign is hopping mad, threatening legal action against television stations if they don’t stop airing ads that a lawyer calls “demonstrably false” and slanderous.

So far, the ads remain on air.

“They want to be anonymous, spend a lot of money, and create a lot of lies about myself and my family,” Jones told WSB-AM in an interview Dec. 16, calling the ads “fabricated trash.”

Attorney General Chris Carr and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, Jones’ top rivals for the Republican nomination, say they are not involved in the attacks. All three want to succeed Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who can’t run again because of term limits. There are also multiple Democrats vying for the state’s top office.

Dark money marches on

The Georgia Republican Party has filed a complaint with the State Ethics Commission. The GOP claims the ads violate Georgia’s campaign finance law against spending on an election without registering and disclosing donors.

“I think there are far-reaching consequences to allowing this activity to go forward unchecked,” state Republican Party Chairman Josh McKoon told The Associated Press. “And the consequences are much broader than the outcome of the May primary.”

It’s a further filtering down of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision, which led to dramatic increases in independent spending in U.S. elections, said Shanna Ports, senior legal counsel for the Washington, D.C.-based Campaign Legal Center, which seeks to reduce the influence of money in politics.

“Dark money is becoming more and more the norm in races, up and down the ballot, and at early times,” Ports said.

Claims that Jones has been engaged in self-dealing are nothing new —- Carr has been making similar attacks for months. But things escalated after Georgians for Integrity was incorporated in Delaware on Nov. 24, according to that state’s corporation records. The entity identifies itself as a nonprofit social welfare organization under the federal tax code, a popular way to organize campaign spending that lets a group hide its donors.

The Jones campaign says the ad falsely leads viewers to believe that Jones enabled government to take land through eminent domain to help support his family’s interest in a massive data center development in Jones’ home county south of Atlanta. As a state senator, Jones did vote for a 2017 law that opened a narrow exception in Georgia’s law prohibiting governments from conveying property seized through condemnation proceedings to private developers. But eminent domain isn’t being used to benefit the $10 billion development that government filings show could include 11 million square feet (1 million square meters) of data centers.

Group’s records are a dead end

Georgians for Integrity lists its local address as a mailbox at an Atlanta office supply store east on some paperwork submitted to television stations. A media buyer named Alex Roberts, with a Park City, Utah, address, is also listed on those papers, but he hasn’t responded to an email from the AP. Neither has Kimberly Land, a Columbus, Ohio, lawyer listed on incorporation papers. After weeks of heavy spending, no one has proved who’s providing the cash.

The Republican Party contends Georgians for Integrity is an independent committee under Georgia law. That means it can raise and spend unlimited sums, but must register before accepting contributions and must disclose its donors.

But that law identifies such committees as expending “funds either for the purpose of affecting the outcome of an election for any elected office or to advocate the election or defeat of any particular candidate.” And the ads targeting Jones don’t ever identify him as running for governor or mention the 2026 elections, instead urging viewers to call Jones and “Tell Burt, stop profiting off taxpayers.”

But McKoon said those are “semantic games” and that regular voters would definitely think the ads are designed to influence them.

“If you are funding a message that is designed to impact an election — and I think it strains credulity to argue that that is not the case here — then you ought to have to comply with the campaign finance laws that the legislature has seen fit to pass,” McKoon said.

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Georgia

South Florida cornerback transferring to Georgia Tech

Published

12 hours ago

January 15, 2026

Press Room

Georgia Tech

At USF Jonas Duclona was in on 581 defensive snaps over 13 games.

Fans react after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game at Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Atlanta. Georgia Tech won 28-23 over Miami. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Georgia Tech has added another piece to its defense via the transfer portal.

Jonas Duclona, a third-year player from South Florida, intends to transfer to Tech for the 2026 season, according to multiple reports Thursday. Duclona is a 5-foot-11, 190-pound native of Florida who spent the 2025 season at South Florida.

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Chad Bishop is a Georgia Tech sports reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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Georgia

She helped guide Georgia small businesses for decades. Now, she’s retiring.

Published

24 hours ago

January 15, 2026

Press Room

Business

Terri Denison led the Small Business Administration’s Georgia District for about two dozen years.

Terri Denison, the recently retired Georgia district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration. (Courtesy of Terri Denison)

After nearly 24 years leading the Small Business Administration’s Georgia office, Terri Denison has retired from the role.

“Being the Georgia district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration has been the greatest honor and I think highlight of my career,” Denison told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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Mirtha Donastorg is a reporter on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s business team focusing on Black wealth, entrepreneurship, and minority-owned businesses as well as innovation at Atlanta’s HBCUs.

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Georgia

Georgia snow threat: Models hint at weekend winter weather

Published

1 day ago

January 14, 2026

Press Room

Georgia snow threat: Models hint at weekend winter weather

Wednesday evening forecast: Snow threats ahead

A blast of arctic air is headed into Georgia, expected to drop wind chills overnight to sub-zero while offering a dusting to a slight accumulation in the extreme North Georgia Mountains. That’s not the only snow chance over the next week; the FOX 5 Storm Team is tracking the arrival of winter’s fury. Here’s the latest.

ATLANTA – Temperatures will plunge on Thursday morning, setting up a one-two punch of winter weather threats across Georgia this weekend.

While light snow is possible in the mountains Friday night, a second, more uncertain system could bring snow or a rain-snow mix to parts of metro Atlanta and Central Georgia by Sunday morning.

Weekend winter threat uncertain

What we know:

A strong cold front is sweeping through Georgia, bringing gusty winds and frigid temperatures that will linger through the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. While the immediate focus is on mountain snow flurries and dangerous wind chills Thursday morning, the FOX 5 Storm Team is closely watching a second system arriving late Saturday.

Confidence in the Sunday forecast remains low, but latest data suggests a shift toward a potential winter event. Forecasters noted that about 40 percent of recent model simulations show a swath of winter weather across southern and central Georgia, with 20 percent bringing that threat into North Georgia.

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Snow threat for Georgia

What they’re saying:

FOX 5 Storm Team meteorologist Alex Forbes said Wednesday evening that while “the cold air will be in place,” questions remain regarding available moisture.

“The modeling with this has been all over the place, which is somewhat normal with systems like these,” Forbes said. “Yesterday, the models backed off almost completely from seeing any winter weather. Now, some are starting to get back on board.”

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Snow storm weather models

What we don’t know:

Forbes cautioned residents against relying on various maps circulating on social media, noting he is instead monitoring ensemble models that run multiple scenarios.

“There’s a distinct possibility, if not a likelihood, that nothing happens,” Forbes added. “We are at the mercy of the models, which typically don’t handle events like this well until about 24-48 hours out.”

Showers and snow showers chance

By the numbers:

The following figures represent the latest forecasts for the mountain region and the metro Atlanta area:

North Georgia Mountains

Friday: High of 44; 50 percent chance of rain and snow showers at night with a low of 29.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, high of 41; low of 16 at night.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, high of 30; low of 13 at night.
MLK Day: Sunny, high of 39; low of 15 at night.

Metro Atlanta

Friday: Sunny, high of 52; 40 percent chance of showers after 1 a.m. with a low of 38.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, high of 49; low of 25 at night.
Sunday: Sunny, high of 38; low of 22 at night.
MLK Day: Sunny, high of 45; low of 24 at night.

When will the weather turn?

Dig deeper:

The first shift begins Friday night into Saturday morning as a cold front brings light rain to the region and possible snow to the higher elevations. The more significant window for potential winter weather opens late Saturday night and lasts through Sunday morning. Forbes noted that the forecast should become clearer by Friday night.

What areas are most at risk?

Local perspective:

If a winter storm develops, current data suggests the better chance for precipitation is south of Interstate 20. Forbes said any impacts would likely follow a “gradient south to north.” For the Friday night system, snow is primarily limited to the North Georgia mountains, specifically in areas above 2,000 feet.

How much accumulation is expected?

Big picture view:

Accumulation potential for the Friday mountain snow is very limited, ranging from a trace to 0.5 inches on the highest peaks. For the potential Sunday system, meteorologists have not yet released specific totals due to “very low confidence” in the storm’s track. However, Forbes warned that “significant impacts will be possible in metro Atlanta and Central Georgia early Sunday” if the snow materializes.

Preparing for winter weather

What you can do:

Here are several ways to prepare now for potential winter weather:

Stock essential supplies: Refresh batteries and flashlights, and ensure you have enough shelf-stable food and necessary prescriptions on hand.
Prepare for service disruptions: Be ready for temporary loss of internet and cell service, particularly in wooded areas prone to storm damage.
Protect your plumbing: Insulate outdoor pipes and locate your main water shut-off valve; frozen plumbing issues typically peak in January and February.
Prioritize heating safety: Ensure generators, fireplaces and space heaters are properly vented. Never operate a generator in an enclosed space due to carbon monoxide risks.
Stay informed digitally: Download the FOX 5 Storm Team weather app and enable location settings to receive direct emergency notifications.
Monitor local closings: Bookmark the FOX 5 Atlanta closings page for updates. Administrators should register their organizations now to ensure eligibility for posting cancellations.
Care for animals: Bring pets indoors during freezing temperatures and provide outdoor animals with shelter and fresh, unfrozen water.
Equip your vehicle: Assemble a car kit with blankets, chargers, a small shovel, snacks and sand or kitty litter for traction.
Maintain safety detectors: Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries before increasing the use of heaters and fireplaces.
Check on neighbors: Coordinate with elderly residents, people with disabilities or those using powered medical equipment to create a plan for power outages.

The Georgia Department of Transportation gears up its winter weather response ahead of multiple fronts which could bring snow and showers to North Georgia. (FOX 5)

Cold here to stay

What’s next:

Beyond the weekend, the cold is here to stay. High temperatures on Tuesday are expected to reach only 36 in the mountains and 43 in Atlanta.

Dry air moving into the state will also trigger fire safety concerns. Relative humidity values could drop below 25 percent on Monday and Tuesday, which may prompt Fire Danger Statements from the National Weather Service. Conditions are expected to begin moderating by Wednesday, with highs returning to the upper 40s.

The Source: This article contains an original forecast by the FOX 5 Storm Team. The National Weather Service contributed to this report.

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