Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat has agreed to pay $43,000 in penalties for violating campaign finance laws.
The sheriff failed to list tens of thousands of dollars in campaign expenditures and did not disclose his position as an officer in a nonprofit corporation, according to a consent agreement the State Ethics Commission approved Friday. He also failed to identify all the businesses his wife owned and committed other campaign finance violations.
The settlement comes as Labat is under fire for his management of the Fulton County Jail. Earlier this week, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office said it would pay a private security firm $1.4 million in unpaid bills to address a dispute that led to a recent walkout of jail guards.
“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,” Labat said in a statement issued after the commission’s action. “This resulted in unintentional mistakes, which I regret and for which I take responsibility.”
Labat was elected sheriff in 2020 and won reelection this year. According to the consent order, Labat has acknowledged he failed to disclose:
- About $149,000 in expenditures to Alliance Business Management Group, a company organized by the sheriff’s wife, Jacqueline Labat. She served as his campaign manager.
- $72,000 in Zelle transfers from his campaign account to his wife.
- His wife’s ownership interest in business entities.
- His position as an officer in the nonprofit Think Twice. Save a Life, which seeks to combat gun violence.
Labat also failed to file one personal financial disclosure report, filed another one late and accepted contributions before filing required paperwork.
According to the consent order, Labat told the commission he did not have a professional campaign staff until mid-2023. Instead, Jacqueline Labat served as his sole campaign staffer.
The order said the campaign “did not have either outside counsel, a professional treasurer or a compliance specialist familiar with the reporting requirements for disclosure reports.” As a result, the sheriff’s early campaign reports “did not correctly disclose all financial activity,” according to the order.
Under the consent order, he will pay a $42,500 civil penalty and $500 in late fees.
“My focus has always been — and continues to be — serving the citizens of Fulton County with dedication and integrity,” Labat said. “To ensure such issues do not arise again, I have implemented new procedures, including hiring a professional to prepare my disclosure reports.
“I am committed to moving forward and remaining fully focused on the responsibilities entrusted to me by the citizens of Fulton County, who recently reaffirmed their trust by overwhelmingly reelecting me to a second term,” the sheriff said.
David Emadi, executive director of the State Ethics Commission, said, “Georgians expect their elected officials to follow the law with respect to their political campaigns.”
“This order shows that failure to do so will not (be) ignored or treated lightly,” Emadi said. “We expect the sheriff’s campaign will be compliant with state law moving forward.”
Labat served as Atlanta’s corrections department chief before announcing his campaign for sheriff in 2019. He defeated Democratic incumbent Sheriff Ted Jackson in a primary the following year and faced no Republican opposition.
As sheriff, it fell to Labat to address overcrowding and other longtime problems at the county jail. A recent Justice Department report decried “abhorrent, unconstitutional” conditions at the jail that violated the civil rights of inmates.
Labat has recommended the county build a new jail and has said he’s working with county commissioners to improve conditions at the existing facility. But he has clashed with commissioners over contracts and spending, and his management has come under fire.
In August, about 80 private jail guards walked off the job after the firm Strategic Security Corp. said the sheriff’s office had not paid its bills. On Wednesday, the sheriff’s office said it would pay the company $1.4 million by the end of this week.
In September, another private contractor said the sheriff’s office owed it about $600,000.
Despite the controversy, Labat easily won reelection last month over a write-in opponent after defeating three opponents in May’s Democratic primary.
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