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ATLANTA - David McDade was the tough on crime Douglas County district attorney who retired following a GBI investigation of his spending of drug forfeiture money.
But, he left something behind: Campaign contributions from his last political campaign that have gone unreported for more than two years.
Stefan Ritter, director of the state campaign finance commission, commonly called the Ethics Commission, says Mr. McDade should have been filing campaign disclosure reports for the past two years or until he closed out his account.
“As long as you have money in your campaign fund,” Ritter said, “you have to continue to file.”
McDade currently shows nearly $30,000 in his campaign account.
But, we found there was more than the $30,000. After his last campaign report, and before he announced he would not seek reelection, McDade held a big campaign fundraiser at Mirror Lake's two golf courses in Douglas County. A pro shop employee told us there were more than 200 people signed up to play.
We don't know how much money Mr. McDade raised, because State Ethics filings indicate he never reported any campaign contributions from the golf tournament.
“How did he expend the money? What happened to the money?” Ritter asked.
We tried to get Mr. McDade’s side of the story, but he wouldn't’t answer any of our questions.
“You don't tell the whole truth,” McDade told me,” I'm getting in my car and I'm leaving. You do whatever you want to do.”
Two years ago, the FOX 5 I-Team told you how Mr. McDade used seized drug money to provide perks and high paying second jobs for his long time office manager Tammie Agan and a paid internship for her daughter.
Following our story, McDade says he reprimanded Tammie Agan for personal use of a county SUV and then requested the GBI investigate to clear the air. That investigation lasted more than a year.
According to McDade's attorney, Drew Findling, the investigation ended when McDade signed a non-prosecution agreement with the state Attorney General. McDade agreed to retire and pay back $4,032. In exchange, the Attorney General would not prosecute him.
Later, a grand jury indicted Tammie Agan. In court, Ms. Agan, pled no contest to seven misdemeanor theft charges. She received first offender status which means she has no criminal record.
David McDade, who battled severe health problems during the GBI investigation, took a job as an assistant prosecutor with the Fayette County District Attorney's office.
Stefan Ritter told me his office will review Mr. McDade’s campaign filings to see if they need to conduct a full investigation.