President Trump speaks about Fulton County FBI investigation at Georgia event
In a speech in Georgia, President Trump commented on the FBI’s seizure of ballots in Fulton County.
Georgia gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson has won his first victory after a judge granted a temporary restraining order against his opponent’s leadership committee, which raised campaign funds.
Jackson’s campaign has filed a lawsuit against Lt. Gov. Bert Jones, alleging that his current role allows his leadership committee to raise unlimited contributions to his campaign, while other candidates are restricted by campaign finance laws.
“A federal court today made clear that Bert Jones is not getting his own rulebook,” Jackson campaign spokesman Dave Abrams said in a statement. “Mr. Burt has already used his job to enrich his family, so it would be no surprise if he tried to use it to hang on to power. If he pushes through new laws to save himself, it’s a clear abuse of power, and the people of Georgia will hold him accountable.”
Jones Leadership Committee needs to cancel fundraising
The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Thomas Thrash of the Northern District of Georgia, requires the WBJ Leadership Committee to cease fundraising and spending for Jones’ campaign while the case proceeds in court. Campaign ads funded by the commission also must be canceled if paid by February 10, CBS News Atlanta reported.
The leadership committee may raise funds for general election-related activities and candidates throughout the year, but the committee chair must be the governor, lieutenant governor, or the party’s candidate for those positions. That means if someone holds office and is running for office, they can use funds from the leadership committee for their campaign.
Mr. Jones’ group can raise “unrestricted donations” that will allow it to create “a de facto second super-premium campaign committee for Lieutenant Governor Jones against Mr. Jackson and other candidates,” Mr. Jackson’s lawsuit alleges.
“Prior to the primary election, only the sitting lieutenant governor is permitted to form a leadership committee,” the complaint states. “Incumbent lieutenant governors can thus amass a political war chest of unrestricted contributions for their gubernatorial races, and use those unlimited funds to support their own candidacy and to attack their primary challengers. They have one hand, actually both hands, legally tied behind their back.”
Leadership committees are exempt from the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Act, which caps contributions to candidates statewide at $8,400 for primary elections and $4,800 for runoff elections.
Other candidates tried it first
Mr. Jackson and his team were not the first adversaries to go after Mr. Jones over campaign finance.
Safe Affordable Georgia filed a lawsuit in December on behalf of Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Raffensperger, asking a judge to allow the political action committee to operate like Jones’ leadership committee. The PAC could work with Raffensperger’s campaign, which was previously prohibited.
Attorney General Chris Carr and his team also filed a lawsuit in early 2025 to bar Jones from using a leadership committee in his gubernatorial race.
Other legal challenges failed until Mr. Jackson won an interim order.
When Jackson’s lawsuit was filed, a Jones campaign spokesperson told CBS News Atlanta, “This foolish lawsuit has already been tried and failed twice by non-Trump candidates in this campaign, and will fail a third time.” “It’s not really surprising that the gang of con artists surrounding Rick Jackson convinced him to waste more money.”
Jones gains new support in gubernatorial race during President Trump’s visit
President Trump visited Rome, Georgia last week and doubled down on his support and support for Jones in the gubernatorial race. The president has been keeping a close eye on Georgia over controversy over whether Georgia’s 2020 election was stolen, leading to an FBI raid on a Fulton County election hub earlier this year.
Mr. Trump endorsed Mr. Jones before Mr. Jackson ran, and on Thursday said Mr. Jones had his “complete and complete support.”
Mr. Jackson remains aligned with the president, saying he is a strong defender of the Second Amendment and tough on immigrants.
Mr. Jackson was endorsed by Newt Gingrich on Tuesday, and recent Quantus Insights polls have the candidate leading by a wide margin.
According to the poll, one-third of Republican voters have not yet chosen a primary candidate, with Jackson winning 32.6% of likely voters, followed by Burt Jones with 16.9% and Brad Raffensperger with 8.2%.
Eileen Wright is an Atlanta Connect reporter for USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. X Find her at @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
