Overwhelming vote backs efforts to investigate campaign money pumped into Georgia

ATLANTA — Millions of dollars of out-of-state campaign money flowing into Georgia could soon be more strongly policed in the wake of mysterious political TV ads and big spending on recent elections.

A bipartisan state Senate voted 50-1 to pass a bill Thursday that allows the Georgia Ethics Commission to seek subpoenas against groups or individuals located in other states who are suspected of breaking Georgia campaign finance laws, such as contribution limits or transparency requirements.

“We will now have the tools to hold people outside our state accountable,” said state Sen. Brian Strickland, R-McDonough, before the vote in the state Senate. “This bill is just making certain that those from outside our state that are coming in and pouring money into elections play by the same rules.”