The outspoken leader of the Canton Tea Party Patriots must respond in 15 days to charges of inappropriate campaign activities or face a $12,000 file.
According to the Cherokee Ledger News, Carolyn Cosby, chair of the Canton Tea Party, confirmed she received the order from the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission.
Cosby must respond in 15 days or pay a $12,000 fine in 30 days to allegations brought forth earlier this year by outgoing District 3 County Commissioner Karen Bosch that the organization was collecting money and using it to convince voters how to cast ballots in local primary elections and on the T-SPLOST referendum.
Bosch noted in her charge that Tea Party organization wasn't registered with the state commission as a political action committee or an independent committee, which would make their activity a violation of Georgia ethics laws.
Cosby told the Ledger that the attacks against her are not accurate
“These are false accusations by an angry Board of Commissioners,” Cosby told the weekly Woodstock-based newspaper, adding she was being targeted for her heavy criticism towards what she refers to as the 'Bobo Boondoggle.'
Cosby and her group of vocal backers have been relentless in their critique of the failed Ball Ground Recycling venture.
As part of Bosch's complaints, which she formally made in May, she produced a flier that listed County Commission District 2 candidate Channing Ruskell as the "Tea Party favorite." The flier also included Cosby's phone number as the point of contact on the political material.
She also included evidence from District 2 incumbent Commissioner Jim Hubbard that claims Cosby only allowed "favorites" to speak at Tea Party meetings and asked those in attendance to donate money to a fund to help the organization's favorite candidates win the July 31 primary.
Bosch also produced information the organization passed out at meetings, urging Cherokee residents to reject the T-SPLOST proposal.