NEW Report: ‘Pay-to-Play’ Exposes City Corporations Buying up Georgia Policy

ATLANTA – Today, Common Cause Georgia released a new financial report entitled “The Atlanta Way: Examining Pay-to-Play,” which reveals the dollar-per-dollar breakdown of the amounts corporate donors spend on corrupting Atlanta politics. The report outlines in detail the funds wealthy special interests are spending to push unpopular legislative policy, like Atlanta’s “Cop City” project, a $110 million plan to build a police training facility for local law enforcement.

Included in the report: 

• A detailed breakdown of donations to Atlanta city council members by industries (eg. Real Estate & Construction donations make up 35% of major donations to city council members, and as much as 50% for some).  
• Details on eleven council members who voted yes for “Cop City” and the sizable donations they’ve received from real estate and construction companies.
• Details on the funds corporations and contract bidders (eg. Delta Airlines and Cox Enterprises) are spending to buy support for the unpopular Atlanta “Cop City” project. 

As a result, these wealthy contractors, who donated sizable donations, then saw larger pay-outs in their contracts with the city.

“This report is an expansive look at what we’ve seen happening in Georgia for decades,” said Keshia Morris Desir, justice & democracy manager at Common Cause. “Moving forward, we want to see people-funded elections in Georgia that lead to people-supported policies, not big-money donors influencing policy based on who can pay top dollar. We hope this research moves council members to put people first, not profit.”

“The pay-to-play process is not new in Georgia, it’s clear that donors have too much power in politics, despite the public outcry against harmful projects like Cop City.” said Aunna Dennis, executive director of Common Cause Georgia. “With all of these council members up for re-election in 2025, they should not be swayed and influenced by special interest donors. Georgians deserve to know the truth about who’s funding their elected officials.”

Last year, Common Cause Georgia conducted a similar report on the financial contributions to former councilmember Joyce Sheperd. It revealed that Sheperd ’s 2021 campaign received more than 50% of her donations of over $250 from real estate and construction companies totaling out to more than $40,000. Sheperd then went on to introduce legislation to lease land to build the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, greatly opposed by many of Atlanta’s residents. 

A copy of the full 2024 report can be found here.

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