Official questions majority leader's ethics at hearing

DOUGLASVILLE - Senate Majority Leader Charles Walker only revealed his connection to state money spent on projects that benefited him after they were already uncovered, an assistant attorney general said Friday. <br> <br> ``At each point along the way ... it appears to be more reactive disclosure than upfront disclosure,&#39;&#39; said Jeff Ledford at a state Ethics Commission hearing. <br> <br> Walker filed several amendments to personal financial disclosure statements for 1997-2000 in March and April, after they came under scrutiny. <br> <br> The Ethics Commission is investigating whether the Augusta Democrat failed to reveal his relationships with six nonprofit organizations. The commission voted 4-0 to wait another month before making a decision on the case. <br> <br> The hearing came a week after a state audit showed that Walker and several other members of a group in Augusta overseeing the spending of nearly $20 million in state grants used some of the money to do business with themselves. <br> <br> State law requires elected officials and candidates for public office to disclose their affiliations with both for-profit and nonprofit groups. <br> <br> ``I do believe there are grounds to believe the Ethics in Government Act has been violated,&#39;&#39; said Commission Chairman Sam Nichols. ``I am troubled somewhat that these new allegations came to light on the heels of this 18-month investigation.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Many elected officials don&#39;t understand that they need to disclose affiliations with nonprofit groups, said James Washburn, Walker&#39;s attorney. Walker amended his disclosure reports when he realized he should have, he said. <br> <br> ``There are very few public officials who reflect their relationship with nonprofits,&#39;&#39; Washburn said. <br> <br> The audit said Walker was a member of boards he helped award the grants to. Then he got $7,458 from one of the boards for marketing and advertising expenses in his newspaper, the Augusta Focus, and $1,632 for renting a restaurant he owns to the group for a public presentation. <br> <br> In addition, he leased space in a building he owns to one of the project&#39;s subcontractors for $4,000 a month and sold the same subcontractor an office telephone system for $5,000. <br> <br> Walker was fined $8,500 in January for failing to disclose his business interests.