(Marietta, GA) House District 37 Republican candidate Jason Shepherd has pledged to make public his legislative expenses after shocking abuses of taxpayer funds were found in incumbent Democrat Terry Johnson's expense records.

"Democrat Terry Johnson has been spending taxpayer money like it was his own personal bank account," said Shepherd. "Over $4,000 for new office furniture; over $800 at the Apple Store and almost $6,500 to his Florida political consultant show a pattern that is clearly an unethical abuse of power." Each member of the legislature is given an office expense account to use to pay extra staff, buy stationary, and for other expenses that are necessary to manage their legislative office. A review of Terry Johnson's expenses show that in April 2009, he was reimbursed $3,153.45 for the "leasing of equipment." Johnson also submitted a check for $3,153.45 written by his wife, Nancy Johnson, to Woodstock Furniture Outlet for, according to the memo line, "Office Furniture." "I wish it stopped there," said Shepherd. "But if you keep looking, you find three itemized receipts for $501.67, $51.25, and $283.92 from the Apple Store; an additional $1,102.06 for a desk and lamp at Woodstock Furniture Outlet; and invoices and checks for $3,500.00 and $2,962.00 from his Florida political consultant, Mad Dog Mail, Inc." While expenditures like this are not technically illegal, they are hard for any politician to ethically justify as legitimate "office" expenses. "No elected official should be using taxpayer money to furnish their home or buy high end personal electronics with taxpayer money," said Shepherd. "That is why I am pledging to my district that I will publicly post all of my office expenses on my website so the people of House District 37 can judge for themselves if I am spending their tax dollars wisely, especially at a time when so many teachers are being laid off because there are not enough tax funds to pay their salaries." All of the information about Terry Johnson's expenditures can found at http://www.TheTruthAboutTerry.com, a website maintained by Kennesaw State University College Republican President Robert Potts. ###