Senator Derek Mallow agrees to $1,000 fine after failure to file campaign contribution reports on time

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - State Senator Derek Mallow has been fined by the State Ethics Commission after failing to file reports required by state law at the time.

The State Ethics Commission filed a complaint against the Democratic senator in February, saying he did not file campaign contribution disclosure reports in April, June, September, October, and December 2024, or in January 2025. The complaint also says Mallow failed to file a required personal financial disclosure.

Read: Senator Derek Mallow receives complaint from State Ethics Commission

Mallow will pay $1,000 in fines for the violations, an agreement that was approved by the State Ethics Commission at a meeting in Savannah on Wednesday. The fine includes $875 in late fees and a $125 civil penalty.

“Senator Mallow provided all the requested bank and campaign account documents and filed the outstanding reports,” Steven Knittel, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the agency told commission members. “He was very cooperative. He communicated well with the office.”

Commission Member Dana Diment asked Knittel to explain Mallow’s “serial failures” to file the required reports. Mallow, who was present for the meeting, went before the Commission and explained he had someone that was supposed to do the reports for him, but they didn’t get them done on time.

“When I realized that she was not getting them done, I took it upon myself to do them. But my daughter in August was hospitalized,” Mallow said.

Mallow went on to say his daughter remained in the hospital for months.

“I should have gotten the reports in and I accept the accountability to make sure the reports get in,” Mallow added.

At the time the complaint was filed against Mallow, state law required candidates for local and state office to file six campaign and personal financial disclosure reports. The State legislature passed a law in May that reduced the number from six to four, with almost no one voting against it.