Deal lawyer seeks legal fees for ethics complaints

ATLANTA - Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal's lawyer is seeking legal fees from a northwest Georgia man whose complaints against the governor were eventually dismissed.

The request marks the first time a state official has used a 2010 law allowing politicians accused of violations to go after accusers if their complaints are deemed frivolous.

Attorney Randy Evans says he's seeking legal fees from George Anderson of Rome, who has filed hundreds of ethics complaints during the past 15 years. They include claims that Deal's campaign funneled money to the governor's daughter-in-law and her company, that the governor was involved in a financial kickback scheme and that the governor conspired with the state ethics commission's former chairman to derail complaints against him.

The allegations were dismissed by the commission.