The state Ethics Commission is investigating three complaints against Republican gubernatorial hopeful Karen Handel. The charges allege she repeatedly took campaign contributions above the $6,100 limit for a single election.

Handel campaign officials blame accounting errors for the mistake, and say the excess money was refunded or reallocated before word of the complaints were received.

The complaints were made public on the same day as Handel’s first TV ads ran in Atlanta which include an attack on the “iffy ethics” of her leading GOP opponents.

On Monday, Handel received the endorsement of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin.

Tags: Atlanta, Karen Handel, State Ethics Commission, GOP, Alaska, campaign contributions, Sarah Palin