Georgia state Rep. Tyrone Brooks has pleaded not guilty to federal fraud charges.

Brooks entered his plea Wednesday before federal Magistrate Judge Alan Baverman. A 30-count federal indictment handed down last week charges him with mail fraud, wire fraud and filing false tax returns.

The indictment alleges Brooks solicited more than $1 million in contributions from the mid-1990s to 2012 to fight illiteracy in underserved communities and other causes.

Authorities say Brooks, who was first elected to the General Assembly in 1981, used the money for personal and family expenses, ranging from home repairs to credit card bills.

Brooks' lawyer, former Gov. Roy Barnes, told reporters before the hearing that they would have no comment until a news conference at Barnes' office Thursday.

Tags: politics, fraud, mail fraud, Tyrone Brooks, Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials, indictment