Rome’s George Anderson, who accused Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal of ethical wrongdoing, will not have to pay the governor’s attorney fees over three complaints that were dismissed.

The Government Transparency Commission voted 3-1 on Friday against making Anderson pay a portion of the legal fees that Deal spent to address complaints from Anderson dealing with Deal’s daughter-in-law, appointees and others.

Anderson said he was being asked to pay $10,387.50.

“I’m going home relieved,” Anderson said in a phone interview with the Rome News-Tribune. “I’m on cloud nine. I’ve been very stressed about (it). I’ve been working for 10 months at the Subway at night and substitute teaching, but I didn’t need to face trying to come up with money to pay Gov. Nathan Deal.”

Deal attorney Randy Evans said Anderson’s complaints were meritless and slanderous.

Anderson apologized for some of the language used in his complaints. But he said it’s unfair to ask citizens to pay for lawyer fees when their complaints against public officials are rejected.

The executive director of Georgia Common Cause, William Perry, said his group was concerned that forcing citizens to pay would discourage others from filing complaints.

Rome News-Tribune Associate Editor Doug Walker contributed to this report.