A member of Georgia’s Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission said he is stepping down from the panel after just three months to accept an appointment as a judge. Chan Caudell said he would submit his letter of resignation to Governor Nathan Deal. The Georgia constitution bans individuals from serving simultaneously in two branches of government.

Caudell’s sudden departure is the latest challenge for the five-member panel overseeing campaign finance and lobbying in the state.

The ethics panel has been hit hard with funding cuts that some say have undermined its ability to perform its duties. Earlier this week an open records request revealed that fines for late campaign finance reporting were reduced by millions of dollars because the panel could not afford to send out the required late notices.