Deal says bankruptcy case has no effect on his debt, campaign
Republican gubernatorial candidate Nathan Deal said today that a federal judge’s decision to reopen his daughter and son-in-law’s 2009 bankruptcy case does not expose him to more debt and will not affect his political campaign.
“I think you see from the polls that the public is not paying any attention to these issues because they know they are not essential to the issue of who can govern this state and who can lead us in the direction of where we need to go,” Deal, a former congressman, told reporters after speaking at a candidates’ forum at The Commerce Club in downtown Atlanta. “They want to hear us talk about issues and that is what I am doing.”
The bankruptcy stems from a failed sporting goods business started by Carrie Deal Wilder and her husband, Clint Wilder, that Deal invested in and that left him with $2.1 million in debts. A U.S. bankruptcy trustee sought to reopen the Wilders’ case after it was revealed that Clint Wilder was not eligible for a discharge of his debts, including those from the sporting goods store, because he did not divulge a prior bankruptcy in 2001.
Deal and his wife, Sandra, should have been mentioned as at least creditors of the Wilders, bankruptcy experts have told the AJC. A forensic accountant hired by the Deal campaign also said last week the Deals should have been mentioned, and that any omission by the Wilders in their filing was an error. However, Deal said today that his name should not have been listed in the filing “unless I was going to make a claim against the individuals who were filing, and I certainly didn’t intend to do that. I was an investor.”
Deal also declined to say whether he discussed with his daughter and son-in-law if he should have been listed in the bankruptcy filing.
“I have already answered those questions,” he told a reporter. “I am not going to get into their personal bankruptcy. I don’t think that is appropriate for you to do so. For you to drag family members into this kind of campaign is totally inappropriate.”
Deal has pledged to pay off the debt related to the business and is in the process of liquidating his IRA to cover a portion of the obligation.
Deal spoke to reporters today after appearing with Democratic opponent Roy Barnes at the candidates’ forum. Barnes also spoke to reporters about the bankruptcy following the forum.
“If you had a business, who would you want running it right now, me or Congressman Deal?” he said. “I’m glad he helped his daughter. But this is not an issue about helping your daughter. This is an issue about disclosure. This is about management. Why was this not disclosed?”
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93 comments Add your comment
GetRealGeorgia
September 29th, 2010
8:55 pm
None of you, including Roy Barnes get it!!!! Roy once again makes reference to Nathan’s failure to disclose his family debt. Obviously Roy’s fine investigative team has failed to read Nathan Deal’s public disclosure from May of 2009. It is is public record and I would be happy to share my copy with them. It is all there in black and white for you to see.
And the rest of you who keep talking “indictment”…for what, co-signing a loan for a child. Nathan Deal has done nothing wrong. The loans is not due, he is not in default, he broke no laws, and did nothing unethical.
Maybe we should talk about some issues, like jobs, healthcare, immigration, education, water rights….but I guess that is too much to ask, after all that would expose Roy Barnes and HIS lack of qualifications to be Governor. And besides, it is a lot easier to just attack someone in a hard spot like Nathan Deal! Shame Shame Shame!!!!!
Ramguy
September 29th, 2010
9:01 pm
Rational Citizen
September 29th, 2010
5:14 pm
“Deal’s financial issues are not essential to the issue of who can govern the state like a pedophile’s crimes are not essential to his suitability to babysit your children.”
That’s the best statement I’ve read in a blog in days!
Johnny3Steps
September 29th, 2010
9:01 pm
Neil Bortz use to make fun of Barnes all the time………….Wonder why?
Ramguy
September 29th, 2010
9:05 pm
It’s funny how some people are blaming the AJC for Deal’s mess. I guess the paper should pattern their reporting after the Republican’s propaganda arm Fox news. I pray to God that never happens.
SM
September 29th, 2010
9:06 pm
The number one characteristic of a good leader is as follows:
A good leader has an exemplary character. It is of utmost importance that a leader is trustworthy to lead others. A leader needs to be trusted and be known to live their life with honestly and integrity. A good leader “walks the talk” and in doing so earns the right to have responsibility for others. True authority is born from respect for the good character and trustworthiness of the person who leads.
Nathan Deal lacks this characteristic. Too many lies and too many misrepresentations!!
To vote for a leader without integrity because of a political afflication spells diaster for our state. Georgia is in serious trouble and we need a leader who is honest and has a vision to lead our state out of these troubled times.
ga female
September 29th, 2010
9:23 pm
Wake up Georgia, these polls only include 400 – 500 people and are being done by Matt Towery a Republican.
Deal isn’t really liquidating his 401 K, because Federal Employee’s, or Former Congressmen have a Thrift Savings plan not a 401 K. Also either way these assets are expemt from a Bankruptcy filing so why would he liquidate them? lol
tbsao82
September 29th, 2010
9:29 pm
It still stretches all credibility that a bank would make a loan of that size without pulling a credit bureau report. Someone knew that Clint Wilder filed bankruptcy in 2001!
At least people are finally finding out that Deal is a SNAKE.
Taint
September 29th, 2010
9:36 pm
If Deal is elected, the entire state will be darkened by a cloud of cynicism and distrust…Whether or not he broke any laws, the guy is tainted and does not meet the ethical standards we need in the state’s CEO. He is exactly what christian republicans should repudiate. What Would Jesus Do? He would drive this moneychanger and his cabal from the temple.
sim
September 29th, 2010
9:40 pm
If there’s one thing we don’t need is another right-wing nut as governor. If Deal is elected he won’t be broke for long–his cronies in the legislature will fix him up with a sweetheart land deal just like they did for Sonny Boy.
Ghostwriter
September 29th, 2010
9:43 pm
You can’t fix stupid.
captguitarman
September 29th, 2010
9:51 pm
Is anyone really buying this BS? This guy obviously did everything he could do to ensure this information about his daughter’s bankruptcy, and his role in it, did not come out during the Republican Primary race. If it had, the Pubs would probably not be worried about Deal’s problems right now, but how to get Handel elected. One day Deal is insolvent, and miraculously, the next day he is not. And he was just a Dad helping out his daughter and son in law — risking the entire family nest egg — like any parent would do??!! And now, he’s a “little guy” who understands the financial problems all Georgia voters are now facing — oh puhleese, as Joan Rivers used to say. He is a rich guy and a Congressman who ran with the rich, and with lobbyists, until he really screwed up with really poor judgment, and his only chance to continue to run with the rich was to leave Congress about ten seconds before they busted him for corruption and jump into the Georgia governor’s race — back into the bosom of all those friendly rich contributors, lobbyists, and politicians back in Georgia. He knew that getting back into “bidness” in Georgia could was the only thing that could save him financially because of the huge, stupid, risks he took with his daughter and son in law, investing the whole gosh-darned family nest egg in a retail sporting goods store deal out in the middle of no-where. Yeah. That’s who I want running the state’s finances and making the big decisions on the heels of “do-nothing” and “calling it in from my latest foreign vacation” Sonny Purdue. “Atlanta water crisis? What Atlanta water crisis? I must have been out of the country when that happened.” Yes. Deal needs to do bidness (lots of bidness) to get back on his feet — and that will be his focus if he gets elected. This state, traveling in dead reverse for 8 years, cannot afford a Deal governorship on the heels of the Sonny Purdue “what, me worry?” and “Merlot to go” governorship . . . and with an unfettered legislature crawling with lobbyists, with no real ethics legislation in place. Handel is the only one who could have made some difference, but it was not to be. But, Georgia can’t afford King Roy again either — that was bad enough the first time. Let’s face it. Georgia really has no choice at all this time around. Atlanta will soon be buying its water supply (for big bucks) from Alabama and Tennessee in a few years, as Georgia/Atlanta eats Alabama’s, Tennessee’s, and North Carolina’s dust during the next decade. Birmingham, Nashville, and Charlotte are looking better and better every day that goes by.
Bama Bill
September 29th, 2010
10:26 pm
Deal is selling rubbish and I voted for him in the run off – never again !k
Freedom Jones
September 29th, 2010
11:10 pm
Enough of the nonsense about helping out one’s children. This is case of using political influence to secure multimillion dollar sweetheart loans for relatives plain and simple. Classic political corruption. Polls be darned, Georgians cannot be this blind. Can they?
juna
September 29th, 2010
11:41 pm
Vote for Deal, he’ll work hard for 6 million in the Frist two months in office to cover debt and make a profit.
GHunt
September 30th, 2010
12:05 am
I will not vote for Mr. Deal. I have been waiting for the former congressman to be transparent in his financial dealings. However, he continue to offer spinned answers and I now believe that he will not come clean,
Roy Barnes is plain and simply a better risk than a shady Deal!
Po Dunk
September 30th, 2010
12:15 am
Deal is stonewalling like Nixon. Why anyone would vote for this lying scum-sucker is quite beyond my capacity.
Ben Dover
September 30th, 2010
12:48 am
Our morally and financially bankrupt Republican Gubernatorial candidate Nathan Deal still leads in the polls. I guess being a Republican must be a lot like being a victim of sexual abuse who does nothing to stop it. Deep down they know it is wrong, but admitting it would destroy them.
Ben Dover
September 30th, 2010
12:52 am
I want the name of the appraiser that valued his property. Let’s see if it is accurate. If it is not, then let’s crucify him in the media. I am licensed and I will appraise it for free.
Absolutely NO Deal!!!
September 30th, 2010
1:13 am
Welfare for the connected people! When it was home buyers going under because of their mortgage terms, Republicans said it was greedy people buying more house than they could afford (mostly not true). But now the Deal family borrowed more money than they had assets, so they couldn’t afford it, and what’s that called? And the greedy bank holding his loans went under too! So now FDIC/taxpayers are stuck with the mess!
bkbroila
September 30th, 2010
1:40 am
Hey, at least he’s not Oxendine…..LMAO
Southwest-AirTran merger to have widespread effects | The Biz Beat
September 30th, 2010
5:41 am
[...] Deal: Bankruptcy case has no effect on campaign [...]
Bwana
September 30th, 2010
6:52 am
It’s not relevant because he’s a Republican. If he were a Democrat, it would be a major issue.
Charles
September 30th, 2010
7:18 am
Absolutely Bwana. Amen! I think it should have everything to do with it.
Nathan
September 30th, 2010
7:37 am
How can Deal’s bankruptcy not be of any importance to the people of the state of Georgia??? Corporate America surely considers financial responsibility a matter of importance when they are making hiring decisions…..hm…hmmmmmm? Correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t Georgia’s financial budget “much” larger than a lot of the Georgia corporations???? It does not surprise me of the double standards applied to the “ethical politicians” versus everyday citizens. What is good for the goose should be good for the ducks……if it quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, smells like a duck……it’s gizzard should be cooked.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Buzz G
September 30th, 2010
7:49 am
The real corruption is at the AJC who waited until after the primaries to report what they knew and then they spun it until it was nearly unrecognizable. No wonder poll after poll shows that people hold the mainstream press in low regard. The AJC is the dirtiest snake in the pit.
Mishap
September 30th, 2010
7:55 am
How is this the fault of the liberal media? Deal cosigned a loan he couldn’t possibly pay for w/o a major chance of bankruptcy for an already floundering business that he is either the owner of or a major investor in. He then concealed/minimized the disclosure to avoid the bad publicity. If the AJC didn’t report this low hanging fruit…then they truly did violate their duty as journalists. Wilder’s past bankruptcy is relevant b/c there’s the possibility he filed and defrauded creditors and Deal couldn’t do enough due diligence to ask the guy why he needed this much capital to start a business that he had no experience in. People elect leaders that are better/smarter/stronger than themselves and Deal has proven none of that. I’m not saying Barnes is closet skeleton free but there are plenty of conservative “journalists” and media types that wield far more power, influence, and investigative power than the AJC reading some court filings.
As for cosigning for a family member…this wasn’t a car note so your daughter could drive your grandkids to daycare. This wasn’t a student loan so she could get that degree so she could provide for herself…this went far beyond that. He took 2M he didn’t have and has to liquidate his IRA to pay off a terrible business decision. There’s nothing wrong w/ believing in the American dream but if it takes $4M to run it into the ground, you may want to put together a better business plan.
Joseph M
September 30th, 2010
7:58 am
I am not as concerned about the bankruptcy itself. I am concerned that we have a gubernatorial candidate who has repeatedly forgotten to make the necessary financial disclosures required by law and, I assume, reports signed as being true. Why do we let politicians get away with deception just because we support their party? It is an issue of integrity which is essential to competent leadership.
Jaye
September 30th, 2010
8:06 am
May not be relevant to Raw Deal’s campaign but it is certainly speaks to his – ah, hem – character, discipline, ethics and ability to make wise decisions and manage. In other words, this guy can’t possibly lead a state with as many problems as Georgia has.
Willis
September 30th, 2010
8:09 am
When bankruptcy is declared, that means that creditors don’t get paid. Pure and simple. Deal and his family have given the financial shaft to people they borrowed money from. Not relevant to his candidacy? Crap. He’s done the same thing to Georgia taxpayers with his sweetheart car deal and of course he’s using campaign contributions to finance his airplane partnership.
I don’t see how the man can even campaign but then since he is a Republican, actual facts don’t seem to matter.
Willis
September 30th, 2010
8:16 am
Deal says he’s cashing in an IRA to cover part of his debt – of course he’ll have to pay income taxes on the withdrawal (unless he’s got a secret deal with the IRS to just not see it) which will add to his tax responsibilities. He’s probably got away figured so that he can get his money and not pay taxes on it. The Real Deal.
Marlboro Man
September 30th, 2010
9:19 am
At the end of the day, anyone that’s know’s this and still votes for Deal, is just a plain dumb. Justify it however you want, you would still be dumb, and you know it. If it was Barnes’s problem the same would be true.
Susan J.
September 30th, 2010
9:29 am
And nobody seems to have any information about Deal’s daughter and son-in-law’s prior bankruptcy in 2001?
The entire country doesn’t need any more politicians with experience making shady deals. Let’s NOT make a Deal in Georgia.
Waterboy
September 30th, 2010
4:27 pm
I WILL vote for Nathan Deal on November 2, 2010 just because I refuse to have that selfish idiot Roy Barnes back in office. He was about himself the whole time, not to mention the education damage he done. Call me what you want, I will vote for Deal. I wish enough people would have voted for Karen Handle. I am not voting for Deal, I am voting against Barnes.
Kevin G. Hughley
September 30th, 2010
6:08 pm
Nathan Deal has shown that he would not be a prudent business maker when making busines affecting the state of Georgia. He has also indicated he he is not very ethical when its comes to reporting information to Georgia voters. Kevin G. Hughley
DeloresT
September 30th, 2010
9:30 pm
Deal can’t manage his own affairs, but he wants to “deal” with the financial affairs of this state. That’s CRAZY! And those who vote for him are mentally deficient also.
conservative teacher
September 30th, 2010
10:33 pm
if you do not have success attacking the candidate, then you go after his family. thinking that will weaken him. All I can say is that I hope his family stays strong!!!
itsmeagain
September 30th, 2010
11:11 pm
@waterboy – A vote for deal is a vote for deal whether you say it is or not. If you don’t like Barnes, fine, don’t vote for him. But if you vote for Deal as “a vote against Roy” is just stupid and ignorant. Lets face it, this isn’t the first time that Deal has done something shady, nor will it be the last time. And unfortunately, if Deal gets elected, those shady dealings and silly investments will have consequences for the entire state, not just himself.
CynthiaM
October 1st, 2010
1:50 am
Politicians just do not get it. Their character, their values and their ability to make prudent decisions about finances are, in fact, very much the business of the voters. If you are foolish and careless with your own money, how much more will you be with mine?
Skeptical
October 1st, 2010
7:49 am
Have you thought about who pays for bankruptcies? Taxpayers and consumers pay! If Deal and the Republicans are so concerned about businesses and entitlement programs, they might want to start cleaning up at home.
Jonathan
October 1st, 2010
9:22 am
Anyone who votes for Deal and says they personally hold “conservative values” as being important is a hypocrite. Deal is the polar opposite of conservative values and personaly responsibility.
If you even glance at Barnes plans at least he wants to help working Georgians and keep jobs in GA. All Deal wants is to lower taxes to his mates in Hall County and his campaign doners. These are the same “businessmen” who are doing all they can to outsource work overseas and take away wokers rights in this state. Deal wants this state to be full of low paid workers with his friends as oversears. Basically going back to feudal times.
Deal is also against repealing the “blue laws” in our state which costs GA billions a year in convention money. He will be a disaster for our states finances and only look to line his own pockets and pay of his debts.
Either vote Barnes or Monds or abstain but please don’t let this crook Deal embarrass our state and hurt everyone in it.
isitme
October 1st, 2010
12:44 pm
I can’t believe this guy is still being considered. You have got to be $hitin me!
mswoman
October 1st, 2010
2:47 pm
If you vote for Deal, you’ll get a bad Deal. This is a corrupt man and any one who votes for him will be voting against themselves. I know one group of people should not vote for this man (look at Paladino, same principles). He is a birther and tea partier. I cannot believe someone with this type of corrupt background may end up the Governor of Georgia. I was thinking about moving back to GA. But I will stay where I am until this is over. Romney is definitely not for Black people.
partlycloudy
October 1st, 2010
4:35 pm
What is so awful is that not only did Deal lie and not list his 2 debts totalling what? abit more than 5 million, he is now ahead in the polls.
There must be a lot of crooks in GA, and all voting republican.