Archive for September, 2010

The Rev. Joseph Lowery, a stalwart of the civil rights movement, is calling on the U.S. Justice Department to reverse a decision that allows Sandy Springs to get from under federal oversight during elections. From AJC reporter Ernie Suggs’s article:

“One thing we want Sandy Springs to know is even if they opt out, they can’t opt out of the scrutiny, they can’t opt out of the concerns we have and they can’t opt out of the vigilance,” Lowery said. “We shall call upon the Justice Department to look at this and ensure that Sandy Springs will not be exempt. Justice must roll down like waters for the citizens of Sandy Springs just like the citizens from Turkey Run.”

In approving the move, the Justice Department noted that Sandy Springs had no recent history of voter discrimination or problems.

Continue reading Lowery challenges decision to free Sandy Springs from election oversight »

UPDATE: Several Georgia Democrats seeking re-election in November are among 47 in Congress who are going on record  – and joining Republicans – in favor of extending the Bush tax cuts to everyone, including the wealthiest.

Washington political blogger Jamie Dupree has come across a letter (PDF) the Democrats sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spelling out why they support the extension:

By keeping dividends and capital gains tax rates linked and low for everyone, we can help the private sector create jobs and allow seniors and middle class households to save and invest more.

Among the signees: Reps. John Barrow (District 12), Sanford Bishop (District 2) and Jim Marshall (District 8).  Absent from the list are Reps. John Lewis (District 6), David Scott (District 13) and Hank Johnson (District 4).

Meanwhile, Politico.com reports Liberal Democrats sent a letter of their own to Pelosi requesting a vote to extend Bush-era income tax cuts for all but the nation’s top …

Continue reading Democrats John Barrow, Sanford Bishop, Jim Marshall sign on to keep Bush tax cuts for all »

The latest InsiderAdvantage/WSB-TV poll is out and GOP gubernatorial candidate Nathan Deal has widened his lead over Democrat Roy Barnes once again:

An InsiderAdvantage/WSB-TV poll conducted in the race to be Georgia’s next governor showed Republican Nathan Deal has regained a substantial lead over Democrat Roy Barnes.

The poll shows Deal leading by eight points just ten days after a poll showed Deal and Barnes deadlocked. Voters were asked if the election to determine the governor of Georgia were held today, which candidate would they vote for?

The results showed former former Rep. Deal with 45 percent and former Governor Barnes with 37 percent. Libertarian candidate John Monds remained at 5 percent.

Thirteen percent are still undecided, a number that grew slightly from the last survey. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percent.

The general election will take place Nov. 2.

A second poll by InsiderAdvantage found Johnny Isakson growing his lead in the United …

Continue reading Latest poll: Nathan Deal widens lead over Roy Barnes »

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Roy Barnes canceled a fund-raiser with Bishop Eddie Long last week after news broke that the popular DeKalb minister faced several sexual coercion lawsuits filed by male parishoners.

Now comes word from WSB-TV reporter Lori Geary that Barnes plans to hold on to thousands of dollars in campaign contributions the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church pastor has donated.

Geary spoke exclusively with Democratic nominee Roy Barnes about his political relationship with Long that spans two decades. Barnes said he has no plans to return Long’s $5,000 in contributions.

“The allegations are troubling but there’s not been one deposition taken, not one thing. Let’s let the legal process work,” said Barnes.

Last week Barnes canceled a scheduled fundraiser with Long. Barnes told Geary the decision was mutual.

“I haven’t talked to him. I sent messages back and forth. Of course we knew the press would be there and we didn’t want to take away from our …

Continue reading Roy Barnes keeping $5,000 donation from Bishop Eddie Long »

For the third time in two years, U.S. Rep. Paul Broun’s son is facing drug or alcohol charges, the Athens Banner-Herald reported. Paul Collins Broun III was arrested Friday on charges of driving under the influence of drugs.

The officer arrested Broun and charged him with driving under the influence of drugs, failure to present his license and running a red light. As the officer left the Clarke County Jail about an hour later, he noted the car “still reeked of the odor of burnt marijuana left from the subject.”

In his District 10 bid at re-election, Republican Paul Broun faces Democrat Russell Edwards in November.

Continue reading Rep. Paul Broun’s son arrested on DUI charges »

Republican Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who is seeking re-election in November, says the state must squeeze out more efficiencies through consolidating agencies and administrative functions to deal with its budget crisis.

Cagle, who spoke to the AJC editorial board Monday, also said encouraging private investment through tax credits is crucial and that he would resist any effort to raise state revenue through tax increases. Cagle faces Democrat Carol Porter and Libertarian Dan Barber in November.  Read the full article by AJC’s Aaron Gould Sheinin.

Continue reading Casey Cagle: State must sell, consolidate assets to save money »

On Monday, Republican nominee for governor Nathan Deal got an all-important shout-out from talk show archbishop Rush Limbaugh, who took up the matter of GOP candidates and poor finances.

Said Limbaugh:

”Chris Dodd gets all these sweetheart deals from Angelo Mozilo, whatever his name was at Countrywide on these mortgages?

“That’s something you and I can’t get. That’s something Christine O’Donnell can’t get. That’s the kind of stuff that’s acting people. This is what the ruling class doesn’t get.

“The fact that some guy named Nathan Deal had a failed business venture and might have to sell his house and liquidate other assets to cover the debt, that’s something people with relate to. He’s not stealing from anybody. He’s not being shown any favoritism. He took a risk, he’s paying the price, and he’s running for governor. He can relate to a lot of people.”

Continue reading Rush Limbaugh gives Nathan Deal a shout-out »

Just in case you missed it, Political Insider’s Jim Galloway reported on the warning he received from  Jason Shepherd, a Republican candidate for a state House seat in Marietta, about an old domestic violence arrest Democrats were soon to bring up.

Sure enough, the package arrived shortly afternoon. Ten years ago, as Jason Goldfarb, Jason Shepherd was arrested on a charge of domestic violence by his live-in fiancée.

The charges were later dropped, but paperwork lives forever. (The state Democratic Party does not dispute the lack of prosecution.) …

Shepherd said the incident hasn’t been a secret. He informed Scott Johnson, chairman of the Cobb GOP, about the arrest when he was recruited as a candidate. …

Shepherd said the only other blemish on his record is a speeding ticket he was issued in upstate New York in 2004.

Shepherd faces Democratic incumbent Terry Johnson in the Nov. 2 general election

Continue reading House GOP candidate Jason Shepherd addresses 2000 domestic violence arrest »

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Roy Barnes is expected to unveil his plan for shortening Georgia’s unemployment lines if elected in November. Components of the jobs program were delivered from the pulpit of a Savannah church on Sunday, according to a report by the Savannah Morning News’ Terry Dickson:

Barnes said he would create faith-based partnerships to help educate children and prepare workers. Churches and other faith-based organizations would help provide for children in foster care, would mentor students and help them prepare for tests.

Any company that has outsourced jobs overseas would be disqualified from bidding on state and local government contracts.

[Companies would be encouraged] to add jobs by waiving the state’s portion of payroll taxes for two years on new hires.

Georgia’s 6 percent capital gains tax  [would be waived] for anyone who reinvests profits from real estate and other sales to expand businesses or start new ones.

Continue reading Roy Barnes unveils jobs program this week, talks jobs at Brunswick church »

Georgia is one of eight states that stand to gain at least one congressional seat from the latest Census, according to an unofficial study reported by CNN.  Georgia would gain one seat along with Arizona,  Nevada, South Carolina, Utah and Washington. Florida and Texas would gain two and four seats, respectively, CNN reports:

Every ten years, upon the conclusion of the national Census, the number of congressional seats in each state is recalculated based on population changes since the previous census. The process is known as “reapportionment.”

It is the first step in the decennial redistricting process in which states redraw the boundaries of their congressional districts….

Of the eight states predicted to gain electoral votes, five [including Georgia] were carried by Republican John McCain in the 2008 presidential election, while three were carried by President Obama.

Eight states Obama won in 2008 are projected to lose electoral votes, compared to two states carried by …

Continue reading Report: Georgia stands to gain 1 congressional seat after Census »