There are a lot of well-scratched backs in Ga. politics
Even after all this time covering Georgia politics, I still sometimes shake my head in astonishment.
Take the case of one Clint Wilder. His record as a businessman is, to put it kindly, somewhat less than stellar, given that he has been forced to declare bankruptcy twice in the past 10 years, most recently in 2009.
Yet even with a lot of well-qualified business executives out there looking for work these days, something about Wilder proved particularly attractive to the folks at the Georgia Health Care Association, a lobbying arm for the state’s politically powerful nursing home industry. Despite the fact that Wilder has no direct experience in the health care industry, they’ve hired him as their director of program development.
And what might that “something” be?
Apparently, it is Wilder’s choice of bride.
The new GHCA executive is the son-in-law of Gov. Nathan Deal. He’s the one who drew Deal into a disastrous investment in an outdoor supply store in Habersham County, apparently after withholding from his father-in-law and prime investor the rather pertinent information that he had previously gone through bankruptcy.
As an AJC story by James Salter and Aaron Gould Sheinin points out Sunday, members of the GHCA collect more than $1 billion in funding from the state. As governor, Deal wields an enormous amount of influence over state spending.
But according to association leaders, Wilder’s hiring has nothing to do with his relationship with the man who writes the state budget. In fact, they are no doubt appalled that anyone would even suggest such a thing.
I don’t know which is worse: the blatant, shameless cynicism needed to make that kind of hire, or the willingness to insult the intelligence of the people of Georgia by claiming that it isn’t what anybody with a brain knows it is:
The governor and his family are being taken care of, in hopes that the governor, using our tax dollars, will someday return the kindness. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.
– Jay Bookman
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Guides
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2012 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
172 comments Add your comment
Joel Edge
February 7th, 2011
7:51 am
“Wilder has no direct experience in the health care industry”
You’re right, Jay. Persons involved in companies should have experience in the types of companies they are expected to run. Even, let’s say…..car companies.
Jay
February 7th, 2011
7:55 am
Is that the best you can do, Joel?
Deflection?
Can you not bring yourself to address the issue in question?
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
February 7th, 2011
7:58 am
Well, anybody can make a few million bucks mistake. I don’t know why Bookman and the other librul Democrats keep picking on this Wilder guy. He just decided to open a company out in the middle of nowhere. It wasn’t his fault the Atlanta people wouldn’t drive way out there to pay thousands of bucks for shotguns and such. Besides, he’s a godly Republican. I just know he wouldn’t lean on his wife and his father-in-law to get some kind of special favors. Now, if he was a librul Democrat, I might think different. Anyhow, I’m just certain he was the very best canadate this health care assn. could find. And it’s all for nursing homes. You wouldn’t want to see granny get kicked out of her nursing home, would you?
Have a good day everybody.
TaxPayer
February 7th, 2011
7:58 am
I passed the Lurch head-shaking groan a long time ago when it comes to these folks. I’m sure our right wing nuts will have plenty to tell us about how even this little tidbit is Obama’s fault though. As for the back scratching, I hear it most likely occurred during a more passionate exchange. At least that seems to be the story coming out of most of the right wing divorce filings.
stands for decibels
February 7th, 2011
8:03 am
an AJC story by James Salter and Aaron Gould Sheinin
I’d like to see that–can’t find it after searching the ajc homepage. Got a link, Jay?
Jay
February 7th, 2011
8:04 am
I don’t think it’s been posted yet.
Bud Wiser
February 7th, 2011
8:08 am
Oh I don’t know; Wilder sounds equally competent when compared to Jeffry Immelt, former head of General Electric, CEO that oversaw the @ 50% drop in GE stock, lost millions of dollars of company value, and shoveled thousands of jobs over to China.
Let us also not forget the Immelt was often accuse (and proven, I believe) of back door tracings with Iran while they are on the UN sanctions list.
Let us also not forget that your pinhead POTUS has tapped him as a key economic advisor.
Perhaps Obama needs him to oversee what he feels will be the final destruction of private sector jobs, while they scheme to grow government even further, and redistribute the wealth.
To take from one, because it is thought his own industry and that of his father has acquired too much(remember Joe the plumber?)in order to spare to others who (or whose fathers) have not exercised equal industry or skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, “to guarantee to everyone a free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it.” – Thomas Jefferson
Mick
February 7th, 2011
8:09 am
Jay – some killer charts-
http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2011020504/revisiting-reagan-nightmare
Joel Edge
February 7th, 2011
8:10 am
“Is that the best you can do, Joel?”
Ouch!!
Struck a nerve, did I?
AmVet
February 7th, 2011
8:11 am
One of the enormous failings of the modern day GOP in Georgia.
After 130 years of being on the outside looking in, what exactly did they do when they got the chance to demonstrate moral courage and effective governance?
They UPPED the ante on unethical behavior, corruption and cronyism.
The worst state government that (tons of ) dirty money can buy…
Jay
February 7th, 2011
8:12 am
Umm. No, Joel.
You did make me laugh though, so thanks for that.
stands for decibels
February 7th, 2011
8:17 am
I don’t think it’s been posted yet.
Guess it’s only fair that us non-dead-tree subscriber/freeloaders should have to wait a bit for some of AJC the content.
Anyway, in the meantime, I dug out this, from the GHCA site, about their new hire…
Oh, wait. There’s nothing on the GHCA site about their new hire. Just a listing for him in their contact information page.
http://www.ghca.info/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=13:clint-wilder&catid=21:staff
Maybe Bud and Joel can get in touch with Clint and let him know that they’ve got his back.
Joel Edge
February 7th, 2011
8:18 am
You’re welcome, Jay. I get a laugh everyday when I read the AJC.
Jay
February 7th, 2011
8:19 am
still honing that razor-sharp wit, i see….
Joel Edge
February 7th, 2011
8:21 am
“they’ve got his back.”
It’s just strange condemning one form of incompetence and defending (or ignoring) another.
F Brancher
February 7th, 2011
8:21 am
I don’t see why anyone would expect anything different when they elect one of the 15 most corrupt congressmen to be the governor of GA. You can also expect 8 more years of this behavior.
Jay
February 7th, 2011
8:21 am
I agree, Joel. So why have you done exactly that?
Joel Edge
February 7th, 2011
8:22 am
“still honing that razor-sharp wit, i see….”
Only half of it.
Joel Edge
February 7th, 2011
8:24 am
“I agree, Joel. So why have you done exactly that?”
I actually agreed with you, Jay.
F Brancher
February 7th, 2011
8:25 am
Hey Joel, go back to watching Faux News (or is your cable out?).
Call it like it is
February 7th, 2011
8:25 am
No suprise here. Georgia had to pick from the devil or the devils son for governor. We knew what we had with Barnes and could only hope beyond hope that Deal would be different. He’s not. The good souls will not run for office. But on another note, that dadgum Atlanta mayor is looking good. Things that make you go hmmmmm.
larry
February 7th, 2011
8:26 am
I wonder when he is going on trial for declaring bankruptcy twice in eight years ? I drive past that ” Wilder Outdoors” every time i go to Atlanta. I wonder if the guy that was just found guilty of bank loan fraud was the one that loaned them the money?
This has stink written all over it.
0311-0317-1811-1801
February 7th, 2011
8:27 am
“The Pack is Back”
RB from Gwinnett
February 7th, 2011
8:29 am
Let me guess, Jay… Because they’re Republicans, they’re guilty until proven innocent, right?!! How about you come see us when they do something innapropriate instead of proclaiming them guilty before the first dollar is doled out.
Arthur Blank had ZERO experience in the NFL before buying the Falcons.
How about all those czars Obama hired Jay? Maybe you could put your stellar “journalism” skills to good use and let us know what qualified any of them to have their job other than their past associations with Obama? Or you could just post us a link to the “opinion column” where you called Obama out for that too.
larry
February 7th, 2011
8:30 am
Did everyone also know that his daughter recently sold that ” Wilder Outdooors” to her father for the huge amount of………….
$10?
stands for decibels
February 7th, 2011
8:30 am
on trial for declaring bankruptcy twice in eight years ?
huh? when did that become a criminal offense?
Keep up the good fight!
February 7th, 2011
8:30 am
And who is the next crooked contestant on Let’s Make A Deal Jay? Sorry, just popped into the mind this morning and had to get it out.
larry
February 7th, 2011
8:32 am
I wonder if the U.S.Attorney’s investigation is still ongoing?
AmVet
February 7th, 2011
8:34 am
Niiice.
JB notes that the first post this morning is nothing but the logical fallacy of relevance known as deflection.
Then take a wild guess what happens next?
A verbose 8:08 that is NOTHING but.
Maybe Crooked Deal can hire one of these folks after creating a new position – Georgia’s Chief of Deflection Strategies.
Or maybe…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9Od9DdoKYE
mystified
February 7th, 2011
8:35 am
I wish I had the moral ground to make a point here….BUT…corruption is corruption.
TaxPayer
February 7th, 2011
8:36 am
I guess Bud forgot to share with us Immelt’s relation to some past or present governor or president or whatever, for completeness in that “analogy” that he attempted to draw.
Doggone/GA
February 7th, 2011
8:39 am
“Did everyone also know that his daughter recently sold that ” Wilder Outdooors” to her father for the huge amount of………….”
Nope, that was just the legal amount to transfer the ownership. He already paid for it with millions in defaulted loans.
Left wing management
February 7th, 2011
8:39 am
Say, it possible to get hired as gov’na in these parts if you don’t sound like you just stepped off the set of Matlock?
larry
February 7th, 2011
8:40 am
Candidate Deal’s high profile financial woes have also brought an additional spotlight on his daughter and son-in-law. According to the clerk’s docket in the Northern District of Georgia, Mr. Deal’s son-in-law, Clint Wilder, filed an individual Chapter 7 case in November, 2001. Mr. Wilder and his wife, Carrie Deal Wilder, filed a joint Chapter 7 in July, 2009. This 2009 filing did not reveal the 2001 filing as it should have. The Bankruptcy Code requires debtors to wait 8 years from the date of filing of a Chapter 7 case before they can file another Chapter 7 – in this case, the 2nd Chapter 7 was filed about 7 1/2 years before the 1st filing.
The Chapter 7 trustee in the 2009 filing has advised local newspapers that he has referred this matter to the United States trustee for investigation. It is very likely that the 2009 discharge for Mr. & Mrs. Wilder may be revoked.
Granny Godzilla
February 7th, 2011
8:40 am
AMvet may I suggest a correction….
Georgia’s Czar of Deflection Strategies.
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
February 7th, 2011
8:43 am
I see the League of GOP Defenders have shown up to defend their brothers-in-arms this morning. As long as the party of morals continue to promote leaders with sketchy morals, they will continue to be guilty until proven innocent because they will always be proven innocent in the court of public opinion here as long as they have a (R) behind their name. Every now and then you have a “Richardson” who does something to p-o the establishment, and they are then sacrificed for the betterment of the party.
stands for decibels
February 7th, 2011
8:47 am
Larry, thanks for that clarification @ 8.40 (although a source cite/link woulda been nice).
And obviously, fraud is still a crime.
Gotta go produce. Don’t hire anyone’s teat-sucking son-in-law while I’m away.
AmVet
February 7th, 2011
8:49 am
Granny, I was thinking that…
So far, Crooked Deal reminds me a little of Tricky Dick.
An imperious pr!ck who doesn’t give a rat’s ___ about what *anybody* thinks about his quasi-criminal activities.
It will be interesting to see if he can get through his first term without getting caught doing something particularly unsavory and illegal…
N-GA
February 7th, 2011
8:57 am
Instead of simply responding with “It’s such a shame that the GHCA panders so openly to the Governor.”, the right wing apologists leap to defend the indefensible. They take the same position as so many in the Bush administration……NEVER APOLOGIZE. It makes you look weak.
So pathetic, and yet not unexpected.
carlosgvv
February 7th, 2011
8:57 am
Jay, after all this time covering Georgia politics, you should have long-since learned that “blatant, shameless cynicism” is the norm here, and probably always will be.
larry
February 7th, 2011
9:02 am
I guess we better watch it though, critizing the governor. Why he might arrange for a meeting in Casey Cagle’s office.
And you know what happens when he wants a meeting ,dont you?
Bart Graham is still hurting from having his arm twisted. I hope he doesnt have to have surgery.
joe
February 7th, 2011
9:06 am
That’s what we get for electing this man with his shady history…should have been Karen.
md
February 7th, 2011
9:07 am
And this is new how??
It is what politicians do…..and it knows no party.
Why does one think all these folks volunteer to take low to no salaries to work a campaign??
Big return at the end of the rainbow for the winning candidates………now do a story on those working the losing campaigns and let us know how well their network connections are doing.
larry
February 7th, 2011
9:15 am
Enter your comments here
jm
February 7th, 2011
9:16 am
State Ethics. Oxymoron. Yuck.
Southern Comfort (B.P.O.I.B.W.)
February 7th, 2011
9:21 am
larry
We’d better watch what we say. I imagine this would be his response.
*Disclaimer/Warning: NSFW and/or innocent ears…. Adjust volume accordingly.
Jack
February 7th, 2011
9:22 am
I’m heartened by the fact that Bookman is no back-scratcher which might be a hindrance when he runs for public office.
catlady
February 7th, 2011
9:22 am
Wow! It took several weeks for this to happen! THAT is what is amazing! “What took Daddy so long?”
gop voter
February 7th, 2011
9:22 am
too bad you had so much fun beating up Deal’s primary runoff opponent over silly issues (her email to a gay voters, etc).
Jay, you and your colleagues need to share the blame here.
@@
February 7th, 2011
9:23 am
Spread the love, jay. Joel and RB make a valid point. If Deal really wanted to help his daughter, he’d tell her to divorce the two-time loser.