Your morning jolt: ‘If I blow my nose, it’s a story,’ John Oxendine says of hunting incident
Somebody get John Oxendine a handkerchief.
News that the state insurance commissioner’s 13-year-old son fired the shot that wounded a member of his hunting party last Sunday was broken by my AJC colleagues Aaron Gould Sheinin and Cameron McWhirter.
“I still believe in hunting and I still believe in guns,” the Republican candidate for governor told them. “I still will hunt, and my family will still hunt.”
But as often happens, Oxendine saved his more fulsome comments Wednesday for two Atlanta television stations.
A preliminary investigation by the Department of Natural Resources said the incident was the result of a shotgun volley by four hunters aimed at a covey of quail. In an interview with Lori Geary of WSB-TV last night, Oxendine implied that he was among the four shooters:
Geary: At the time when this happened, nobody knew whose shot it was?
Oxendine: No one knew. I felt certain it wasn’t me, because I know where I shot.
The WSB report also says that Oxendine confirmed that Delos Yancey, CEO of State Mutual Insurance Co., was a member of the hunting party. Yancy is also part-owner of the quail preserve where the shots were fired.
Said Oxendine:
“Mr. Yancy is a friend, and he is one of a few partners in the preserve. I have hunted with him before. I will hunt with him again.”
Last May, the AJC reported that State Mutual Life Insurance and Admiral Life Insurance Co. of America, both headed by Yancey, funneled $120,000 through a series of political action committees to Oxendine’s campaign in 2008.
Oxendine returned the money. The State Ethics Commission is investigating.
Here’s how Oxendine summarized the fuss to WSB:
“I am the most likely Republican nominee for governor, and I think that’s what makes it a story. It’s good to be in first place. It’s unfortunate that if I blow my nose it becomes a story. I’m a father, just like everybody else. And accidents happen.
The way that Oxendine described the incident to Doug Richards at 11 Alive, you’d almost think that being sprayed by a shotgun is part of the hunting experience:
“People being peppered from time to time, does happen,” said Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, explaining that shotgun accidents aren’t that uncommon.
“I’m not talking about people being shot with rifles and serious injuries. I’m talking about people getting peppered. And that is not uncommon,” he said…
“He got ‘peppered,’ is the term people generally refer to,” Oxendine said…
We asked Oxendine if he really believed most bird hunters have experiences like this.
“If you do a lot of bird hunting, I think a lot of people would say they have been peppered by various individuals,” he answered….“It is not unusual for accidents to happen in hunting and for people to get peppered… Sometimes people play football, they get hurt. Sometimes people have accidents.”
WXIA was the only news outlet to bring one of Oxendine’s GOP rivals for governor into the picture. Former Senate president pro tem Eric Johnson used the word “reckless.” Said Johnson:
“They were in a position where somebody got hurt,” Johnson said of Oxendine’s party. “And it could have been a child. It could have been a lot worse. And that damages the sport.”
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133 comments Add your comment
RUKidding
January 21st, 2010
9:08 am
Ox, I know you are not capable of doing the right thing. People do understand that accidents happen, and in most cases are willing to forgive folks when they do happen. I feel bad for your son. You are partially responsible for not teaching him proper gun safety.
Your judgement is the issue here. You call someone who has illegally funneled $120,000 to your campaign and ask him if you can use his property and shoot his birds. You haven’t had a valid hunters license in who know’s how long.
Then you say that it’s all somebody else’s fault because you are the front runner in the race. Please stop embarrassing your family and the great state of Georgia. Do what you did in the senate race and the Lt. Gov. race – drop out.
Gertrude Stein Prefered A Nice Pale Ale
January 21st, 2010
9:15 am
“Damages the sport”? WTF? Damages the person being shot by bullets is more to the point.
GoOx
January 21st, 2010
9:16 am
Here we go again the liberal media attacking my man Ox.
Capitol Hack
January 21st, 2010
9:20 am
Obviously no one on his campaign can dampen the Ox’s fatal attraction to a TV camera. Fortunately, only one member of the hunting party got shot. It would have been more serious if any of them had gotten between the Ox and a TV camera!
Peppered;-)
January 21st, 2010
9:22 am
Peppered…..you have to be kidding…right??? I have been hunting longer than Ox, I have a lifetime hunting license and I understand the term “peppered”. In the “real” world peppered does not necessitate a hospital visit. If Ox will deliver “half truths” on the small stuff what would he do on something significant? There are much better choices to run the state I was born in. For all we know it was lead from the “Big Ox”.
OMG
January 21st, 2010
9:24 am
The interview on TV last night was your demise-don’t waste time and money on the governor’s race! How sad you are…
Gertrude Stein Prefered A Nice Pale Ale
January 21st, 2010
9:30 am
Capitol Hack – my purty new laptop almost lost it in a coffee-spew!
Ann
January 21st, 2010
9:32 am
Great candidate for Governor.. This idiot just needs to save his money and our time and not run.
Gertrude Stein Prefered A Nice Pale Ale
January 21st, 2010
9:34 am
FYI… national media, located nearabouts Centennial Park, have already declared ‘You’d almost think that being sprayed by a shotgun is part of the hunting experience.’ as… “classic.” Ox could have the TV cams of his most vivid dreams if ATL journos keep stirring this pot so nicely.
Barbara
January 21st, 2010
9:35 am
That was ugly to say peppered!!!!! He could have killed a man don’t need to run for Governor!!!.
Sunny Daze
January 21st, 2010
9:35 am
I used to consider this guy to be very unusual. I now term him bizaar.
Ruth
January 21st, 2010
9:38 am
After watching Oxendine’s interview on the news last night, my spouse and I looked at each other and said, “Well, one less idiot to consider for Governor.”
jdawg
January 21st, 2010
9:39 am
You know this is why most good people to not get involved even in local politics, because everything you do is on the news. Finding something negative even having an accident on a jet ski, can get a comment from you opposition. THINGS happen. Now it is up to him to work with his son. Oh, by the way my two young adults are PERFECT…never ever had an accident….
Pathetic
January 21st, 2010
9:39 am
So, he’s getting his 13 year old son to take the fall for this? Pathetic.
Swamp Donkey
January 21st, 2010
9:41 am
Seems to be a case of poor judgement and not understanding gun safety. As a father, it’s his responsibility to make sure his child is aware and competent in firearm safety. And being “peppered” on a quail hunt is not common and should get you sent back to the truck – going to the hospital is called getting “shot”. In a dove field, it is a little more likely to happen.
RUKidding – most of these plantations purchase licenses for their parties so they are not required to have an individual license and it is covered in the hunt.
Barbara – you may want to read the story, you don’t seem to have a grasp of what happened or who was involved.
Garth
January 21st, 2010
9:42 am
No, Mr. Oxedine, when you blow your nose you are correct in stating that is not news; however, when someone in your hunting party shoots and wounds a man who has to be transported to the hospital. As a hunter myself, I can attest this is not a common hunting occurence. Question is: did you shoot him, or is your 13 year old son being made part of a cover-up. If you can’t handle a shotgun, then I don’t want you running this state’s financial affairs.
Ann
January 21st, 2010
9:46 am
jdawg.. I bet the guy who got shot didn’t think “THINGS happen”. Let’s go bird hunting. lol
Sage
January 21st, 2010
9:46 am
What incredibly stupid statements. Peppered and shot are two completely different things. As one poster said, peppered does not require a hospital visit or usual cause any degree of injury. For example; At a Dove hunt some one on the other side of the field will shoot at a high crossing bird, and then the BBs from their shell will gently rain down on someone on the opposite side of the field. At most one of the BBs might sting mildly. This is getting peppered.
In Quail hunting or any other type of Upland Hunting getting Peppered and or Shot is not common at all. I have hunting almost every weekend of this Quail season and have not been “peppered” a single time. If Oxendine’s statement had any truth to it you would think I would have made at least one trip to the hospital.
I will make at least one statement in his defense. When hunting on a registered and license shooting preserve, an individual is not required to have a hunting license. The preserve’s license covers them.
In sum total I am completely offended by his statement. He makes it look like all of us gentleman quail hunters are out there acting crazy and blowing holes in each other. Before this statement I don’t know if I would have voted for him, but now it is a certainty that I won’t.
W Tecumseh Sherman
January 21st, 2010
9:47 am
Tell Ox life starts at retirement
Starring Kam Fong as Chin Ho
January 21st, 2010
9:52 am
So that I’m clear on this, a THIRTEEN yr old has an accident and it automatically disqualifies his father for running for office? You jackasses should be disqualified from voting.
Gary
January 21st, 2010
9:53 am
This has all the fine, gently titillating aroma of a cover-up, John, not to mention consorting with your rich, palsy-walsy insurance company owner, preserve owner, campaign donor friend. Let’s get it over with now, John, have you fathered a love child we don’t know about, and just what kind of hunting have you done over the years, about like Mitt Romney hunting rats, right?
Peppered is not uncommon??
January 21st, 2010
9:57 am
“Peppered is not uncommon?” I have been a hunter for over 45 years and no “peppered” is not only uncommon it is unacceptable in gun safety and any hunting. Also, what kind of Father would allow his 13 year old son to take the blame in any situation like this? Man up and set a positive
example go take a hunter safety course with your son, but most of all please stay out of our state’s leadership !!
Steve
January 21st, 2010
10:01 am
I can’t believe this guy is the front runner for the Repl. party (if he actually is). This is the same guy who would respond to a “fire emergency” in his state car, with his emergency lights on, during rush hour so he could drive in the emergency lane around traffic. It seemed all his emergencys occured during the rush hour traffic. What a joke… God forbid if he is actually elected. Georgia would then be the joke.
Mel
January 21st, 2010
10:02 am
Peppering is something you do to a caesar salad. He shot that dude.
Sonny
January 21st, 2010
10:08 am
I suggested a nice fishing trip. It would be a chance to try out the new ramps. But did he listen???
lmno
January 21st, 2010
10:08 am
As a person who has helped raise these quails for these people and grew up watching these events, let me write that first, getting a shotgun blast from 30 yards is very uncommon, and second this isn’t hunting by any stretch of the imagination.
This is like letting the parakeets out of the cage at PetSmart and then shooting them.
kam fong appearing as chin ho
January 21st, 2010
10:12 am
sounds like the OX needs to re-evaluate his priorities
The Late Maynord Jackson
January 21st, 2010
10:15 am
The Ox is the Jackson Machine’s Man. He acts like he lives in South Atlanta.
Vote Roy Barnes, Vote Early and Often…..
George
January 21st, 2010
10:16 am
This is front page news! Come on AJC! this is exactly why I do not Subscribe to your paper!
Bone
January 21st, 2010
10:16 am
“People being peppered from time to time, does happen” (????????)
I’m a gun owner and believe in safely shooting a firearm. Being peppered from “time to time” is NOT AN OPTION! Sounds like he’s shooting his mouth off more than his son is shooting that shotgun.
Advice: Take a hunter’s training class and learn some key points before picking up another gun again! Also, learn the word “Responsibility” and use it!
Bone
January 21st, 2010
10:17 am
Hey Late…
Voting often is what most Dems do to get their folks in office. I assume you are coming out of the grave to vote for Barnes and get the state flag changed again?
K Dog
January 21st, 2010
10:20 am
Here is the liberal media at there best. Mr. Oxendine do not let them get to you. If you were not the front runner to beat King Roy, this would be a non story. They need to be worried more about the issues facing Ga, ie.. jobs, water resources, roads, education and public safety instead of a hunting accident. Most of the people commenting have never hunted a day in there life, unless you consider dodging drive bys in Atlanta,
pensacola dog
January 21st, 2010
10:21 am
This guy is a power monger who will use his power to damage anyone or to enhance his position. Somebody should look into the nepotism that has gone on in the Insurance department for years. I personally know of 3 members of the same family that have worked as auditors for the Insurance department for years. The father has now retired and gets his fat pension, both of his sons still work in the department and oh yeah none of them live in Georgia, spend thousands a year flying to there jobs in New York to audit out of state based insurance companies doing business in Georgia.Coincidence? I dont think so. Is nepotism allowed in governmental agencies? come on somebody needs to jump on this.As a taxpayer I do not like to be excluded from fat government jobs because a son of an employee was given preference.
NRA Instructor
January 21st, 2010
10:21 am
What I’m wondering is whether the child was given a real hunter safety course, or if his safety training was more like “Ya’ll point this here end at the birds, son.”
Blackberry Cobbler
January 21st, 2010
10:27 am
Story being blown up waay out of proportion. This is what happens when liberal media get an opportunity to sink their teeth into something that is really nothing.
Anybody that does much bird hunting has been “peppered” from time to time. It happens and it’s not the same as being “shot”.
Most folks in the media on this board doing the criticizing have likely never hunted in their life and know nothing and speak out of ignorance. I recommend they take the business end of a shotgun and stick it where the sun don’t shine and then pull the damn trigger.
FormerGeorgian
January 21st, 2010
10:30 am
Y’all need to quit voting for this bozo. I made it a point to vote against him when I lived in Georgia, and you should too.
Bhorsoft
January 21st, 2010
10:30 am
I’m less concerned about the “peppering” than I am about hunting with one of his campaign donors (who donated illegally) and a principal in one of the companies he is supposed to regulate. Even the appearance of a conflict of interest is troubling to me. Me thinks if the Ox becomes Governor we’ll get the best Governor money can buy.
Bhorsoft
January 21st, 2010
10:31 am
Enter your comments here
M Python
January 21st, 2010
10:31 am
Let’s not bicker and argue about who shot who…
ABC
January 21st, 2010
10:32 am
Ban guns, repeal the 2nd Amendment!
NottaDawg
January 21st, 2010
10:35 am
@Bhorsoft, you’ve got it right – that’s the real story here. Funny how what seems like insignficant things like a minor accident can open a can of worms.
tc
January 21st, 2010
10:35 am
Ox is in the ditch, again, again, & again
Steve
January 21st, 2010
10:37 am
Blackberry… You are right, sometimes hunters get “peppered” by pellets falling back to earth which were fired by a hunter from 200 yards away. Unless these quail hunters were 150 yards apart, this gut got shot.
Rockzilla
January 21st, 2010
10:40 am
The Ox…keeping his name in the papers and face on the T.V. in perpetuity. He has twisted this story up tighter than a pretzel…there’s no such thing as bad publicity huh? The Ox’s coat…teflon, because nothing sticks to this man.
EC
January 21st, 2010
10:47 am
I used to work for a business that John Oxendine frequented on a weekly basis for a service ,and probably still frequents which is why I’m not even saying what type of company it was, but the man is a jerk. He treated everyone like crap, would fly off the handle about the smallest of things, and would just make it seem like you were a piece of garbage and should be humbled to be in the same room as him. The guys got a temper and what I believe to be an anger problem. Also, his wife is just as bad if not worse about not having the ability to treat people with a sense of respect. This job I had was an hourly job that I worked while going to college which most people would respect but these pompous jerks cant get their heads out of their own butts to treat others with respect. I realize that there are many people out there like this but when it comes to an entire family, his father the judge included, it just shows even someone with this much political clout as he has doesn’t care what his own voters think. I am a staunch republican that believes in a free market, limited government involvement in my life, however I will not vote for this a-hole.
Sincerely,
-Still pissed off about what a jerk this Oxendine and his family was to me on a weekly basis.
DannyX
January 21st, 2010
10:47 am
Its time now for the Republicans of this State to cooperate.
The AJC has bent over backwards trying to change their image. The AJC is desperately trying to shed their “liberal” image. They now have more conservative columnists, Wooten, Wingfield, Boortz and Barr vs only Bookman and Tucker. They love showing off their new style by proudly publishing letters from “outraged” liberals complaining of the new conservative direction, as gosh darn proof!
Yet Republicans are not doing their part. Sonny Perdue the unGovernor of Georgia. Glenn Richardson. The mess with Oxendine. Casey Cagle, Ralph Reed, and the rest of the gang.
Look, the AJC sat on the Richardson affair for years so afraid it would blow their new marketing campaign. Everyone knew what was going on but the AJC sat on the story.
The bumbling Republican fools of Georgia are making a mockery of the free press. The AJC can’t keep suppressing all the foolishness. Its time for Georgia to produce just one sane Republican that the AJC can hang its hat on.
really?
January 21st, 2010
10:47 am
WOW…with the spin and negativity on this article one would think Mark Bradley had something to do with it! ACCIDENTS HAPPEN.
Concerned for Georgia
January 21st, 2010
10:47 am
as an avid bird hunter, I have been peppered. it is not fun nor is it something that should be expected. In fact it sucks. having lead shot rain down from high bird hunting is way more expected than being peppered. He sounds like a politician to me. Who are the other candidates??
barneyb
January 21st, 2010
10:49 am
If this is who the Republicans put up as their candidate, we are so screwed. This is not the first time Oxendine has been involved in controversy- the accident in the Crown Vic equipped with blue lights, campaign contributions, the list goes on…..
J McDonnell
January 21st, 2010
10:49 am
Oxendine and family are enjoying a hunting weekend at an estate owned by a CEO of a major insurance company. Oxendine, theoretically, is suppose to regulate this guy’s company? Nevermind the shooting, how about the conflict of interest? When your insurance rates go up, just think that Oxendine must have gone hunting again.