Sounds like a peculiarly Southern soap opera is brewing withn Ray McBerry’s Republican campaign for governor.
The states’ rights candidate on Saturday sent out a long, long message to supporters that included these paragraphs:
In recent weeks, I have been personally accused of, but not limited to, the following list of absurdities: that I attempted to have an affair with my former campaign manager…. when she was fired for spending unacceptable amounts of time at the Capitol in lobbying efforts during our campaign; that I somehow “stole” sole custody of my son years ago from his mother, even though she tested positive for meth use in a court-ordered screening after she had been living outside our home for nearly a year; that I have had some sort of sexual or sexually improper relationship with underaged girls; that I am no longer allowed to teach in the state of Georgia, despite the fact that I retain my teaching certificate to this very day; and now that I am somehow unpatriotic because, as a Georgian who cherishes the constitutional Republic given to us by our Founding Fathers and wishes to see it restored, I choose to salute the Georgia flag and the original Betsy Ross American flag instead of the current federal flag which represents the present unconstitutional leviathan in Washington.
To all of these charges, insinuations, ambiguities, and accusations, I state unequivocally that they are at best, false gossip, and at worst, outright lies.
None of the above are true, whatsoever. The campaign staff of at least one of our opponents in this race, already well-known across the state for his unethical behaviour, is working to spread these inuendos and accusations.
Whew. We’ve withheld the name of McBerry’s campaign manager until we can have a word with her. More on this Monday – probably.
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80 comments Add your comment
ahem.....
March 14th, 2010
4:26 pm
In defending his teaching credentials, McBerry does great offense to all those English teachers who advised us to refrain from the “run-on sentence,” the hallmark of a disorganized or, (perhaps in this case), troubled mind. Two strikes on this weirdo.
Dave
March 14th, 2010
4:41 pm
Piling on the English teacher theme, I want to know the difference between false gossip and outright lie. Level of scienter?
States Rights
March 14th, 2010
4:51 pm
Ray McBerry is a mainstream conservative Republican who understands that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 have destroyed our country from within. Ever since these diabolical and unconstitutional “laws” were passed by liberals, this nation has been swirling down the bowl of socialism. True conservatives know that the time has come to repeal these illegal laws and to return America to the people who built it. While I support Ray and believe some of his rivals are behind these rumors, I know that John Oxendine shares our views and that Nathan Deal also believes in the return of states rights. White citizens must join together under the banner of the Republican party to take this country back for those who founded it.
Ray McBerry
March 14th, 2010
5:20 pm
Ray McBerry has my vote.
Dick
March 14th, 2010
5:30 pm
States rights, you don’t want Oxedine.
Monroe Burbank
March 14th, 2010
6:55 pm
States Rights wouldn’t know the definition of “socialism” if it fell out of the sky and landed on his white hood. The problem with Georgia is people like you, my friend.
Uhhhh
March 14th, 2010
6:56 pm
States Rights at 4:51 pm wrote:
“White citizens must join together under the banner of the Republican party to take this country back for those who founded it.”
You realize this is a terrible advertisement for the campaign, right?
wondering
March 14th, 2010
7:19 pm
I have liked candidates and their stands,and I have disliked candidates and their stands. But this candidate and his stand scares me. I would feel very unsafe in any state where he was a duly elected governor.
Ricardus
March 14th, 2010
8:24 pm
Wondering: What is there about the US Constitution and America that scares you?
Really???
March 14th, 2010
9:10 pm
“States Rights” and McBerry are 2 black-eyed peas in a pod. By the way your mommy wants you to bring the sheet home so she can make your bed. You need a good nights sleep to finish-up your 7 years of hard work on your GED.
David
March 14th, 2010
9:30 pm
http://www.slayer.net
Ghost of Lester Maddox
March 14th, 2010
11:30 pm
And y’all thought I was bad news.
CF2K
March 14th, 2010
11:39 pm
Just like clockwork, there goes whitey, bringin’ the hate.
Bud
March 14th, 2010
11:39 pm
States Rights:
You are a twit, sir. And I have news for you: The Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts will never, ever be repealed. You need to grow up, get out of your racist head and accept reality. The battle you are trying to re-fight was lost in the 1800s, lost again in the 1960s, and it is LOST. Permanently. You Southern racists lost. You lost. You lose. Do you get it? You do not get to have your way and impose racism on everyone else.
You. Lost.
The South Shall Rise Again
March 14th, 2010
11:39 pm
“States Rights” – The South got it’s a$$ kicked the first time around. Got it’s a$$ handed to it again by the Congress and the Courts when voting rights and civil rights were passed. If you’d like it to happen again, there are plenty willing to oblige dimwits like you.
Billy
March 14th, 2010
11:51 pm
This guy’s not very good at the non-denial denial. He’s basically stipulating to most of the accusations.
Do you like your freedom?
March 14th, 2010
11:54 pm
If you cherish the rights to life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness that God has given to each citizen of this state & nation, you need to support the only candidate in the race for governor who will truly govern by the Constitution, not by his personal whims nor by the pressures of lobbyists or an out-of-control Federal Govt. Ray McBerry is willing to lay his life down to defend the God-given rights of every Georgian, no matter their race, religion or national origin. Please re-read the US Constitution (especially the 10th Amendment), the Declaration of Independence and the Federalist Papers – when you do, you will see that Ray is the only candidate we can rely on to safe-guard our civil and human rights.
Snarki, child of Loki
March 15th, 2010
12:05 am
Wow, I really do have to applaud “States Rights” for saying what he did.
I don’t think I’ve _ever_ seen such a spot-on parody of an extreme nutso Klan loonie. (No doubt the response is that the Klan is a bunch of pansies that are dangerously soft on many issues; I suggest adding a rant not just against the metric system, but also decimal currency)
One criticism: the spelling is just too accurate, and that gives the game away. You need to get some real typographic howlers in there…they add both realism and humor.
As for McBerry, his response is admirably non-weaselly, but it’s pretty clear that the dude has “issues”. I’m sure all will be made clear when the incriminating photos are published.
RebelRouser
March 15th, 2010
12:29 am
Seriously–this is why it’s embarrassing to say you’re from Georgia. It’s one thing to THINK like “states rights,” but another altogether to shout it from the roof….blog-tops. If the republicans love states rights so much (and I like ‘em just fine), they woulda let Florida do its own recount–instead of gettin’ suddenly all federal.
dweb
March 15th, 2010
12:32 am
Hey…..no 15 year olds….no hot tub….no foul. This is at best another base canard….until the campaign manager turns out to be living in Brazil with Mark Sanford’s former mistress or Mr. McBerry is featured in a YouTube video displaying his intense affection for a significant number of farm animals.
Robert E. Lee
March 15th, 2010
12:36 am
Fergit? Never!
Long live the Confederacy!
States Wrongs
March 15th, 2010
12:38 am
” Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 have destroyed our country from within. Ever since these diabolical and unconstitutional “laws” were passed by liberals, this nation has been swirling down the bowl of socialism.”
The only reason these laws were passed was because the Constitution was being ignored. You know, the part that says ALL men are created equal?
“True conservatives know that the time has come to repeal these illegal laws and to return America to the people who built it.”
This country was not “built” it was invaded. There were numerous native American homelands all over this country, long before Columbus set foot on these shores. Is your intent to return their homeland to them?
” White citizens must join together under the banner of the Republican party to take this country back for those who founded it.” See the statement above. This country was not founded, at least not by white citizens.
Former Student
March 15th, 2010
12:47 am
LOL…I think this is GREAT! I can tell you that I am a former student of Mr. McBerry when he taught at Stone Mnt Christian School back in the 1990’s. I can ASSURE you that the allegations regarding his inappropriate behavior with a minor is definitely not “gossip” as he so claims, it is the undeniable truth. I can also attest to quite a few conversations that occurred in his history and Bible classes that would shock most people that have any belief in Civil Rights. Many comments made towards minority groups, and even showed up one day to class wearing a confederate flag lapel pin…WHhich if you are his friend on Facebook you will have the pleasure of seeing him standing tlal and proud in front of it. I currently live out of state, and heard about a year ago that he was running for governor…And thought to myself that if that man EVER became a political leader in any office it would be a frightening and scary day in the place of American politics. I think that Mr McBerry better re-read his Bible and refer to the books and chapters that have to do with honesty and responsibility, because his denial of allegations that MANY people know about is “funny at best”!
Stu Levitan
March 15th, 2010
12:53 am
I’m sorry, but I’m new here. Do I understand Ray McBerry to consider the United States Government to be unconstitutional or somehow illegal?
freepatriot
March 15th, 2010
1:09 am
eric massa gave us the new term “Unsexual Groping”
some Utah state senator gave us “unsexual pedophilic hot tubbing”
now this asshat gives us unsexual what ???
sedition, corruption,
nonsexual hiking the appalatian trail
what exactly is this fool denying ???
conservatives are a twisted bunch
somebody help me out
Stephen Daugherty
March 15th, 2010
1:13 am
Yes sir, Mr. McBerry, you surely are patriotic. Unfortunately, you are patriotic to countries that do not exist. I live in the United States of American and am proud to be a citizen of an America made up of all fifty states. Seriously folks, the days when America thought of itself as a collection of mini-nations are over, and should be over. No house can stand upright divided agaisnt itself.
We have to learn to get along. That constitution Mr. McBerry so presumptuous claims fealty to was a deal between states like his, and the states of the North. Folks a long time ago became unwilling to live with that, and for the sake of foolish politics plunged this nation into it’s first and hopefully only civil war.
Since that time, America’s government has changed to meet the Requirements and needs of its voters.
Unfortunately, some don’t look at it that way. They look back to a dimly remember past with nostalgia, mistaking their own ignorance about the contention of those times with a sense that those times were peaceful, more stable. Truth is, everybody’s had it difficult over the course of American history. Folks we got to figure things out for ourselves, do our own thinking, rather than get trapped in our own closed minds.
Plus, on a closing note, I think McBerry should fire whoever does his PR. He probably made it national news, and it doesn’t help that he refers to everything in great detail.
Constitutional Scholars
March 15th, 2010
1:14 am
I love how everyone in the south is a constitutional scholar these days. Yes… I suggest you read the constitution again. This time I urge you to read Article 1, the section on the legislative branch. And while you are at it, re-read The Federalist Papers (which actually bears no legal standing in relation to the laws which govern our society) which was written as an argument to ratify the constitution in order to create a federal government. They also got a lot wrong, like arguing there was no need for a Bill of Rights, which most founders obviously ignored (and thank god!). But the idea that Alexander Hamilton didn’t believe in a strong federal government is laughable. He spent his life fighting for it.
nh states
March 15th, 2010
2:13 am
states is yankin your chain yankees. i hope.
AG
March 15th, 2010
2:20 am
Why does this candidate hate America so much? Sure we are not perfect. Yes, we are no where near a utopia. Our elected leaders are often corrupt wind bags. But why does this nut case deeply dislike his country?
Oh that’s right it’s because there is a minority in the White House. Patriotism is only skin deep for him and those like him. In fact, if he were to be elected, there is a good chance he would end up advocating or supporting a secessionist agenda or legislation and as a result go on trial for treason. But who cares. He won’t get elected and the demographics and trend lines are clearly against him and his views. So he and his supporters might want to consider “playing nice” for once as they increasingly find themselves in the demographic status of…a minority.
BlueEyedVideot
March 15th, 2010
5:28 am
Commenter “States Rights” makes a curious statement:
“White citizens must join together under the banner of the Republican party to take this country back for those who founded it.”
I had no idea that the Racist Right was working so hard to return the country to the Native Americans who founded it. What a nice idea. So, when is it can we expect you to be leaving?
Betsy Ross
March 15th, 2010
5:39 am
To the fairy Ray McBerry – De-nile ain’t just a river in Egypt and you ain’t in the 1700’s. From what I remember, your great, great, great, great grandparents wore moccasins on their feet and feathers on their heads. And on several occasions, I even saw them with paint on their faces (they didn’t seem interested in tips on how to better blend your foundation).
You might want to reconsider your loyalties.
Signed,
B. Ross
Where's States Rights?
March 15th, 2010
5:54 am
Please come back, States Rights. You were very entertaining and we need more of your wisdom.
George Washington
March 15th, 2010
6:24 am
You can most definitely tell were the “Oxecommunist” is spending all the big insurance bribes!!!!!
Ont a bunch of no-substance useful idiots… looks like the AJC is still up to its socialist bias.
If McBerry does not make the show… I hope yawl get a front row seats at your local FEMA Camp!
No doubt, all you guys has had, your full dosage of Gov. Thimersal…
Georgia Native
March 15th, 2010
7:20 am
Dear Mr. “States Rights”…and THAT’S why (although born, raised, and having worked as an educator in Georgia for over 30 years) I couldn’t take it any more and moved far away to more tolerant environs. You and your ilk give the South a very bad name and perpetuate the “dumb Cracker” stereotype that, while very true for you, is not true of many good Georgians.
Woody Price
March 15th, 2010
7:29 am
RE: States Rights: As Molly Ivins opined about another nut-job, “…I’m sure it was better in the original German.”
Hoody Nice
March 15th, 2010
7:35 am
All of which ignores the question: Who could be worse than Sonny (Sonny) Perdue?
Stand Watie
March 15th, 2010
7:45 am
I’ve read the campaign materials, newspaper reports, and have met most of them, therefore I have decided to vote for Ray McBerry. Rumors and false accusations have been in politics for generations and I don’t vote on that basis.
LESD
March 15th, 2010
8:30 am
Looks like the segregationists are out of the closet.
Baby's Daddy
March 15th, 2010
8:40 am
The Voting Rights Act . . . that mean I get to vote twice ’cause all the bad stuff that happened afta the War of Independence, right, even tho I ain’t got no proof of who I am?
Yankee
March 15th, 2010
8:41 am
Do we have to come back and fix things for you again ?
Nathan
March 15th, 2010
8:47 am
I have no problem with states’ rights and limiting the federal government. It’s grown way too big and needs to be cut substantially. With that said, it concerns me when a gubernatorial candidate sits as the president of the state chapter and a board member of a national (albeit self-stated peaceful) Southern independence group. Here’s the website: http://www.georgialos.org/about.shtml
The Ghosts of Alex and Tom
March 15th, 2010
8:50 am
Constitutional Scholars at 1:15 AM is right…
It would be amusing if it weren’t so sad — watching the Beckistanian nincompoops embrace revolutionaries that would have wanted nothing to do with them.
Tom Paine? Once we were done ridding the world of kings, Paine thought we also next ought to go after clerics, priests, and popes (Paine wrote what is essentially the seminal American treatise on deism and was a hater of all organized religion). Oh yeah, he also proposed a Social Security system about 150 years before FDR – and thought that the landed gentry owed the rest of us “land rent”, as no one could truly ‘own’ land in mind.
Alexander Hamilton? Oh yeah – the Whiskey rebellion was a direct result of Hamilton’s economic program to federalize the nation’s war debt. What’s more – Hamilton openly admitted that the revenue could probably be found elsewhere, but felt that the imposition of the tax was a good thing in and of itself to impose federal will and social discipline….
Fools like “States Rights” above would be cute – like an 8 year old who learns a new word (but doesn’t quite know how to use it properly) – if they weren’t so dangerous.
say what?
March 15th, 2010
9:07 am
nathan @ 8:47am. The National League of the South is considered a hate/discrimination website. Why is McBerry associated with this anti-minority group? His name should be McNutt, but unfortunately several thousand people will vote for him as the governor of the State of GA. Just more reason for the federal government to come up with more laws on civil rights.
In January I watched the gubernatorial debates and I knew that he hated the government, and wanted to return GA to its original founders. But he forgot that the original citizens were forced onto the Trail of Tears. scary.
blip
March 15th, 2010
9:15 am
Jeez… anyone who won’t salute the flag with all 50 states in it seems kind of like he might be doing a little bit of meth, too.
But I suppose this explains why Republicans have such a hard time figuring out Obama’s citizenship. I mean, if you cannot find candidates that accept the basic fact that paces like Michigan, Wyoming, and Arizona are also states, it would be really hard to get someone who believes Hawaii is a state, too.
I feel sorry for the GOP. If it were just Glenn Beck or Sarah Palin spouting the crazy…. I’d shrug it off as the erratic behavior of a few bad apples…. but we are getting to the point where it’s a mass hysteria.
Tecumseh Sherman
March 15th, 2010
9:34 am
Hey States Rights – I’m gonna plan on seeing you again – real soon. It will be even more fun than the last time! Well, at least for me.
Impishparrot2day
March 15th, 2010
9:39 am
Why is it poor, white conservatives continue to blame their lot in life on everyone but those truly responsible…themselves. They consistently vote against their own best, personal interests. For 12 years, 1994-2006, conservatives were the majority in Congress. In 2000, SCOTUS appointed Republican candidates Bush (AWOL fly boy) and chickensh*t, chickenhawk “5-Deferment” Cheney into office. These two men ran the damn country into the ground by deficit-financing two wars and two tax cuts, and by deregulating financial markets and allowing the greatest ripoff the American taxpayer in the history of our country. I can not for the life of me figure out why you want to sweep this loser, loser, loser party back into power. I guess you want them to finish off the job and completely sell off the US to China. Three million jobs were outsourced during the Bush/Cheney years and their deficit spending added $7.7 trillion to the national debt:
This next chart illustrates the value of the differences between the budget landscape planned by President Clinton and the one created by President Bush. As you can see, the difference between the two is a staggering $7.7 trillion. This number represents the fiscal harm that President Bush has inflected on our nation. This number is the Bush debt. [...]
Like most concepts of enormous size, this amount takes some thought to comprehend. $7.7 trillion is $25,000 owed by every adult or child in the United States.
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/11/bush-debt/
Barney Fife
March 15th, 2010
9:48 am
That guy’s a nut!
Eddie
March 15th, 2010
10:11 am
McBerry doesn’t write very clearly. He was accused of attempting to have an affair with his former campaign manager…. “when” she was fired for spending unacceptable amounts of time at the Capitol in lobbying efforts during our campaign?
The way he makes it sounds is he was willing to overlook the lobbying and shirking her job if she agreed to have sex with him. I seriously hope he wasn’t an English teacher.
New GA. Constitution
March 15th, 2010
10:30 am
Did he use the Federal Post Office to send out that letter? He understands that once GA seceeds from the United States, that service becomes the responsibility of the new nation.
Let’s look past the nostalgia of the glorious past for which he seeks and ponder what it would potentionally look like if GA wasn’t apart of the US any longer. We would have to print a new currency and create an agency to manage it. Our banks will have to accept it as legal tender. How would our seniors fare when they would no longer receive SSI benefits or Medicare but at least they would be able to own a gun. Education would of course be a top priority in the new country as evidenced by our spending levels now in this union.
The devil is always in the details for developing mandates and establishing policy. But we don’t want to let those little things get in the way of a Racist/Pedophile that’s trying to ascend into office on a platform of fear and ignorance, i.e. Racism
States Rights (German 1932 version)
March 15th, 2010
10:38 am
[Adolf Hitler] is a mainstream conservative [German] who understands that the [Treaty of Versailles]has destroyed our country from within. Ever since these diabolical and unconstitutional “laws” were passed by liberals, this nation has been swirling down the bowl of socialism. True conservatives know that the time has come to repeal these illegal laws and to return [Germany] to the people who built it. While I support [Hitler] and believe some of his rivals are behind these rumors, I know that [von Hindenberg] shares our views. White citizens must join together under the banner of the [Nazi] party to take this country back for those who founded it.