Karen Handel: No more appearances with Ray McBerry
Republicans in the Sixth District held a gargantuan and elaborate series of candidate forums at Calvary Church off Chamblee Dunwoody Road on Saturday.
Yours truly moderated the gubernatorial forum, attended by all six candidates: John Oxendine, Ray McBerry, Eric Johnson, Karen Handel, Nathan Deal and Jeff Chapman.
There was an awkward moment toward the end. You’ll remember this column from Friday, describing the relationship between McBerry and a Henry County girl that started when she had just finished 10th grade.
She and her parents, on the record, say that the relationship became sexual. He denies touching her – but he quit his teaching job when the charges were lodged, and a judge ordered him to stay away from the young lady for six months.
In his closing remarks, McBerry said this:
“In the last month, I’ve found out why good people rarely get involved in politics anymore. I’ve had more lies said about me in the last month than I’ve had in my entire life of 42 years.
“And I’m here to tell you today that the liberal media, including our esteemed moderator today, can say whatever he wants to say about this businessman and daddy that’s running for governor here in Georgia. But I’m running because I have the same principles as our founding fathers.
“And I wear it as a badge of honor to be the strongest conservative in this race, and that’s why the liberal media wants us out of this race. It ain’t gonna happen.”
Johnson spoke. And then Handel gave her closing remarks, first dinging Deal for a congressional ethics investigation in which he was the target. Then she said this:
“When our party has faltered, it’s been because we’ve strayed from our conservative principles, we’ve lost our moral compass, when we’ve put our heads in the sand and turned a blind eye to the wrongdoing within our own party and refused to deal with it.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I refuse to be one of those folks.
Today, while I’ve enjoyed this immensely, this will be the last time that I’ll be on any stage with Ray McBerry. And I think you all know why.“This is embarrassing for our state, and it’s embarrassing for our party. It should be for him as well. And it should be for anyone else up here who’s under ethical investigation.”
You will remember that, last November, Handel was the first state official to call for House Speaker Glenn Richardson to resign, after his ex-wife proved that she had obtained embarrassing access to his e-mail account.
After the debate, I asked Handel if she expected other candidates for governor to follow her lead. She said:
“I would certainly hope that they would do the same. In the end, they are grownups and individuals. They have to decide where there own moral compass is.
“I don’t know how any rational individual could think it appropriate to be on the stage with that individual. I mean, people actually applauding him? Stunning, frankly.”
Chapman rejected Handel’s call. He said:
“The last time I checked, in this country, you’re innocent til proven guilty. I’ll let the voters decide the guilt or innocence of Mr. McBerry. I’m going to attend every forum that I possibly can, so that I can tell people who Jeff Chapman is.”
Deal, in an interview with a Fox5 reporter, said this:
”I don’t control forums, and I’m comfortable to go where anybody is that wants to talk about issues that are important to Georgians.”
Through an e-mail, Johnson campaign manager Ben Fry said this:
“What Ray McBerry has been accused of doing is reprehensible and inexcusable.
“We would certainly support debate organizers choosing to exclude him from events.
“Eric is passionate about this state and his plans to put Georgia back to work and there is nobody that’s going to keep him from talking directly to the people of Georgia about his vision for the future.
“If others want to use this as an excuse to duck debates and tough questions, that’s fine.”
We’ve got a query into the Oxendine campaign, and will pass on its response as soon as possible.
McBerry, in an interview with that Fox5 reporter, said this before he walked out the door:
“It’s absolutely being brought up for political retaliation. But I can tell you as a conservative, as a Christian, and as a daddy, I’m not getting out of this race.”
Attendees at the forum were asked to participate in a straw poll. The results:
Eric Johnson, 154, or 38 percent;
Karen Handel, 130, or 32 percent;
Nathan Deal, 69, or 17 percent;
John Oxendine, 39, or 10 percent;
Jeff Chapman, 10, or 2 percent;
And Ray McBerry, 2, or .04 percent
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143 comments Add your comment
UGADawg
May 1st, 2010
5:24 pm
Karen Handel is right but, really, Sue Everhart ought to make this call. The Georgia GOP cannot prevent him from being on the ballot but they can put the word out not to invite him to Republican Party-sponsored debates. Clearly, he will lose the primary but he’s an embarrassment to the party, to Georgia and to the male gender.
T-Bone
May 1st, 2010
5:28 pm
Look, I think McBerry is awful. But Handel is just being melodramatic. Relax, Karen. Are you really afraid he’s going to try to molest you on stage?
Sarah
May 1st, 2010
5:35 pm
Wow, Ray (or is that Chester…Chester… the child…), couldn’t you have worked “liberal media” in there one more time? I do hate to have to be the one to tell you this buddy, but the media is only as liberal as the conservative businesses that own them. Bless your heart.
Fauntle-ROY BARNES
May 1st, 2010
5:42 pm
Karen, honey; fetch me a lemon with that ice water.
Ray McBerry’s only objective is to bring back the old state flag, and to return African-Americans, my most loyal supporters, back to slavery. As governor, these things will
never happen in a Barnes administration.
Steve
May 1st, 2010
5:55 pm
Jeff Chapman hit it on the head. Ray McBerry is innocent until proven guilty. Whatever he may or may not have done, Karen Handel is simply grandstanding trying to take the moral high ground.
Kathy Noble
May 1st, 2010
5:59 pm
I back Karen Handel in this move 100%. It is great to see someone with some balls willing to speak out and taking this stand. I have watched the GOP hide and cover up thievery and sexual scandals, and if we can’t clean are own house we deserve what we get and are part of the problem. Karen has cleaned up ethical problems her entire career and I FOR ONE SALUTE YOU!!!
Kathy Noble
May 1st, 2010
6:01 pm
*our, not are
Lucy
May 1st, 2010
6:48 pm
Jeff’ Chapman’s comment is the most commendable and the most honorable. Karen Handel has demonstrated time and again during this campaign that she excels at talking about how unethical her opponents are. I applaud Jeff Chapman for consistently taking the high ground, stating a point of law, and reminding everyone that the purpose of participating in a forum is to inform the public by presenting one’s own views on the issues at hand, not to indict the other candidates.
Mayberry
May 1st, 2010
7:11 pm
Most of them on that stage would probably prefer not to be there with her. Maybe Karen will go away. Maybe she will be touched……………………………………and healed.
Sick of Republicans
May 1st, 2010
7:18 pm
Who appointed Karen judge and jury? Karen honey look in the mirror and search yourself before running you mouth about something you probably know nothing about except what you have read in the paper. You embarrass this State and I am more convinced than ever that I did the right thing throwing Republicans to the wind.
UGAgrad
May 1st, 2010
7:19 pm
If Ray McBerry is what the GOP wants to put forward as a candidate for the highest office in Georgia, then I cannot and will not support them as a party. My $$ will go elsewhere.
SWGA Politics » GOP Activist: GAGOP Should Have Nothing To Do With Ray McBerry
May 1st, 2010
7:49 pm
[...] not appearing where Ray McBerry is. Karen Handel made similar claims today at a forum hosted by Jim Galloway, while other candidates had a much weaker [...]
Julie Camp
May 1st, 2010
7:52 pm
I support Oxendine in the race, but have to side with Handel on this issue of morals. She should not have to sit with him on a stage. The only reason this man (McBerry) is not in jail, is due to the fact that his father is the DA in the county of the molestation. He should be in jail and should be put on the sex offender list. McBerry is a criminal and a black eye to the Republican Party.
Robbie
May 1st, 2010
7:53 pm
Karen Handel has reason to be concerned if McBerry is targeting women who don’t yet have high school diplomas.
Loyd
May 1st, 2010
7:54 pm
Karen Handel is the only candidate that had the courage to bring up the McBerry issue. This is serious and is not going away. Far too many of our elected officials are quick to take the easy way out and avoid the controversial issues. Thank you Karen.
dawgmom
May 1st, 2010
8:18 pm
Amen to Karen Handel for standing strong ground on ethical issues. This state (and our counties and our country) is suffering from politicians that have no morals or conscience. This lack of ethics affects each and every one of us. The sooner the electorate wakes up and realizes the ramifications of electing someone who doesn’t give a hoot about their own personal actions, the sooner the electorate chooses a candidate that will work for the betterment of the people and not be so concerned with the betterment of themselves.
Tiger Woods + Jesse James = SuperBAD meets SuperEVIL in "SuperUGLY"
May 1st, 2010
8:31 pm
“Ray McBerry makes Karen Handel ‘very uncomfortable’”
Not as uncomfortable as he makes 16-year-old teenage girls…
C-Lo
May 1st, 2010
8:36 pm
Robbie @ 7:53 gets post of the day!!! Lol.
david
May 1st, 2010
8:36 pm
http://www.votemonds.com
david
May 1st, 2010
8:39 pm
McBerry is a supporter of the Constitution Party and League of the South. Secession and returning to the Confederacy and Confederat Flag are his issues.
Alabama Communist
May 1st, 2010
8:41 pm
“Ladies and gentlemen, I refuse to be one of those folks.
Today, while I’ve enjoyed this immensely, this will be the last time that I’ll be on any stage with Ray McBerry. And I think you all know why. * Story
Good Grief! Since she is a typical 2 amendent Republican, She should wave a Glock 9mm in front of McBerry face and dare him to touch her………
Tiger Woods + Jesse James = SuperBAD meets SuperEVIL in "SuperUGLY"
May 1st, 2010
8:44 pm
Ray McBerry for Governor! Because if it’s anybody who really deserves to be Governor most, it’s creepy middle-aged secession-advocating far right-wing fringe candidates who shamelessly “befriend” underage girls! This guy is a real find and a definite keeper! Can Georgia really do any better?
Barry
May 1st, 2010
9:07 pm
This is all so stupid. Ray McBerry will be lucky to get 5% of the vote – maybe 2%. After the primary, he will be once again reduced to complete irrelevancy, but Georgia will continue to be faced by many serious issues that these candidates ought to be addressing. Any candidate who wants to be taken seriously should not be sidetracked by the presence of anyone on a forum with them. Stick to the issues, folks. Quit the nonsense.
Josh
May 1st, 2010
9:11 pm
Good for Karen–at least she is willing to speak up.
Deal really could not say anything against any other candidates considering all his unethical behavior both past and present.
td
May 1st, 2010
9:12 pm
You Republicans applauding Handel do not love freedom and make me ashamed of associating with this party. I thought the Dems were the political correctness crowd and wants penalties on people on people just because the way something appears? I do not support McBerry and never planned on voting for him but my God the man was not convicted of anything, paid his money to qualify, and just because a person says he did something (no proof) some of you all want to throw him under the bus and deny him his right to freedom of speech.
You have the right to call him scum and show your displeasure at the polls but if you love freedom and believe in the rights given to us by our creator and in the bill of rights, then you must tell Handel that this man will be on the stage and speak and she can choose or not choose to come to the event. If you do not believe this then you are a RINO and shoud go ahead and join the non freedom loving party.
Jonathan Wilk
May 1st, 2010
9:23 pm
Chapman, like many other ignorant louts, misunderstands “innocent until proven guilty.”
Quint, Atlanta is my home
May 1st, 2010
9:41 pm
I certainly believe that a man is innocent until proven guilty, but there is a lot of circumstantial evidence that a crime (or at least unethical behavior) took place. Remember, there was more evidence than just this girl’s word.
Ask your self this: If your daughter, grand daughter, sister, or niece was the teenage girl in this situation, would you still have the same opinion about Ray McBerry?
If he really wants to do something for the state of Georgia, he should withdraw from the race. Go make lots of money, pay taxes, put people to work…whatever. Being in the Governor’s race is not in the best interest of the people of Georgia.
Incredulous
May 1st, 2010
9:46 pm
td hit the nail on the head. However we are dealing with hysterical women here that react totally on emotion. As with Justice Thomas it is not whether or not he is guilty, it is the seriousness of the accusation.
td
May 1st, 2010
10:07 pm
Quint, Atlanta is my home, If you believe there is something more than what the law says then you have the right to not vote for him and to shout your opinion to the top of your lungs to anyone that will listen and I will support you 100% and stand by your right to say it. You or anyone else does not have the right in the name of political correctness to have him removed from the debate. For that matter you have the responsibility, no matter how sick it may make you, to take a stand and make sure his right to freedom of speech is not infringed.
td
May 1st, 2010
10:12 pm
BTW: Due to the comments made by Handel, she has proved that she is not a true conservative, does not respect our rights to free speech and does not understand the Bill of rights and therefore will not get my vote. I shall exercise my freedom of speech to try to convince as many people as possible to not vote for her. IF any of these other candidates give in to this political correctness nonsense then they will receive the same fate from myself.
Tax bibles
May 1st, 2010
10:50 pm
What’s a “gender?” Oh, and extra syllable….
RocketMama
May 1st, 2010
11:11 pm
td – YOU are an idiot. I might direct to the nearest library, as you seriously need to read the Bill of Rights. AND a dictionary. What Karen Handel exercised WAS her right to free speech. Politically correct? Not. Stop calling people who have the courage to stand up for their own beliefs and those of others “Politically Correct”. Let’s try on a little MORAL and ETHICAL correctness. Not as a party, but as a country, as a world, as a universe. McBerry is a disgusting pig, who ADMITTED the “relationship”, “attraction to”, and “dalliance” with this young girl. As much as I would LIKE to see him behind bars, we will not.
Hmmmm…. Innocent until proven guilty. Wow, what a concept. A concept which, actually does not even apply here since McBerry has not been charged with any crime. And to Incredulous – “Hysterical” and “Emotional”. God bless the woman who was stupid enough to give birth to you, as well as any woman who has suffered the unfortunate error in judgment of being in a relationship with you. To say that Karen Handel is being hysterical and overly emotional is to dismiss the ethical and moral responsibility we ALL share to protect our children. I know you men don’t think so, but 16 IS a child, not a woman. And anyway, I’m sure the whole sordid affair was the girl’s fault, right?
No proof, you say? Well the next 16 year young woman could be your daughter or grand-daughter. Let’s see how much “Proof” you need then. I would love to see a man speak up against this kind of behavior, and I applaud Karen Handel for having the courage to do so.
heather alvarez
May 1st, 2010
11:16 pm
Dr. Ruth, how dare you! and Julia… study Karen I think you’ll be impressed. Karen has the answers for Georgia. She cut the budget at the SOS by 15% without falling for short-term gimmicks like furloughs that don’t solve the long term problems. She’s not a life time politician which is what we need right now… the others have had their chance screwed up and it’s time to kick them out. Barnes by his own admission on Wednesday in his qualifying speech stated he made several mistakes the first go around and wants to fix those. REALLY? No thanks I think we’ll let someone else. Nathan Deal has been ranked the #4 most corrupt congressman. In just March of this year he was found guilty for pushing bills through that would benefit his families company. McBerry, Really is there even an argument here? We all know the stories of Oxendine… I’d be shocked if he’s not under federal indictment charges by November.
Karen is the answer! She will bring ethics back to the capital, balance the budget from ZERO, bring jobs to Georgia, cut government by 10% with the exception of Educators and safety. She’s prepared to take a stand against the unconstitutional healthcare reform. Karen is the only Conservative that can and will beat Roy Barnes. Roy has money and power and will not sit on the allegations of the other Republicans running and he has nothing to slam in Karen’s face because she is a women of honor.
cs
May 2nd, 2010
12:04 am
This is all silly. The age of consent in Ga is 16. Republicans have not changed the age in the last 8 years and the democrats didnt the 100 and sumtin since the War of Northern Aggresiion they have been in power. In other words, motor mouth Eric Johnson has done not a thing to address what he calls “reprehensible and inexcusable” and Handel has been hanging with the dingbat Dan Quayle bunch too much. It wasnt that long ago our grandparents and great grandparents were getting married at 14 much less 16 or 18 etc. At least McBerry aint been accused of chasing queers…….yet, but that may be next from the RepuliCon whackos.
Franco
May 2nd, 2010
12:13 am
This is the sorriest collection of Republican candidates for governor that I have seen in my 20 years in Georgia. Karen Handel is right to call out the others on their ethical lapses. I don’t know much about Jeff Chapman, but from what I know of the others, they are all slimeballs. She is no treasure herself, but compared to them, she’s practically the Virgin Mary. I have voted for her before and would certainly consider doing so again. The slams that I have read on her from these blogs are that she is barren, Catholic, from Maryland, and doesn’t have a college degree. She seems to have a lot more sense than another prominent GA pol without a college degree–Lynn Westmoreland. The others are not particularly relevant to her qualifications for governor.
td
May 2nd, 2010
12:31 am
RocketMama, Are you saying that McBerry should not be allowed on the stage? Why are you calling me an idiot? Is it because I think a person that has not committed a crime, rule violation and has done everything the party requires should be excluded because some one else believes he/she should not be included? Handel has the right to stand up on the stage and tell him he is a vile pig and should not be elected dog catcher and I will stand by her being able to say every word. She does not have the right to try crush his free speech rights by having him excluded form events. I personally think the guy is a disgusting pig and would never vote for him. I also think that what Karen Handel is doing by trying to get a person, not convicted of any crime, removed from the debate as just as disgusting. One shows true love of country by standing up for the right to free speech from disgusting people or disgusting points of views. If one does not stand up for this then one does not have a true understanding of our constitution and does not deserve my vote or the vote of any freedom loving true conservative.
I am standing up for a higher moral correctness because if you think our Bill of Rights are only there to protect the people you like and agree with we have problems.
Jarey
May 2nd, 2010
12:58 am
Hi. My name is Jarey. I want to be governor of Georgia. I don’t belong to any political party. I believe in ambition and hard work. I think honesty still works. While I do not think the 2 wars we are fighting are correct, some of my best friends are over there putting their lives on the line for us every single day and I want to do whatever it takes to win and bring them home safe. At the same time, I believe all drugs should be legalized and taxed; the result being the emptying of most of our jail population to enjoin in tax revenue generating jobs along with the heavy taxation of the drugs. I also think a women’s body is her own and the state has no right to legislate what she does with it at all. If a woman wants or needs an abortion, it’s her decision and must live with it. Shooting doctors or walking around with signs showing aborted fetus’ will not stop it. Yes, folks making giant money should pay more in taxes; they were blessed with the ability or inheritence to do so and should be willing to help out their fellow man. Energy…what a weird topic this has turned out to be. If you use oil, you can destroy an entire ecosystem. If you use nuclear, you can destroy the entire planet. Wind, sun; all neat ideas but so far no one can come up with any sustainable way to make these a long term solution. I want a car that runs on water; it doesn’t even have to be clean water. Just water; and I want it to go 100 MPH! Lobbying..This should be 100% illegal at the state and federal level. My feeling is that generally, people are smart and good and like water, will eventually rise to their own level. Keep a limit on how much money we will give people who do not work and they will eventually become motivated to find a job. Let’s spend some money on teaching folks on how to have a successful work experience. If you like what you do , then it’s really not work anyway! I’ve read the resumes of the 14 folks who currently want to be governor. Some, like me, do not have a college degree. But none of them have the courage to truly speak their minds on the issues like I just have in this blog. Agree with me or not, at least I am honest. Thanks! Jarey
Wounded Warrior
May 2nd, 2010
2:11 am
I won’t let my girls near mcberry, either. He is known for his crimes here in henry county, time for the rest of GA to know.
TisP'doff
May 2nd, 2010
2:17 am
I’ve read several blogs over the last day or so that state Ray McBerry is innocent until proven guilty. Absolutely, I will agree with that. What I won’t agree with is Mr. McBerry’s victim being re-victimized by idiots who hang on this accused preditor’s every word. Mr. McBerry has some skeletons in his closet that have not been fully explained. We the citizens of this state deserve answers.
Any parent raising a child hopes and prays that they never have to encounter this type of individual in their childs life. I can’t imagine the anguish this family endured because they did not have the financial means to press forward with an attorney.
When I read how Mrs. Handel is being criticized for making a decision based on her personal ethics, I am ashamed. It seems that some of those who accuse her of grandstanding, can not or will not hold Mr. McBerry accountable for his actions.
Wounded Warrior
May 2nd, 2010
2:24 am
McBerry, have you ever danced with the devil in the dark moon light?
At lest when he is on stage, there won’t be any girls.
BIG Nick
May 2nd, 2010
2:52 am
Jarey: “They are blessed with inheritence”…Just because your mother was knocked up at age fifteen and on welfare, your father (if you even know him is either dead or in prison) obviously has nothing to do with you and you want to think that all white people “inherited” their money?…Did it ever occur to you that McBerry’s mother kept her legs closed, didn’t have drug problem, father wasn’t in prison, father held a job, mcBerry actually graduated college, didn’t have 15 kidz out of wedlock and made his own money without gov’t assistance….Imagine that…Someone who actually made something out of themselves without being a rapper or baskerball player…
Unbiased Observer
May 2nd, 2010
4:09 am
I guess I have learned that no matter what Karen Handel does, she will be scorned. I assume most f this comes from the “lack of a college degree” crowd. Anyone in the workforce knows that experience trumps education a million times over. I earned a very good degree, but to suggest a degree is some kind of minimum qualification that trumps experience is complete crap. Karen is the strongest in the GOP field.
mike
May 2nd, 2010
7:16 am
Well what did you expect from the present group of repubtards? I guess in this state you can be a crook and still get elected to public office. You can also have affairs with children and unless your convicted you can become the governor. Judging by the tone of some of the bloggers I guess it is alright for this state to always be at the bottom of the lists when compared to other states. Georgia can defund education but you can carry your guns like it is the wild west again.
Boots
May 2nd, 2010
7:23 am
The Republican Party is pandering to the “far right fringe element” and is hanging on by their fingertips to the edge of the flat earth that was created by the Lord in seven days six thousand years ago.
Halledamnlejah! . .but it won’t win them elections, particularly national elections.
ozzfest
May 2nd, 2010
8:26 am
We got the dumbest of the dumb running this state…look at our voting record…we elected Sonny, Bob Barr and Cynthia McKinney.
With a record like that…we out to not have representation.
No OX, Noo RAW DEAL, Nooo LINGER LONGER JOHNSON, Noooo KING ROY
May 2nd, 2010
8:27 am
McBerry makes my name look good but I will not vote for any of them. I do not understand how a state as large as Georgia can not come up with a single viable candidate.
StrawPoll
May 2nd, 2010
8:30 am
http://www.georgiafirst.org/candidate/pr_ray_mcberry_on_debate_and_straw_vote.shtml
McBerry’s website has him winning the straw poll. The article above shows him a finishing dead last.
States Rights
May 2nd, 2010
8:34 am
All you people speaking against Ray McBerry including Karen Handel are hypocrites. There has been nothing to prove that Ray is lying the the girl is telling the truth. In fact the girl has changed her story on four different occasions. If you can show me conclusive evidence to this then I will agree. The reason this country has lost it’s way is because of people like you. You have to understand this is strictly political. You people need to get your head’s out of the sand and understand that. I personally think it is the libertarian party that is creating this mess, it has already been admitted that Jim Galloway and several of the negative bloggers are Libertarians. They want to steal Ray McBerry’s votes. I will never vote for Kare Handel or any Libertarian.
Hector
May 2nd, 2010
8:37 am
Ray McBerry and Roy Branes will bring out the flaggers.
Mugwump
May 2nd, 2010
8:47 am
Maybe, just maybe, those who rally behind the banner of morals and ethics will carry the day. Again.