Lee Hawkins, Max Cleland and the rest of the sentence
We’re closing in on the 24-hour mark of Tuesday’s special election runoff to fill out the last six months of Nathan Deal’s congressional term.
Former state House member Tom Graves of Ranger has latched on to remarks by his opponent, former state senator Lee Hawkins, made at a Dawson County GOP breakfast on Saturday.
Graves has passed around the YouTube clip below, which has Hawkins saying:
“I’ve never voted for a Democratic president. It’s been said I gave money to Max Cleland. I did – ” The Graves video cuts him off there.
But both campaigns were videotaping. So we called the Hawkins campaign for the rest of the quote.
Before he was interrupted, Hawkins said: “….but my wife and I were invited to a birthday party for him in a restaurant. I did not know he was charging money. I’m not used to people charging for a birthday party.”
About the former U.S. senator from Georgia, Hawkins later said, “I admire his service but I don’t agree with his politics.”
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54 comments Add your comment
David
June 7th, 2010
4:59 pm
They’re both largely incompetent boobs. But Graves is assinine.
Hawkins defends donation to Cleland — Peach Pundit
June 7th, 2010
5:04 pm
[...] Hawkins’ campaign is defending his donation to Max Cleland: Former state House member Tom Graves of Ranger has latched on to remarks by his opponent, former [...]
D-Boe
June 7th, 2010
5:18 pm
Seriously, is this what politics has come to? You can’t even associate yourself with those who may have opposing viewpoints. Sad days ahead.
scott brisendine
June 7th, 2010
5:19 pm
and Hawkins has also given money in the past to Roy Barnes. Yes–a true long time conservative running for the 9th District Seat–that’s Lee Hawkins.
Go Tom Graves!
lmno
June 7th, 2010
5:30 pm
Its a sad state of affairs when politics has come to the point where any former admiration, donation, or even conversation to a member of the opposite party is seen as a flaw and the person must not be a true believer.
Is this type of feeling also permeating the democratic party? If a democrat running for Governor was found to have once donated to Johnny Issakson, would this be used against him in the same way?
Eugene Talmadge
June 7th, 2010
5:31 pm
The tea party crowd stands for one thing: ignorance. Believe me, Eugene the First, people who don’t believe in scholarship are a demagogue’s best friends.
redneckbluedog
June 7th, 2010
5:33 pm
Well no, I don’t have any ideas…. the same old tax cuts and deregulation that resulted in the greatest loss of wealth since the great depression and the largest environmental disaster this country has ever seen… but, by God, I’m more conservative than he is….!!!!!
General Sherman
June 7th, 2010
5:39 pm
Lee Hawkins could have received a lot more votes if he had just returned a few phone calls! I do not like either candidate so I will go to the polls and leave that office blank.
bart
June 7th, 2010
5:44 pm
Both candidates are losers, but Graves is also a crook. God help us that politics has sunk so low.
Bill
June 7th, 2010
5:44 pm
I am pretty sure that the republican party is the only one that requires candidates to sign a loyalty oath.
Commonsenseagitator
June 7th, 2010
6:16 pm
Graves is a big crook. I live in the same county and he has done nothing for us here, nothing except make promises he can’t and had no intention of keeping
Debbie Dooley
June 7th, 2010
7:25 pm
Hawkins has obviously attended more than one birthday party:
FEC records show two donations from Lee Hawkins to Max Cleland. The first for $250 on 6/21/96 and the second for $200 on 9/3/99. There is also a donation to Greg Hecht’s campaign for Congress on 6/28/02.
Debbie Dooley
June 7th, 2010
7:27 pm
This election is the GOP Establishment RINO Candidate (Hawkins) versus the Tea Party / Conservative candidate (Graves)
RINO?
June 7th, 2010
8:02 pm
DD – So the GOP (Republican Party) establishment backs candidates who are pretending to be Republicans? I can see smoeone being a RINO or a GOP Establishment candidate, but both? Just pick one “insult” and move on.
It's just crazy!
June 7th, 2010
8:53 pm
Let’s see…made a donation to Max Cleland or attempted to defraud a local bank out of $2.25 million….hmmmm, decisions decisions.
Debbie Dooley
June 7th, 2010
9:31 pm
Herman Cain endorses Tom Graves and states he did travel with he and Linder on behalf of FairTax
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X85wEDxlXyE
Wounded Warrior
June 7th, 2010
9:40 pm
Just because someone invites you to dance with the devil in the dark moonlight, doesn’t mean you have to go…
Bronco
June 7th, 2010
9:46 pm
Hawkins has the big money behind him and anytime thats the case vote for the other party…all that candidate will do is feather his nest and his big money friends….I will vote for Tom Graves I think he is an honest and honorable man and he will have my vote
tinhat
June 7th, 2010
10:00 pm
I am so proud to live in the Ninth District. I love a good laugh, and the nation is having one at our expense.
Idiots. Just plain damn idiots. (Although Graves does have a good head of hair; no matter what you’re political persuasion is!)
Tax bibles
June 7th, 2010
10:03 pm
…”also?” Give me a frigging break….
It's just crazy!
June 7th, 2010
10:07 pm
Oh well…if Herman says vote for Tom then by all means ignore reality. Another sip of kool-aide DD?
It's just crazy!
June 7th, 2010
10:09 pm
Bronco? Did you just arrive in the area? Tom Graves honest and honorable? There is no way you actually researched anything about this race…or your nipping in the kool-aide with DD!
tinhat
June 7th, 2010
10:17 pm
oops … YOUR persuasion … sorry
DH
June 7th, 2010
10:18 pm
The Graves people are as underhanded as it gets. If slick politics is what you admire, then you have to hand it to him and his team. But I guess that’s just how it is in politics, where nice ethical folks can be shot down with an edited clip. It’s pandering to the ignorant, but it works like gold.
you've gotta be kidding
June 7th, 2010
10:24 pm
Bronco—Ummmm, Graves is the one who had the “big money” from outside interests. Very little of his money has come from North Georgians. Most of it is from a Washington special interest group. Hawkins, on the other hand, has raised his money from people who know him and work with him right here in North Georgia. Hawkins is a really good, really conservative guy who is in this for the right reasons. It’s almost criminal to see the way the Graves camp has portrayed him. But then again…I guess we should expect criminal activity from a criminal. How is your candidate going to look in an orange jumpsuit for the July primary?? And it’s really sad to see what lunatics like DD are doing to the Tea Party. It’s becoming as corrupt and perverted as everything else in politics. Very disappointing.
scott
June 7th, 2010
10:41 pm
All politicians stink, they should be non -paying volunteer jobs for 1-2 years MAX. That would clean up all this BS.
But Cleland was just awful. Used his service to get elected plenty. In my book, tea party may be the only way to clean this country up, the diaper is very dirty.
Independent Joe
June 7th, 2010
10:55 pm
Stimuls from Biden…Money to democrats…i see a pattern here from King Lee….everyone kiss his ring….this guy is the poster boy of entitlement
sneakydawg
June 7th, 2010
11:01 pm
So Hawkins gave 450$ to Max Cleland over 11 years ago . SO WHAT? Maybe Cleland was working on a bill Hawkins admired or his professional association supported. It happens, folks.It could have been a good bill at the time. Hawkins looks like an old school Center Right honest man with a good record of citizenship.. Graves looks like a professional con man with his out of state money and his scum bag business practices.
Graves is 40 years old, broke, and has to be in politics to make a living. Exactly the problem we have now.
Easy choice.
t
June 7th, 2010
11:09 pm
i dont know if someone else has written this, but Hawkins donated to Cleland TWICE. Once (apparently at his birthday) and then several months later. he also donated to Greg Hecht in 2002. It should matter to GOP primary voters because many are sick and tired of state politicians legislating like democrats half the time. Why does it surprise us when many democrats back before it was popular to be a republican in georgia, circa 1994.
No Longer Republican
June 7th, 2010
11:49 pm
It really doesn’t matter which one of these wackos gets elected. Nothing is going to change as long as we keep having choices like this. They are both simply interested in furthering their political careers and getting more money. If they were concerned about issues that we face they would talk about that instead of who donated money to who 10 years ago.
tom
June 8th, 2010
2:21 am
It is sad that no new blood is available for this position. Both of these individuals have shady pasts. Hopefully the winner will be defeated when the real elections come around.
Wilda
June 8th, 2010
5:58 am
Reminds me of the Atlatna Mayors race where Jane Kidd, Chairwoman of the State Democratic Party, wanted to find a way to get race into the campaign so she started with allegations that Reed’s opponent was a secret republican.
ATHtoATL
June 8th, 2010
8:46 am
@t, the Democrats to Republicans line shows how ignorant you are. Democrats down here were the leaders of the Conservative movement… upholding Jim Crow, maintaining segregation, and fighting against government intrusion. These Georgia Dems crossed the aisle because the national party started supporting and enforcing equal rights for minorities.
Tom Graves is a crook. I’m voting for neither, but I’d rather vote for a guy that made a donation to a Democrat than a guy who willingly defrauded a bank and considers one trip to Missouri a “nationwide tour”
Bill Orvis White
June 8th, 2010
9:53 am
Tom is the true conservative in this race. He looks like the one who will help get the FAIR Tax on the table and institute a culture of life inside and outside of the district.
As for donating to Liberal Max Cleland: well, Mr. Hawkins, you could have turned around and said, “Guess what Max, I’m not giving you money because you voted to not keep us safe from the evildoers. Thank you for your service to our country, but guess what, you betrayed us with your far-left principles that are far from Georgia Values.”
Plus, I do not wish to be disrespectful, but I heard that Max is in the condition that he’s in because he held onto a grenade too long. Has anyone heard that this is the real story about him? Again, I’m not trying to be mean, but I did hear this from some credible military sources.
Paddy O
June 8th, 2010
10:01 am
Mr. Graves is Tom Delay type of republican. Vote for him and do not be surprised if he loves the K Street lobbyists. He probably sends prison $$ to Abramoff.
Paddy O
June 8th, 2010
10:03 am
MR. White – regarding the fair tax, how do you factor “ability to pay” into your fair tax equation? And, your questioning Max Cleland’s injury, indicates you are one profound butt hole. PLease tell everyone here how many years you served in a foreign war?
Debbie Dooley
June 8th, 2010
10:38 am
Calling Hawkins a conservative is laughable. Lee Hawkins attended a rally for the Obama Stimulus bill. Just try denying that Hawkins minions..
ANGRY AS HELL
June 8th, 2010
10:48 am
Hey, Debbie, it must be tough having to support Graves over, let’s say, an honest candidate…. Is this the best candidate the Tea Party could field? Are we to be impressed with this kind of high caliber candidate? If this is what the Tea Party can muster, y’all need to stay at home and quit bothering the rest of us.
Bill Orvis White
June 8th, 2010
11:34 am
@PaddyO I’m just stating some very basic facts in this forum. You must read the two excellent books put out by the Honorable Mr. Linder, Neal Boortz and the very intelligent Rob Woodall. The FAIR Tax system would practically elimate the draconian IRS as we know it. I like that part, but the part that I really like is that I GET TO KEEP MY MONEY and spend it the way I see fit instead of Washington flushing it down the sewer for failed programs that try to benefit society’s misfits.
As far as Max’s injury goes, I just heard it from credible sources that he didn’t follow through on orders to actually throw the grenade. Instead, he held onto it too long resulting in his injuries. Certainly accidents happen and We the People should question how someone in public service was injured. I’m just asking questions, that’s all. This is just like when his liberal friend in the Senate, Kerry ran for president. Kerry beefed up what he did overseas and then we found out from former friends that he lied and then went to the U.S. House to confess that he purposely killed the enemy and then said it was wrong. In other words, he put his former brothers in danger who were still serving over there — that’s betrayal at best and treason at worst. Oh yeah, then Liberal Kerry threw his medals over the White House fence — that’s shameful, don’t you think?
But getting back to Max, it doesn’t matter so much about his injuries, it’s just that he became so liberal for Georgia. That’s why he lost, but he and his friends cry to this day that the public didn’t care about his injuries. Again, thank you for your service, Max, but you sold out to the left-wing Democrat party.
Oh, did I serve? No, because the timing wasn’t there. But, you know something, I serve in today’s society as I get raped by gov’t to pay unfair taxes for things that I don’t need like Socialistic health care.
God Bless,
Bill
Paddy O
June 8th, 2010
11:53 am
Mr. White – fair enough. However, I do NOT want the feds using sales tax as a source of $$. I would prefer the income tax be designed so it is fair. Such as: $25,000 standard deduction; 10% of all income from all sources would be exempted. ALL citizens over the age of 18 MUST pay at least 2.5% of income, regardless of deductions & exemptions (If you made $40,000, you would have to pay $1000 at least to the IRS.) Standard income tax rate, regardless if you made $25 at age 18 or 20 million at age 50, would pay 17% of income. All income from all sources – capital gains, dividends, etc, would be declared. This is my concept of fair tax – the lower income folks are protected by the 25000 standard deduction, the higher income people have 10% of their income exempted, and the onerous high rate of pay would be eliminated. this would also eliminate all itemized deductions, thereby reducing IRS staff by 99%. I also favor eliminating income tax on corporations, business – BUT would like to see a substantial increase in import tariffs. By the way, I have heard that the grenade which blew off Cleland’s appendages was dropped by him.
AngryVoter
June 8th, 2010
11:54 am
Imno, you are 100% spot on correct.
As for the “Fair Tax” conversation…
It costs $X to operate the government. Taxing spending, rather than income, will not change how much money the government needs to operate. The richest spend the smallest percentage of their income. The poorest spend the highest percentage of their income. If we base tax on spending, the richest will wind up paying less tax. Where will the money come from to operate the government? From the less well off!
While we should discuss and decide who should bear the greatest tax burden, the richest or middle class, disguising the discussion with the smoke screen of “Fair Tax” doesn’t do anyone or anything fairly. Personally, I am willing to pay a higher share of taxes given I have had more success than some others. That’s truly fair, in my opinion.
While I have no problem switching to a spending tax, I think the distribution of tax burden we presently have is just. IMO, the only way to switch to a spending tax is if people wound up paying the same amounts they are now, in which case, why even bother?
Paddy O
June 8th, 2010
11:55 am
I envision local governments, especially school systems, being authorized to collect M&O sales tax. However, they would have to collect it for a full twelve months, first use it to eliminate property tax for those home owners who have NO kids in the school system. THen, use it to lower the property tax for those who do have kids in the system. I would also like to see a FOSTER and a MOST – to help local cities & counties fund capital improvements.
AngryVoter
June 8th, 2010
11:56 am
OMG, be prepared, the earth is about to shake and everything as we know it is about to end, for today is the day I agree with Paddy O!
Paddy O
June 8th, 2010
12:00 pm
Angryvoter – concur. The key is spending. Have you ever heard of all the various federal agencies dedicated to FOREIGN DEVELOPMENT? This is not beneficial to the US, unless you are counting on potential future export destinations. Also, all federal jobs in excess of $100,000 need to be frozen. The key is eliminating federal agencies, such as education, hud, etc. I also think 100% of federal grants, unless the source is dedicated revenue (such as gas tax), needs to be terminated. ONce that has been accomplished, then you need to start looking at welfare programs – such as Peachcare.
Bronco
June 8th, 2010
12:31 pm
Tom Graves is anti Obama need I say more.
Is that a poll in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?
June 8th, 2010
1:05 pm
Just try to pick a winner out of this bag of snakes.
Paddy O
June 8th, 2010
1:16 pm
it is the lesser of 2 evils – it seems Graves is framing himself as the TEA party anti-tax guy vs. the RINO Lee Hawkins. Under those conditions, I would recommend voting for Graves, but his ethics foundations may find you discovering that he has given the treasury away to the corporations.
Paddy O
June 8th, 2010
1:17 pm
Consider this voters – if you cast a vote for the guy who collected & spent the most $$$$, what are the odds that upon arriving in the Halls of Congress, he will suddenly morph into Mr. Thrifty?
Debbie Dooley
June 8th, 2010
9:46 pm
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/G/GA_GEORGIA_CONGRESS_GAOL-?SITE=GAGAI&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Debbie Dooley
June 8th, 2010
9:46 pm
Tom Graves won