Your morning jolt: Mary Norwood sues John Eaves over demand for handwritten ‘Fultons’
Mary Norwood, running as an independent candidate for Fulton County Commission chairman, says she has sued Democratic incumbent John Eaves — for allegedly using a picayune point of law to sabotage her campaign.
Mary Norwood, independent candidate for Fulton County Commission chairman/AJC
Norwood needs 22,000 or so signatures – 5 percent of Fulton County’s registered voters — by mid-July in order to have her name placed on the November ballot.
Norwood says that Eaves, relying on what she calls a “hyper-technical interpretation of the law,” is insisting that the word “Fulton” be handwritten, by each signer, along with a street address. Eaves is being represented by former congressman Buddy Darden of Marietta, with the influential firm of McKenna Long & Aldridge.
Norwood says her campaign received written approval from the Fulton County Department of Registration and Elections to “pre-type” the word in the space requesting the signer’s county of residence.
Because if it says “Cobb” or “DeKalb,” the signer can’t also be on the Fulton County list of voters.
The demand for handwritten “Fultons” would jeopardize thousands of signatures she’s already gathered. Norwood seeks an emergency ruling from a superior court judge.
“This is further proof why residents of Fulton County deserve another choice for commission chairman this November. We need anyone who cares about ballot access or is a supporter of mine to come out and sign the petition,” Norwood said in a press release.
Brian Kemp, the Republican incumbent in the contest for secretary of state, is fuming over a mailing by primary challenger Doug MacGinnitie.
One side of the flyer includes an image of the Purple Heart given to those wounded in combat, with the following:
He’d gladly surrender this [the medal] to get his vote back. Read about how Captain Basnett lost his vote after being wounded in Afghanistan. The story’s on the other side of this card.
The reverse side explains that an absentee ballot was on its way to Afghanistan when Basnett was wounded. He was brought home in time for the election, and called his county clerk. Sorry, the clerk says, only one ballot per veteran.
Only in the third block of type does MacGinnitie reveal that Captain Basnett is a “hypothetical” member of the armed forces.
Writes Kemp:
By MacGinnitie’s own admission, “Captain Basnett” does not even exist and the entire story was a fiction designed to illustrate a point about Georgia law. Worse, the point he is making about Georgia law is false as well.
Georgia law does in fact allow voters, especially service members overseas, to request another absentee ballot from their county elections officer by signing a simple affidavit stating that the first ballot was not received. The elections superintendent will then cancel the first ballot and issue another. [O.C.G.A. § 21-2-384 (a)(5)]
In his flyer, MacGinnittie argues that the problem hasn’t been entirely fixed.
State Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, the leading Republican candidate for governor, has won a temporary reprieve. From my AJC colleague Aaron Gould Sheinin:
A State Ethics Commission hearing about more than $100,000 in questionable campaign contributions to Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine’s bid for governor has been cancelled, according to a posting on the commission’s website.
No other details were immediately available, but as of late last week the hearing was still scheduled.
But the case has been simmering for more than a year, since The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Oxendine collected $120,000 in contributions from a series of Alabama-based political action committees with ties to a insurance companies that Oxendine regulated.
The companies, State Mutual Insurance and Admiral Life Insurance Co., both of Rome, filed suit in Fulton County Superior Court in late May to quash Ethics Commission subpoenas that sought documents related to the contributions.
On Monday, Atlanta Stonewall Democrats issued their first-round list of endorsements in the July 20 primary.
There were no surprises, until you reached House District 94, currently held by Randal Mangham of DeKalb County, who has decided not to seek another term.
Four Democrats are in the contest to replace him. But the Stonewall Democrats declined to endorse, “since all the candidates demonstrated qualities that would be a dramatic improvement for its LGBT residents over the current representation.”
In 2004, Mangham cast a deciding vote to put a proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage up for a referendum.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev meets next week with President Barack Obama.
U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss wants to make sure they talk chicken.
He’s authored a letter to that effect with Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Says the Senate pair, according to feedstuff.com:
“Our poultry producers are required by USDA to meet very stringent food safety standards, which help them produce a safe and high-quality product. The Russians have failed to supply a reasonable, scientific explanation for restricting their market to U.S. poultry and we believe that their citing of safety concerns as reason for their trade barriers is baseless,” they wrote.
The Senators noted “a continued absence from the Russian market, which is worth $800 million annually to American producers, would only increase the economic uncertainty our poultry farmers already face.”
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85 comments Add your comment
atlantadomer
June 22nd, 2010
12:54 pm
I thought I had seen the lowest someone could go in respect to our fighting men and women with Chambliss and the GOP treatment of Max Cleland – well, come to think of it that was still worse than this!
Murray
June 22nd, 2010
12:56 pm
Wow this woman really wants to be on the city payroll. Hey Norwood when is the next mayorial race?
Jeffisonlineagain
June 22nd, 2010
12:57 pm
I’m not surprised by John Eaves actions.
Remember the political commercials for John Eaves back when he was running? They brought up memories of civil rights activitists from the 60’s being attacked by German shepards and being sprayed down by fire hoses. The assumption was that if the wrong person was elected to Handel’s seat, all that could come back. The great Andy Young, Shirley Franklin and John Lewis showed us how low they would stoop to ensure that their candidate would win. Let’s see how low they all stoop again in this election.
WOW!
June 22nd, 2010
12:58 pm
Lawyers have done more to destroy America than any terrorist organization could ever begin to hope to. Drown them ALL!
cmm
June 22nd, 2010
12:59 pm
Eves is a joke. Will Jones – Atlanta Jeffersonian Exegesis is even more of one. Gay white male liberal for Mary all the way. No black social conservative speaks for me. All vote repub over Eaves any day.
WOW!
June 22nd, 2010
1:07 pm
Nice to see the “Political Insider” wielding their editors pen again. They leave vitriol spewed by “Will Jones” but remove other comments that they find don’t meet their political agenda. Go AJC.
Georgia Pete
June 22nd, 2010
1:15 pm
As Mary Norwood slides down the banister of political campaigns, Faves is a splinter in her a*s. Pluck him and throw him out Mary. You go for it Mary.
Robert
June 22nd, 2010
1:16 pm
Not to say that Ms. Norwood wouldn’t make a good Commission Chairman, but didn’t she just run for Mayor of Atlanta? I always find it interesting when people run for office after office. It seems unclear whether they have a passion for the office they are seeking, or simply a passion for holding office.
CawCaw
June 22nd, 2010
1:22 pm
Brian Kemp is not the incumbent. He was appointed by Perdue as an interim measure. He should not have the “I” next to his name.
Gold Dome Gossip Girl
June 22nd, 2010
1:23 pm
Doug MacGinnitie has made himself the butt of every joke about the GOP. This guy is a total embarrassment.
Way over the line Doug. Just apologize and move on.
WOW!
June 22nd, 2010
1:29 pm
@Robert…
Follow Norwood’s track record for getting out in the community and working and listening to her constituents. I think you’d find she’s the genuine article.
Reed and Borders were harder to spot on the southside than an endagered species. Reed moved into the city just so he could qualify as a mayoral candidate, and Borders was nothing more than a lap-dog for developers and airport concession contractors.
Get Real
June 22nd, 2010
1:46 pm
You’re back Wow! Hadn’t seen you since the mayoral runoff last December. Interesting.
Hammond77
June 22nd, 2010
1:47 pm
Doug, Why do you lie make false remarks, I am sure it is people that work in your camp, but you have to ok it so what does that make you,, a Total Red-Neck Liar Republican next we will hear that you spoke to Jesus or that Jesus is a Republican, Doug, I am a proud American and Republican and I think you are just White Trash , People……….. please do not put this Trash in office
WOW!
June 22nd, 2010
2:01 pm
@Get Real
It’s my first time commenting, so that wasn’t me during the runoff. Of course since there is no registration or confirmation process to post a comment, AJC makes it easy for anyone to be, well, ANYONE! It’s too bad they don’t do more prevent that.
Jed
June 22nd, 2010
2:47 pm
That’s LOW, John Eaves.
Thanks for bringing attention to this, I’ll make sure my wife and I sign Norwood’s petition. Oh, and all my friends who are tired of the usual crap in Fulton.
Jed
June 22nd, 2010
2:51 pm
Just read about Eaves previous campaign, had no idea about that ad … http://boortz.com/nuze/200611/11072006.html
You have GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. Not shocked about Lewis and Franklin, but c’mon, Andrew Young joined in that garbage too?
“This is Congressman John Lewis.”
“And I’m Mayor Shirley Franklin”
“And I’m Andy Young”
(John Lewis) “On November 7th we face the most dangerous situation we ever have. If you think fighting off dogs and water hoses in the sixties was bad, imagine if we sit idly by and let the right-wing Republicans take control of the Fulton County Commision.”
(Shirley Franklin) “The efforts of Martin and Coretta King, Hosea Williams, Maynard Jackson and many others will be lost. That’s why we must stand up and we must turn out the vote for the Democrats on Election Day.”
(Andy Young) “And especially for John Eaves for Fulton County Commission Chairman. Unless you want them to turn back the clock on equal rights and human rights and economic opportunity for all of us, vote for John Eaves as Fulton County Chairman”
(Lewis) “Your very life may depend on it.”
(John Eaves) “This message paid for by the committee to elect John Eaves.”
In Disbelief
June 22nd, 2010
4:14 pm
The MacGinnitie mailer is the most offensive political stunt I have ever seen. This is lower than a snakes belly.
Proud Independent
June 22nd, 2010
4:29 pm
The signature is the only information of the voter that is required to be by the hand of the voter. Any other information may be written by someone else. Poor (unreadable) handwriting by the signer in less than ideal circumstances often results in that voter’s information being dropped from the petition. Georgia makes it as difficult as possible for anyone outside the major two parties to participate in our government. When will those of us who actually think for ourselves receive equal treatment under the law? We need more options on the ballot.
Mr. KnowitAll
June 22nd, 2010
4:44 pm
I have heard of this strategy John Eaves is using to invalidate voter’s signatures….isnt it the same one Obama used to run unopposed in Illinois? Yea….it IS!
What is it with democRats? They want to use tricks, gimmicks and chinks in the law instead of ideas and the ballot box to win.
—-Poultry is just another word for Chickens
mc
June 22nd, 2010
6:14 pm
Watch out in-town liberals…just like KAAAASEEM Eaves thinks he should be elceted becuase of his color…WHAT HAS HE done to Bridge North/South…Nada…
This town sucks…The Commmmisssshhhh is a joke. WE NEED NORWOOD and change…
mc
June 22nd, 2010
6:32 pm
On race: Atlanta’s demographics are changing. The city is gentrifying. That doesn’t just mean it’s getting whiter. It also means it’s getting more corporate, less ideological and less interested in casting votes based on a candidate’s skin color – or on his or her affiliation with the political machine of the late Maynard Jackson.
As a transplant to the city who, if you didn’t gather from the words above, thinks City Hall would benefit from newer and better leaders, I’m intrigued by the possibilities of Atlanta’s changing electoral blocs. But I’m also worried.
Last year, the mayor, Rep. John Lewis and former Mayor Andrew Young recorded a vicious last-minute campaign ad on behalf of black Fulton County commission chairman candidate John Eaves. In it, three of the city’s grandest elder statespersons said voting for Eaves’ white, Republican opponent would be like voting to turn Fulton County into Birmingham, circa 1963, complete with attack dogs and fire hoses.
If ads like that are indicative of how low Atlanta’s current leaders are willing to stoop to hold onto power, then the city’s going to have an increasingly difficult time getting suburban and state leaders to help the city with regional issues such as transit or air quality. Never mind the fact that thoughtful people of all colors aren’t going to want to live in a city whose leaders scream Jim Crow at every opponent.
Junebaby
June 22nd, 2010
7:55 pm
It was proven under M. Skandalakis, M. Kenn, and K. Handel that so fulton, the city of atlanta, and other southside municipalities don’t get any kind of fair play from no fulton politicians, and no fulton municipalities. neither of those 3 chairmen of the fulco commision did anything but look out for the citizens of north fulton co. Mary Norwood is just more of the same ol’, same ol’. she only came to the southside to give lip service. her only aim is to look out for gay people in midtown, and wealthy people in north fulton. and she will do that by hook or by crook. the same way she tried to get votes for Kaseem Reid disallowed, she is trying to game the system again. She is always trying some scheme(sp) to get around the voting rules of the office she’s running for. Typical republican shenanigans..
Atlanta office space » Blog Archive » Norwood Suing over Spot on Ballot – WXIA-TV
June 23rd, 2010
12:44 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
volvodrivingliberal
June 23rd, 2010
8:18 am
RE: M’s comments regarding intown liberal voters.
Mary Norwood actually got a sizeable majority of the intown liberal vote in the mayoral race. In district 6, home to most “intown liberals”, Mary got almost 3/4 of the vote versus Kasim Reed…she literally clobbered him. Most Atlanta liberals are progressive socially and moderate fiscally, which makes Mary a perfect candidate for progressives. She has the unique ability as an independent to appeal to those of all political affiliations.
atlmom
June 23rd, 2010
9:14 am
junebaby: then you didn’t look closely at Mary’s record. She was the only one who during her entire term as a city council person went ALL OVER the city, helping everyone. Many of those people told her they had never in their life seen a politician before. Mr. Reed moved into the city about a year or two before the election and really didn’t visit neighborhoods – even when he was campaigning – the way Mary did the whole time she was on council.
PoliticOracle
June 23rd, 2010
11:03 am
Yes people, I’m back and with a clear conscience can say that Mary Norwood is patently unqualified for the offices she continues to seek.
Why not just pick a party? Ms. Norwood is truly a Republican and she should run as such.
Will Jones - Atlanta Jeffersonian Exegesis
June 23rd, 2010
12:08 pm
If Mary Bush Norwood and her “husband” are discreetly “out” to the gay community, more power to them.
The idea of her lying about whether she voted for her closet-queen cousin, George W. Bush (no doubt supported by many Log Cabin Republicans) – and now claiming not to be a “Republican” after having been an elected delegate to one or two of their national conventions – becoming elected to public office in Dr. King’s hometown of Atlanta or Fulton County, is extremely unappealing.
cmm
June 22nd, 2010
12:59 pm
Eves is a joke. Will Jones – Atlanta Jeffersonian Exegesis is even more of one. Gay white male liberal for Mary all the way. No black social conservative speaks for me. All vote repub over Eaves any day.
Brad
June 23rd, 2010
12:17 pm
Eaves is is absolutely correct to demand that signers write the county in by hand. If the county name is preprinted, residents of other counties might go ahead and sign the petition not even noticing that the world “Fulton” was preprinted. The act of personally writing in the county of residence would make, for example, a resident of DeKalb Co. stop and think, “Oh, I can’t sign this, I don’t live in Fulton County.” This is not an ultratechnical and arcane rule; it is a legitimate way to protect the integrity of the petition process. By the way, I am not a resident of Fulton Co., so I don’t have a dog in the fight.
cmm
June 23rd, 2010
12:34 pm
Will Jones – Atlanta Jeffersonian Exegesis: does not matetr whos hometwon it is NYC/SF/DC all becoming white and their leaders need to reflect the values of those they serve. Adios WILL JONES; don’t like you don’t need you…
cmm
June 23rd, 2010
12:45 pm
why so scared Will Jones? Norwood would trounce Eaves (who does not support gay marraige but does support black social religious issues…which I could care less about…)
The only hope for white dems is independent canidacy – you cannot make it through the Atlanta primaries withoput the black vote (as a dem)…that’s why the republican’s will probably win if Norwood is not on the ballot. It is a shame that it is so hard to run for office in a free society. Great country of ours….
er your comments here
Will Jones - Atlanta Jeffersonian Exegesis
June 23rd, 2010
4:51 pm
Bush Norwood backer promotes transparent racism in appeal for more votes for George W. Bush’s cousin? In Atlanta, Georgia?
No thanks.
cmm
June 23rd, 2010
12:34 pm
WOW!
June 24th, 2010
2:03 am
Does anyone else think Will Jones is just a very, VERY creepy?
Republican Candidate Makes Up Fictional Iraq Soldier! - Politics and Other Controversies -Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Conservatives, Liberals, Third Parties, Left-Wing, Right-Wing, Congress, President - Page 4 - City-Data Forum
June 24th, 2010
1:47 pm
[...] [...]
Keisha Wates
June 28th, 2010
12:24 am
Vote Keisha on July 20th …..www.keishawaites.com
Norwood: The Campaign Others Fear :: Georgia Liberal
June 28th, 2010
1:01 pm
[...] Galloway notes: Mary Norwood, running as an independent candidate for Fulton County Commission chairman, says she [...]