Your morning jolt: GOP claimant to Glenn Richardson’s House seat has a two-arrest past
If you’re a Georgia Democrat, you no doubt feel a bit beleaguered in this anti-Obama season.
But this might cheer you up: Your team has developed an excellent database research system when it comes to backgrounding Republican candidates for the Legislature.
Paulette Rakestraw Braddock
Last month, Democrats distributed documents showing that Republican Jason Shepherd, running against state Rep. Terry Johnson, D-Marietta, had once been arrested for domestic violence. The Cobb County charge was dismissed after he completed a diversion program.
This week, Democratic attention moved to House District 19, the snake-bit seat once held by Speaker Glenn Richardson of Hiram, who resigned amid scandal last year. He was replaced, in a special election, by Republican Daniel Stout.
But Stout lost a July primary after voters found out that, in a previous marriage and as a young man, he had confessed to once having had an improper dalliance with his mother-in-law.
The winner of the July primary was Paulette Rakestraw Braddock of Hiram, president and CEO of a Paulding County direct marketing firm. She faces Democrat Will Avery of Dallas, a teacher.
In 1999, as Paulette Rakestraw, Braddock was arrested on one count of fraud, for allegedly submitting $1,724 in falsified receipts to her insurance company. The Cobb County charge was dismissed after she completed a six-month diversion program.
“We had lightning damage to our home,” Braddock said Thursday. “The company didn’t want to pay the claim. They contended the receipts weren’t valid. Basically, it was a trumped-up charge.”
But Braddock said she lacked the cash to fight it in court. “It was easier to just go through the program and not fight it, because it would have cost me a bunch of money to fight it. So I didn’t,” she said.
In February 2003, in the midst of a divorce – again as Paulette Rakestraw — Braddock was arrested on a charge of simple battery, filed by the man who would soon become her ex. From the incident report filed by the arresting officer:
”Complainant states this morning while asleep on the sofa, his wife took a scissor and cut a big “gash” out of his hair, stated he got up and she demanded her cell phone so she could go to work. He asked why she cut his hair and she scratched his arm attempting to obtain her cell phone. I observed scratches to right wrist and a “gash” in head.
The charge was dropped as part of the divorce.
Braddock’s firm, Atlanta Marketing Solutions, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2007, but is now out of it now. That info had been aired in 2008, when Braddock was ousted as a member of the Paulding County school board.
Said Braddock about all of the above:
”All of this is just typical mudslinging. I’m a tea party conservative and want to bring jobs to Georgia and solve some of the problems we have. And I think it’s typical of what happens when people can’t stand on the issues. They decide to do character assassination.”
The Insider asked Braddock whether she had informed GOP officials of her background. Said she:
”I told them about the bankruptcy. I had forgotten about the other issues – because they were dismissed as if they never happened. I could have had it expunged from my record, but I had forgotten about it.”
Note to House and Senate Republican caucuses: It might be time to routinely schedule come-to-Jesus meetings with all prospective candidates for the Legislature.
***
According to a key Republican in Washington, the mere fact that Democrats are shipping funds to U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Albany, is a sign of panic. From CQ Politics:
National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (Texas) said Thursday that he believes the depth of House Democrats’ panic can be measured this week by their decision to spend money defending Rep. Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (D) in his southwest Georgia district.
In a phone interview from the campaign trail after a stop in Georgia Wednesday evening, Sessions said that it’s telling that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has had to spend money on “African Americans like Sanford Bishop. And when you have to retreat back to … your hard base you’re having to make tough decisions.”
Bishop is the only member of the Congressional Black Caucus that is currently benefitting from ads by the DCCC. The committee has spent just more than $142,000 in Georgia’s 2nd district, mostly on ads attacking Bishop’s GOP challenger, state Rep. Mike Keown.
***
On Thursday, a Rasmussen Reports poll had Democrat Roy Barnes trailing Republican Nathan Deal by 41 to 50 percent in the race for governor.
But the Barnes campaign is taking some solace in this bit of Rassmussen info that indicates a certain softness in Deal’s support:
Eighty-one percent (81%) of Barnes voters are already certain how they will vote next month, as are 86% of Monds supporters. Just 68% of those who back Deal say they’ve already made up their minds.
***
Politifact Georgia today looks at a robocall from the GOP campaign of state Rep. Jill Chambers of Atlanta, accusing Democratic opponent Elena Parent of financing much of her campaign with money intended for school children. She wins a pants-on-fire rating.
***
An Insider column on Thursday was devoted to shift of Republican power to north Georgia. Both Nathan Deal and Casey Cagle call Gainesville home. House Speaker David Ralston is from Blue Ridge.
At the Athens Banner-Herald, Blake Aued continued the theme:
Assuming no Democrat pulls off an upset – a fair assumption in our maroon state – here’s where all of the statewide [Republican] elected officials on the ballot this year are from:
– Sen. Johnny Isakson – Marietta.
– Secretary of State Brian Kemp – Athens.
– Attorney General, Sam Olens – Marietta.
–School Superintendent, John Barge – Cartersville
.
– Insurance Commissioner, Ralph Hudgens – Madison County.– Agriculture Commissioner, Gary Black — Jackson County.
– Labor Commissioner, Mark Butler – Carrollton.
Notice any pattern here?
All of them are from North Georgia. And seven of the 10 are from outside of metro Atlanta.
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55 comments Add your comment
Peachtree Pete
October 8th, 2010
9:40 am
Politics has always had mudsingers; nothing new there. The biggest difference now is the instanteneous communication which alerts all of us to the character flaws of various candidates. Meanwhile, media as a whole pays scant attention to issues. Newspapers and radio/TV have First Amendment protection, so please, why do the front pages ignore issues while playing up to scandal? Isn’t there some responsibility on the part of the media to keep us informed as to what is really important? What is so startling is that men like FDR and JFK would be unelectable under today’s media scrutiny of character.
666
October 8th, 2010
9:53 am
The Devil made her do it. All the Republican voters in HD 19 will forgive her since she is only human. It’s expected of them.
Desperate Democrats
October 8th, 2010
9:56 am
If Roy loses, the Democratic party is Georgia is history. And Deal is at 50%, hence the desperate attacks by a party hanging on for dear life.
Perimeter Progressive
October 8th, 2010
9:58 am
Is it really mud when its, you know, true?
Typical Politico Behavior
October 8th, 2010
10:01 am
Isn’t it expected that any Tea Party candidate falsify documents, scream falsehoods until you just give up, and/or work out shady financial deals? They’re no different from many of the current officeholders in both parties. Maybe our political parties ought to be called thugs and gangs. They sure don’t give a rip about their constituents.
Done Democrats
October 8th, 2010
10:04 am
Perimeter Progessive, would it be mud to remind everyone of Roy’s vocal and financial support for John Edwards for president? Roy talked all day long about the guy’s integrity, but the truth was he was cheating on his wife while she was undergoing cancer treatment. Is that mud?
Reverie
October 8th, 2010
10:05 am
It isn’t as if we haven’t notice that Georgia typically pays more attention North than South of the gold dome. If you look at a map of the state and draw a line through Atlanta going east and west, the portion of the state north of the line contains significantly more state-funded programs, buildings, installations and parks. For instance, there are twice as many DNR State Parks and facilities North of the line. The area north of the line contains less than 1/3 of the land area. There has always been a cultural bias in that direction. If you live in Atlanta you seldom head to SOUTH Georgia on vacation.
Jules
October 8th, 2010
10:07 am
Isn’t it amazing that MOST of the “offenders” are Republicans? And they don’t take responsibilty for their actions. Come on Georgians – vote for the best person – not the R or D !!!!!
DifferentDrummer
October 8th, 2010
10:08 am
Desperate Democrats—You may be right because Georgia voters are showing exactly how stupid they are. You think they would have had enough of 8 years of Republican corruption under the Gold Dome, but apparently not. So, if the GOP Rasmussen Poll holds up, they’re going to let a real fox in the hen house. God help us!
po Roy
October 8th, 2010
10:13 am
Barnes should be apologizing to Georgians for attempting to thwart an investigation which netted the most notorious pedophile in U.S. history. http://bibbrepublicanparty.com
Last Man Standing
October 8th, 2010
10:14 am
Not to worry! I have no doubt that Governor Deal will be gracious in winning the gubernatorial election. I am also sure that Governor Deal will serve Georgia and all Georgians well.
DifferentDrummer
October 8th, 2010
10:23 am
Done Democrats — you’d be right to crticize Roy Barnes’s support of John Edwards if he knew that Edwards was cheating on his cancer-stricken wife. I think it’s pretty clear that wasn’t the case. As soon as it was made public, Barnes made it very clear he wanted nothing more to do with Edwards, as he should have done. Now, when it was clear to insiders at the Georgia Capitol and some members of the media that family values-Republican and former-Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson was having an illicit, extra marital affair with a lobbyist
who was sponsoring legislation that Richardson was shepherding for her company, did you come out and express criticism of him? Or how about when family values-Republican and upstanding Christian, former-State Senator Preston Smith was caught by his very own wife engaging in sexual intercourse with a young campaign aide at his campaign headquarters, did you express your indignation at him? In both of these cases, mud is not being slung…just the truth. And it’s good to see that the citizens of House District 19 are continuing in their tradition of electing real trash Republicans to represent them in the Georguia House of Representatives.
findog
October 8th, 2010
11:01 am
Reverie,
Gee no parks south of the gnat line that are not on the coast, in a swamp, or notorious prison sites
Did your comparison go by number or acreage?
What should we be doing in the typical summer vacation season, go pick peaches in the costal plain or trout fishing in the mountains?
How about infrastructure improvements like roads?
findog
October 8th, 2010
11:03 am
Gracious
Are you talking about the same congressman that refused to state he would support Handle is she won the runoff?
Paddy O
October 8th, 2010
11:04 am
It is accurate if Barnes loses, you will not see another Democrat Dubose Porter did seem a good selection, though. But if GA votes for Deal, it indicates its population is unethical, and just loves crooks – thus, it would deserve the crap that Deal will do.
Paddy O
October 8th, 2010
11:06 am
The people of Paulding do appear to be once a week Christians, who are really tuning out their pastors message.
Goobers
October 8th, 2010
11:10 am
Good Morning Goobers!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now practice the Jawja State Cheer:
GO GOOBERS GO!!!… GO GOOBERS GO!!!…. YAAAAY!!!!….. GOOBERS!!!!
Goobers
October 8th, 2010
11:13 am
There is no telling what kind of “quality” candidate a white trash electorate will puke up.
BTW, Glenn Richardson is the leading Christian in Jawja!… Well, him and Bishop Eddie Long, and the Late Bishop Earl Paulk.
Hound Dogs All!!!!!!!
It’s what’s called the “Silly Season” › Blog for Democracy
October 8th, 2010
11:18 am
[...] Scary [...]
mehlman rings twice
October 8th, 2010
11:25 am
You Nathan Deal supports need to stop worrying that Deal will be hurt by any bankruptcy action. It doesn’t work that way. He will default on the loan and the money will be added to the GOP practice of income redistribution. There is precedence in this, and it led to both the S & L bailout and the investment banking bailout and home loan crisis.
Jeb Bush and his business partners defaulted on a loan, the U.S. taxpayer picked up the tab, and get this – he and his business partners got to keep the property that was used as collateral! Sound familiar?
As head of a Colorado S & L, Neil Bush loan millions to 2 associates both of whom were his previous employer and secretly investing in a business venture of his. The 2 associates then defaulted on the loans, the U.S. taxpayer again picked up the tab, and instead of reducing the loss, they re-employed Neil and gave him a bonus!
I bet Nathan was paying attention.
mehlman rings twice
October 8th, 2010
11:37 am
Sorry, that should read ” You Nathan Deal “supporters…”
Goobers
October 8th, 2010
11:38 am
Enjoy the Die-off!!! You nasty goobers are the main facilitators, so it is fitting you will reap the consequences, all the while trying to blame gays and other minorities…
BWAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SCHADENFREUDE IS A BITCH!!!!!!!!!
DifferentDrummer
October 8th, 2010
11:42 am
Now, now, Mehlman Rings Twice, you don’t want your fellow bloggers who hate all Democrats and love all Republicans to get their feelings hurt because they seem to have a habit of blindly offering support to fellow “conservatives” who have their own version of “redistribution of the wealth.” They like to redistribute wealth as long as they get the distribution. They can’t argue with their facts. Neil Bush shouldhave gone to prison years ago, but his Daddy and his big brothers made sure that didn’t happen.
DifferentDrummer
October 8th, 2010
11:44 am
Oops!! Shoukld have read “They can’t argue with your facts.”
td
October 8th, 2010
1:14 pm
DifferentDrummer and other left wing name callers, Why is it that you and other libs come on the blogs and call Republicans stupid or dumb just because they do not believe in your political philosophy? I have refrained from any name calling of other bloggers on here but you all deserve this one.
If you want to talk about smartness then lets take the CRCT scores, SAT scores or any other test scores you want and compare. I will bet everything I own that the scores of the Republicans in this state will overshadow the scores of the Dems? Any takers?
Also while we are at it, let us survey the top business leaders (producers) VS. the bureaucratic leaders (consumers) and I will bet that there are more Republican producers and more Democratic (consumers)?
Let us take our military. I bet their are more republicans serving our country then Democrats?
What other measures of intelligence, hard work and service do you Dems what to measure?
Last Man Standing
October 8th, 2010
1:24 pm
td:
Name calling is what some people are reduced to when they have neither the factual evidence nor the intellect to defend their position or attack your position. It is a common trait of liberals and democrats.
td
October 8th, 2010
1:43 pm
Last Man Standing, I totally understand what you are saying. Heck the Dems playbook this year is to dig up dirt on people. This is from the same party that yelled from every mountain, every street corner and on every microphone just a few year ago that a persons personal behavior has nothing to do with the way they will govern. One has to wonder if the were not being honest in the Clinton years, are not being honest now or say what ever is takes to get their philosophy in office?
I just thought I would point out some facts that will anger them a little more.
matt
October 8th, 2010
1:45 pm
I am convinced that td and last man are the same person.
If not, there is an amazing similarity in the timing of their postings and their smug rhetoric.
Using two personae, he/they can monopolize Jim’s blog and drive the rest of us crazy with smirking, pointless non-sequiturs.
LaLaLa
October 8th, 2010
2:04 pm
Jack Kemp used a UGA listserv to solicit funds for his last campaign to the State house in violation of state law and university policy. He “developed” properties in Athens, clearing all the trees in violation of local ordinances and leaving behind a large cleared space for condos with only the PVC sewer pipe connections sticking up. He is a robo-lican who should not be elected to any responsible office, let alone anything that relates to law, ethics, or money.
td
October 8th, 2010
2:07 pm
matt, Thank you for playing but you get no cigar on this one. You see the producers of this country think alike( smart business people). This philosophy and thinking is reason why your boss has a bigger house, nicer car and makes more money than you do. Come on and see the light and leave the dark side and you too can think like us and have the finer things in life.
BTW: You may think you are hidden behind this blog but did you know that the AJC has your IP address? Do you think this leftest paper would allow myself and Last man to post from the same IP address? I am sure Jim would have one of the names deleted immediately if we were the same person.
DifferentDrummer
October 8th, 2010
2:10 pm
How old are you, td? You sound like you’re about 17. Why not arm wrestle, too ? You and your soulmate, Last Man Standing, want to claim I’m a name-caller. Well, after watching too much Fox News and listening to your mouthpieces like Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, Dick Morris, Sarah Palin and those other geniuses on Fox and Friends, it seems name calling is regular sport in today’s brand of American politics and one that gets done to so-called “libs” and “Democraps,” I have become one. In one of your other blogs,in a reply to a Virginia, you stated, in essence, that progressive thinking is inconsistent with conservative thought. For me, that statement spoke volumes about the conservative philosophy and those who adhere to it. Name calling? It was one of the dumbest statements I have ever heard coming from someone who purports to speak on behalf of the conservative message. td, the corrollary to that statement is, quite simply, that conservatives are, therefore, regressive. And that, my fellow blogger, is the truth. You would have this society return to a time when America wasn’t such a nice place to live in. When people worked for nothing and got treated as even less than that.
And BTW, I served my country from 1967 to 1971 in the USAF, my son served bravely and honorably in Iraq as a Marine Corps Military Police Officer in 2003. My father in-law and my father both served in WWII. All 4 of us willingly and proudly served our country and we’re all proud Democrats.
matt
October 8th, 2010
2:17 pm
Let me assure you td that I don’t want to be like you.
td
October 8th, 2010
3:07 pm
DifferentDrummer, First let me thank you and your family for your service to our country. I too come from a long line of family that has served. My father served during the same period as you, GF during WW2, GGF WW1 and GGGGF served in the GA 65th during the civil war. Some of them were probably conservative Dems but they are now proud Republicans. You have the right to have whatever philosophy you wish and I will gladly stand by you to protect your right, but it is hard for me to understand how you could now stand up for the people now that would have cursed and spit on you when you came back from honorably serving our country?
I do not listen or watch to Hannity or do I watch Fox and friends. I do watch O’Reily most every night and I would really like you to prove that he has ever used the word “Democrap”? Morris has never used such a word either, nor has Palin. Can you please show me evidence of those remarks. I also do not believe the have every used the term “lib” but I will say Liberal is a regular term used to describe liberals. You do know that Morris was the behind the scenes strategist for Clinton when he won re election? He switched parties when the democrats dashed to the left (about the same time as most Ga. yellow dogs switched parties).
As for progressivism (the original name of the liberal movement in America), you and I may have a different definition of the term. Did you know that Karl Marx labeled himself as a progressive? How about Lennin? If you will do a little research then you will find that these same type people are calling themselves progressives again today.
I want this nation to go back to being closer to following the original intent of the Constitution. Since this document forms our whole system of governing and form our values as a nation, is this such a bad thing?
Last Man Standing
October 8th, 2010
3:54 pm
td:
“This is from the same party that yelled from every mountain, every street corner and on every microphone just a few year ago that a persons personal behavior has nothing to do with the way they will govern”
You must be speaking of “I never had sex with that woman, Miss Lewinsky”?
I think that the one thing his supporters never understood was that it wasn’t the sexual act but rather the lying under oath that upset so many people.
td
October 8th, 2010
4:03 pm
matt
October 8th, 2010
2:17 pm
Let me assure you td that I don’t want to be like you.
Well just make sure you are at work on time Monday morning or I will have to dock your pay.
Douglas
October 8th, 2010
5:27 pm
Last Man, what upset me about Clinton’s dalliances was that he was going with such Trailer Tarts. I mean, Kennedy set the standard, didn’t he, with Maryln Monroe. Ol’ Bill should have been shagging with Julia Roberts. Then he’s have had my respect.
Last Man Standing
October 8th, 2010
5:47 pm
Douglas:
At least JFK didn’t do his thing in the oral office! JFK never lied under oath, either.
DifferentDrummer
October 8th, 2010
5:51 pm
td, you have every reason to be proud of your familiy’s military service, as well. The term progressive was first used in this country in the early 1900s. It was a term attributed to a U. S Senator from the State of Wisconsin named Robert “Fighting Bob” LaFollett, who was….a Republican. I would encourage you to read up on him. He set the tone as a”progressive” to fight for the rights of the little guy…the guy who was getting screwed by the powerful and the greedy. He was fiercely anti-communist. BTW, do you know what Jews in an Israeli kibbutz refer to themselves as? “Communists” Interesting term to be used by the only democracy in the Middle East, wouldn’t you say? Too often, bloggers are too quick to bandy around terms and names and have no idea what their true meaning is, or that there are multiple meanings for those terms.
Check out my facts. At the turn of the 20th Century, the City of Milwaukee (hardly a bastion of radicals and Bolsheviks) had two “Socialist” mayors. — Dan Rohn and Frank Zeidler.
Last Man Standing
October 8th, 2010
5:52 pm
td:
Thinking about JFK, I believe that were he alive today and in politics, he most likely would be a Republican. He definitely would be considered a conservative when compared to the democrats of today.
Last Man Standing
October 8th, 2010
6:06 pm
DifferentDrummer:
I agree with what you say about “terms and names”. The English language seems to change with each generation so that terms and names are not static, but rather molded by the users. This can be particularly frustrating when attempting to research older material. I learned the word “gay” as an adjective and now it is most often used as a noun and means something totally different. Likewise, the words “cool” and “awesome” are very much used today – and I don;t even know how to describe their use, or over-use. I don’t think the answer is to invent new words because we have more than enough to deal with now!
catlady
October 8th, 2010
6:41 pm
When do we learn and refuse to elect people with a compromised history? Is the R next to her name enough to make folks overlook her checkered past? (Works for Nathan Deal).
catlady
October 8th, 2010
6:52 pm
It’s a real btch to be from the Family Values Party, isn’t it?
catlady
October 8th, 2010
6:55 pm
If the AJC digs, there will be more “family values” revelations about important people in the legislature.
Last Man Standing
October 8th, 2010
7:07 pm
catlady:
You can put away your fishing gear. I don’t think you will get a “bite” tonight.
Girl Watcher
October 8th, 2010
10:07 pm
Wow! I’m thinking Rakestraw would be quite the hottie to date. Love that redheaded “hot-blooded” look.
John Galt
October 9th, 2010
6:05 pm
OMG, she cut her ex’s hair and scratched him! Why didn’t she get the death penalty!
And remember folks, you may NOT support family values unless you have been sinless since birth! The catlady has spoken!
Last Man Standing
October 9th, 2010
6:28 pm
“If you’re a Georgia Democrat, you no doubt feel a bit beleaguered in this anti-Obama season. But this might cheer you up: Your team has developed an excellent database research system when it comes to backgrounding Republican candidates for the Legislature.”
Let me interpret: If you have nothing to run on, we will dig up as much dirt as we can on your opponent. Then we will make sure the news media gets it: the AJC has first dibs!
Jonathan
October 9th, 2010
11:58 pm
Looks like another piece of trailor trash running for the tea party. Nice……………….
Sheri
October 10th, 2010
11:41 am
In regards to what was reported when Braddock said about all of the above information about her. “All of this is just typical mudslinging. . .character assassination,” Well Braddock was the biggest offender towards her opponent Rep. Stout in the months leading to the July election and run-off election.
During Braddock ’s campaign against Stout she did the typical mudslinging and character assassination. Not once In her campaign material did she mention what she could bring to the table to support her constituents. In addition, why hasn’t someone mentioned why she was ousted as a member of the Paulding County school board. Finally, I heard that when she was dealing with bankruptcy, she put some business in her mother’s name to avoid losing it. Braddock has more in her closet that anyone knows. And is tightly packed behind locked closet doors only to be brought out by “Oh by the way.”
It also doesn’t surprise me that she couldn’t remember about the charges that were dismissed as if they never happened. A charge is a matter of record whether you were guilty or not and sent to some form of counseling or rehab. This sound just like the typical comments that a serial offender would make about his or her first couple of crime sprees. This was a matter of convenience for her. No one forgets about the crimes they do, they just chose not to remember!
If an individual runs for an official elected office, the people need to interview them just as if they were on a job interview. What is it that they can bring to the table to support why they deserve to be elected to office, not focus on why their opponent does not deserve to be elected.
TelllinItLikeItIs
October 11th, 2010
1:46 pm
It’s all expected of Democrats – we’re surprised when it happens to Republicans.