Report: Nathan Deal lobbied attorney general for landfill clearance
The Associated Press has moved the following:
While in Congress, Republican Nathan Deal lobbied Georgia’s attorney general and top environmental officials to approve a landfill that he and his business partner wanted next to their Gainesville auto salvage yard. That’s according to e-mails and memos obtained by The Associated Press.
Deal, now the GOP nominee for governor, was part owner of some property contained in the landfill proposal and signed applications for it. Deal denies any financial interest in the project.
The documents, obtained through open records requests, show Deal tried in 2005 to persuade Attorney General Thurbert Baker to interpret state law so the landfill could move forward. They also indicate Deal’s top congressional aide was keeping close tabs, communicating with state officials through his U.S. House e-mail account.
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141 comments Add your comment
Perimeter Progressive
October 13th, 2010
3:52 pm
How can anyone trust this man to lead Georgia? He’s only out to help himself, not help Georgians.
Nathan Deal’s Road to Nowhere – http://perimeterprogressive.wordpress.com/2010/10/12/nathan-deals-road-to-nowhere/
Born with a tan.
October 13th, 2010
3:53 pm
Nothing this shady DEAL does surprises me.
LoLa
October 13th, 2010
3:53 pm
AP is ahead again! What is happening to you, AJC?
Cobb GOP
October 13th, 2010
3:56 pm
Jim,
Does RoyBama have to report the AJC’s advertising (or what you call journalism) as an in-kind contribution?
Ralph
October 13th, 2010
3:56 pm
Report: AJC ignores Barnes diversion of GA 400 tolls to non-related pet project. The AJC also ignores Barnes representing shady clients as long as they pay big bucks.
The AJC continues to shill/campaign for Democratic candidates, especially Barnes who was voted out of office by Georgia constituents for cause. The AJC’s motto is “Smearing the Atlanta metro like the smog”.
Clint
October 13th, 2010
3:57 pm
Who did this man represent in Congress for 18 years? Apparently himself and his own personal financial interests all paid for by the US Taxpayers.
Jon
October 13th, 2010
3:57 pm
And the band played on…
Poor Republicans
October 13th, 2010
3:57 pm
The AP OR Requests get handled faster than the AJC’s obviously
Shady Deal
October 13th, 2010
3:58 pm
And yet, Georgians won’t wake up to this shady trial lawyer that wants to be governor, all because he has that (R) next to his name.
Sick&Tired
October 13th, 2010
3:59 pm
I wish Sarah Palin would take “Shady Deal” back to Alaska; since she supports him. I would prefer to have a “Mama Grissley”; the actual bear, not Palin.
older conservative
October 13th, 2010
4:00 pm
I have never seen in all my years such a concerted effort to demonish a Republican candidate or any candidate for that matter. The AJC, AP, Mr. Galloway, and others are issuing several different articles each day. I literally pray to God that some of you have some decency to stop this.
No human being deserves this.
It seems that the media for sports and politics are in the government’s pocket.
It borders on harrassment!!!!!!!!!
Aquagirl
October 13th, 2010
4:00 pm
What’s next? Did he run a McDonald’s out of his freakin’ office?
Robert Reeves
October 13th, 2010
4:01 pm
Remember Edwin Edwards? Looks like it’s going to take a live boy or a dead girl.
JD
October 13th, 2010
4:01 pm
Gotta hand it to Deal’s attorney — “Deal was representing a constituent in this land fill request.” Reporter: “But the constituent was Deal himself.” Attorney: “Yes, so?”
Gene Talmadge is finishing behind Deal in creative genius.
Roy has my vote
October 13th, 2010
4:03 pm
To Cobb GOP and Ralph: Do y’all honestly believe that these reports, which incidentally suggest a pattern whereby Deal uses his public office to benefit his private financial interests and were initially reported by the Associated Press, apparently–are not legitimate news stories for the AJC to print? And to Ralph, specifically, did you miss Alan Judd’s article regarding Roy’s law firm and banking wealth a couple weeks ago or you just a shill for Nathan Deal. The more I see of Deal backers attacking the media for doing their job regarding Deal’s past, the more embarrassed I am of the so-called Republican party in this state.
MD
October 13th, 2010
4:05 pm
Free loaders unite and buy stock in greyhound you will be useing it soon.
Roy has my vote
October 13th, 2010
4:05 pm
Just when I thought it could not get more preposterous, “older conservative” claims Nathan Deal is a victim of “harassment” by the AJC. I guess some people regard ethics as a completely irrelevant criteria in chosing the best candidate for governor. Unbelievable.
Aquagirl
October 13th, 2010
4:07 pm
Look, Deal-drones. The local FOX news station, the AP, the AJC, Jim Galloway….Oh, the persecution!
Did it ever occur to any of you that Nathan Deal might just be, y’know—kinda shady? You don’t have to dig, the slime just oozes up. The guy is like the La Brea tar pits.
True Republican
October 13th, 2010
4:07 pm
Deal had no Financial Interest in this project. So if a politician has a citizen in his district that he knows is he not allowed to LEAGALLY work on their behalf?
MD
October 13th, 2010
4:09 pm
Galloway standing in front of a train is a hazard!I hope Gov.Deal puts you and the rest of your liberal minds on notice.
Ga Values
October 13th, 2010
4:09 pm
What is the difference between Rep. Nathan Deal (R-GA), Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), & Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA)? Deal resigned rather than face trial.
15 MOST CORRUPT CONGRESSMEN
Rep. Nathan Deal (R-GA)
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)
Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL)
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)
Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)
Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL)
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV)
Rep. John Murtha (D-PA)
Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY)
Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA)
Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-IN)
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA)
Rep. Don Young (R-AK)
older conservative
October 13th, 2010
4:10 pm
Roy, give me a break. you are in Barne’s pocket or on his staff. Vote your conscience and I’ll vote mine. Enough said.
Nathan Deal’s Road to Nowhere (Updated) « The Perimeter Progressive
October 13th, 2010
4:12 pm
[...] AJC’s Jim Galloway posted this AP excerpt earlier today: While in Congress, Republican Nathan Deal lobbied Georgia’s attorney general and [...]
MD
October 13th, 2010
4:13 pm
How much money can obama print? The more he prints the less yours is worth,they call that – - – - – - rich.
Bad Deal
October 13th, 2010
4:14 pm
Imagine, if you will, the following scenario:
A Congressman files an application to rezone 137 acres of property in order to use it as a solid waste landfill so that he can use the property as a junkyard adjacent to his auto salvage yard. Not long after, the same Congressman files an application to have a small private road that services the aforementioned property, his business, and two other businesses turned into a public road so that taxpayer money can be used to maintain the road. Then, when the applications weren’t approved fast enough, the Congressman sets his chief of staff to the task of pushing the applications through. The chief of staff utilizes his House email account to contact county officials during business hours in order to inquire about the issue. A series of emails is sent arranging face to face meetings between the Congressman and the county officials. The meetings take place at the Congressional offices during the workweek.
This would be a case of gross misconduct by a public official. House ethics rules mandate that no Representative can use his office for personal gain.
And this is exactly what Nathan Deal did.
In a report that aired on Fox 5 Atlanta today, Nathan Deal’s attorney defended these actions by claiming that Deal’s chief of staff didn’t specifically ask for anything. He further defended the actions by claiming that they were undertaken on behalf of a constituent. Who was this unnamed constituent? Well, given that the only people who would benefit from turning the private road into a tax funded public road would be Nathan Deal, his business partner, and the owners of the other two businesses on that road, it seems to be a pretty narrow pool of people. One can only assume that the constituent in question was most likely Nathan Deal himself.
More importantly, Deal’s attorney really ought to get his arguments straight. Either Deal never asked for anything or Deal asked for something on behalf of a constituent. You can’t have it both ways.
When you add this most recent ethically questionable finding to those already examined in the House Congressional Ethics Committee investigation of Nathan Deal’s no-bid contract with the state of Georgia, you begin to see a pretty ugly picture.
Nathan Deal used his position to protect a lucrative no-bid contract paid for by Georgia taxpayers. The ethics investigation concluded that there is “substantial reason” to believe Deal may have violated house ethics rules when he and his chief of staff used House email accounts to arrange meetings between Deal and Georgia officials regarding the state’s salvage inspection program. Deal used his position AGAIN in order to arrange a scenario in which Georgia taxpayers would be forced to pay to maintain a road leading to that same salvage yard. He also used his position to push through an application to rezone 137 acres of property in order to turn it into a landfill. The former Mayor of Gainesville said that, as a citizen, she had issues with rezoning the land. Perfectly understandable, given that landfills aren’t generally considered desirable in your area — particularly when they aren’t necessary for the public good but only for the private gain of a prominent citizen.
Nathan Deal seems awfully free with taxpayer money. He doesn’t seem to mind pocketing taxpayer dollars while he benefits from a no-bid contract. He doesn’t seem to mind asking the taxpayers to foot the bill for maintenance for a road leading to his business. If he is elected Governor, will he continue to use his position to add to his personal coffers?
No Deal, Georgia.
T-Bone
October 13th, 2010
4:15 pm
I’ve stopped putting much thought or concern into stories like this, because it’s clear the Georgia electorate cares more about partisanship than anything else. It’s one bad story about Deal after another, and yet Deal has only gained in the polls. It’s amazing what folks are willing to overlook just to vote for the guy without a (D) next to his name.
The General
October 13th, 2010
4:17 pm
Vote Libertarian and send both of these yahoos and their respective parties a message.
MikeMc
October 13th, 2010
4:18 pm
so you goobers in Ga. are going to elect “Lets make a” Deal. But that could be attributed to having the worst eductional system in the country, maybe the world!
MD
October 13th, 2010
4:20 pm
What are you dems going to do when the majority of americans smack obama and the goobers you have in power now back in the work force.You will be unemployed and begging for food stamps thats what.
WAW
October 13th, 2010
4:22 pm
Older Conservative: Where were you 8 years ago when your friends were spending their big bucks on Boot Barnes and King Rat? Barnes daughter’s wedding was picketed by Flaggers, there was no border then, it was outright harassment. It alright for the US Chamber of Commerce to spend millions of “who knows whose” money paying Carl Rove productions companies in California to produce smear commercials. You throw crap at folks long enough and they’re gonna throw it back. Conservatives are not necessarily Republicans, that said, you best know who it is you’re sleeping with and they won’t tell. Follow the money and you’ll get far enough to know that these folks are not your kind of people. The fact you are older means you are a target because older people vote. You will hear the terms and catch phrases that are meant just for older people. They want you so happy that you think you’re in a Viagra commercial. Your vote, that’s what they want and that’s all of you they want. Sorry to burst you bubble but politics ain’t holy.
Aquagirl
October 13th, 2010
4:24 pm
We’ll all be begging if Nathan Deal is elected. Unless you’re his business partner, then you’re all set.
td
October 13th, 2010
4:26 pm
MikeMc
October 13th, 2010
4:18 pm
so you goobers in Ga. are going to elect “Lets make a” Deal. But that could be attributed to having the worst eductional system in the country, maybe the world!
I guarantee you if we take all the score of the Democratic voters out of the equation we would not be at the bottom?
findog
October 13th, 2010
4:34 pm
AQ,
You missed Congressman Deal’s hometown newspaper, The Gainesville Times, which is running the same Associated Press story; BUT at least he is not a warlock!
Dick in Gainesville
October 13th, 2010
4:37 pm
findog
October 13th, 2010
4:34 pm
Are you sure? That might be the next revelation.
findog
October 13th, 2010
4:39 pm
td @4:56
I guess you are right
A bottomless pit has no bottom
Dick in Gainesville
October 13th, 2010
4:40 pm
findog
October 13th, 2010
4:34 pm
Screwed up, I should have said if there was any way Deal could skim money off of being a Warlock, he would be 1.
findog
October 13th, 2010
4:42 pm
Dick,
No I am going on the assumption that since its working for that mama grizzly in Delaware the good Congressman would have self identified for the electoral advantage
older conservative
October 13th, 2010
4:46 pm
WAW, I was in the classroom teaching your children. Haven’t forgotten what Mr. Barnes did as our former governor.
Retired Soldier
October 13th, 2010
4:59 pm
Goodness, the sharks are out in full force today. Everyone needs to relax, the polls are correct 95% of the time and Deal has consistently had about a 9 point lead. Deal is going to be the next Gov. No need to have a heart attack. In two years if Deal is lousy than ya’ll can say I told you so.
Calhoun
October 13th, 2010
5:00 pm
Once again, folks, this is a classic example of the AJC beating up on Nathan Deal. When was the last time the AJC crawled over the public records to find when Barnes lobbied state officials? Can you spell “never”? It is no crime, neither is it unethical or immoral to lobby any governmental entity. It is a constitutional right which most Deal haters either don’t know about or would rather forget. Most people have lobbied their local, state, or federal government, or all three, in their own behalf or had others to do so. This is the way representative government works.
Retired Soldier
October 13th, 2010
5:01 pm
Well said Calhoun.
Dick in Gainesville
October 13th, 2010
5:04 pm
Retired Soldier
October 13th, 2010
4:59 pm
How about Deal’s home estate, it has been on the market at $990,000 for over a year, yet on Deal’s
last,4th, disclosure it is valued at $1,000,000?
Aquagirl
October 13th, 2010
5:10 pm
Uh, Calhoun, it wasn’t the AJC. It’s the AP. And FOX 5. And GOP State Committee members. And….
WAW
October 13th, 2010
5:10 pm
Older Conservative: ahhh that clears it up. Tenure (ten’ yer), n. permanent possession, as of office or position.
But NCLB took care of that and Roy even testified before Congress for it after he was asked by President W to serve on an evaluation commission. The GEA has seen the error of its ways and endorsed Roy.
But like you say, you vote your way and be happy with your choice.
Retired Soldier
October 13th, 2010
5:11 pm
Dick-
I’m not sure what you want from me. I’m no expert in Deal’s property holdings. You must have me confused with someone that lives in Gainesville. I live in a different part of the state. Ask a local real estate professional if you need an answer that badly.
John
October 13th, 2010
5:16 pm
All the wheeling, dealing and trickery this guy has done to help himself out and he’s still broke!
Doc Cheney
October 13th, 2010
5:20 pm
Nathan Deal is a cancerous tumor on Georgia’s rectum.
Seriously, he is.
He is a blood-sucking leach of a politician, and there is no way to deny it.
If you support him, you can ignore the facts, but you certainly cannot deny them.
Deal is a weak-eyed bottom feeder, always walking around with his hand out.
Georgia may not deserve better than Deal, but America does. Keep scum like this out of politics at any level.
Ralph
October 13th, 2010
5:22 pm
Leftist comments posted here which are so out of line with the electorate only prove the AJC caters to liberals, and a few of us who like to poke them.
Retired Soldier
October 13th, 2010
5:22 pm
Doc-
And what should we say you are? You need to get a life.
Doc Cheney
October 13th, 2010
5:22 pm
Maybe AJC has a liberal bias. So what. Get over it. Read a comic book if you don’t like it.
It’s a for-profit entity, not run by the government. Maybe they prefer an intelligent honest candidate. Stop the whining. Freedom is not free.