Your morning jolt: State lawmaker owes Georgia Southern $52k in broadcast revenue
You can now count Cecil Staton, the Senate majority whip, among the many state lawmakers in serious financial trouble.
Georgia Southern University says the Macon Republican and his company, Georgia Eagle Media, owes more than $52,000 in shared advertising revenue generated through radio broadcasts of the school’s football games.
According to 13WMAZ in Macon, Staton signed a five-year deal with the university in 2006:
From the TV station’s website:
The university’s response to 13WMAZ’s open-records request showed Staton’s last reply to Georgia Southern dated May 24.
In it, Staton did not directly acknowledge the late payments, but wrote, “As a local business, we are barely surviving the worst three years broadcast media has experienced in decades due to the bad economy. At just the most difficult time for us you simply send a letter saying that’s it. No call to a friend. No word of warning.”
What the WMAZ report doesn’t mention is that Staton chairs the higher education subcommittee of the larger Senate committee that oversees the state budget.
***
Also raising eyebrows in Macon: The endorsement of two Democrats by state Rep. Allen Peake, a fervent Republican. Peake has clashed frequently and loudly with former state Senate Democratic leader Robert Brown, who resigned this month to run for mayor of Macon against incumbent Robert Reichert.
Wrote Peake in an e-mail to his GOP audience:
The election will be decided in the Democratic primary on July 19. If you normally only vote in the Republican primary, and live in the city, your vote will only be heard if you vote in the Democratic primary. The choice is very clear – Robert Reichert. While I may not always agree with Mayor Reichert, you can never doubt his integrity (he pays his property taxes and files his state income tax returns on time), and you can be assured he will never embarrass our community…..
Brown’s campaign has incorporated Peake’s endorsement into a fundraising communiqué:
We must not let Republicans chose our leaders. We definitely do not need to let them defeat one of our strongest Democrats in Georgia. When this Republican leader and other Macon Republicans attacked President Barack Obama, then-Senate Democratic Leader Robert Brown placed billboards all over Macon for six months expressing support for President Obama.
Peake also endorsed Democrat Miriam Paris in the contest to replace Brown in the Legislature. Also in the contest is veteran state Rep. David Lucas.
***
GOP presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty was the kicked tire at a West Paces Ferry Road fundraiser that drew $100,000, according to Todd Rehm of PeachPundit.
Lori Geary of Channel 2 Action News snagged the only interview with the former Minnesota governor, and asked Pawlenty whether he regretted not delivering a punch when asked about “Obamneycare” during that New Hampshire debate a few weeks ago.
Pawlenty said he did. “It was a direct question. I should have answered it more directly,” he said. The video:
***
Today’s AJC Politifact Georgia tests GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich’s comparison of his campaign staff woes to those of Ronald Reagan in 1980.
***
In an email to constituents, state Rep. Calvin Smyre of Columbus, the former chairman of the state Democratic party, announced that he’ll be laid up as of today with hip surgery at Hughston Orthopedic Hospital in Columbus.
Wrote Smyre, one of the longest-serving members of the Legislature:
”I will spend approximately three to five days at the hospital for recovery and observation, and then home to recuperate. I will likely be out of the office for approximately three weeks.”
Which means he should be up on his feet again just in time for the special session to address redistricting.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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91 comments Add your comment
Alabama Communist
June 29th, 2011
1:07 pm
More Breaking News On GSU missing media Sports cash!!!!!!!! According to outside rumors in certain Sports Circles.. The Majority leader recieved another letter from GSU authorities. ” Dear Cecil Staton, Senate majority whip. We have had enough of your deadbeat political Republican excuses. You got the money and spent it on yourself which makes you a thief like most Republicans. You got one week to come up with the MO or We will put a Red Dog Biltz on you at the State Capital with our defensive team in full public view..” Yours for better football in the 21 st century of Collections..Coach Mad Dog Jones…
m. hershovitz, esq.
June 29th, 2011
1:16 pm
tell the good folks down at Georgia Southern to give me a call. I know how to get their money. 404.262.1425
Last Man Standing
June 29th, 2011
1:21 pm
Mayor Moron:
I have every confidence that the Macon voters will return Ellis to the mayor’s office. He can then order new “Macon City Limits, C. Jack Ellis – Mayor” signs to replace the “Macon City Limits” signs – as he did before when he was mayor. The taxpayers of Macon can resume paying for his numerous trips to Africa, and once again the fed can investigate “missing” federal money.
What is his muslim name? I keep forgetting . . .
phil
June 29th, 2011
1:32 pm
Staton is not so bereft of funds that he can’t go out to eat at Marco in Macon. The last 2 times I was there, so was he. The place isn’t cheap.
At the golf course
June 29th, 2011
1:45 pm
How can anyone take Cecil Staton seriously. It seems he is short of cash. Who else does he owe money to? I bet this is not his only bad debt. How often are campaign accounts audited. Where can you find out how much they have in their accounts?
Joel K. Jones
June 29th, 2011
1:53 pm
Soimeone has his history wrong. I read the statement that the republicans have always had control of Georgia. I will beg to differ. I lived in Ga. as a child and I remember the domination that the Democrats had in the state. I also remember that there was a fight between two democrats who thought they had inherited the state house.
Georgia Smeagol
June 29th, 2011
2:21 pm
Staton may be short $52k to pay back a state university, but I know where he could get it. He should just sell either the mountain house he owns near Rome or the beach house he owns on Hilton Head. Or one of his several luxury cars. Hell, even his son drives a Mercedes to his fancy private school. Or leave his pricey country club or stop buying so much wine. But he won’t. He’ll just fire another employee or two. Not that any of them actually get paid.
geez
June 29th, 2011
2:22 pm
go to state website for campaign disclosures The Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission (GTCFC) (formerly the State Ethics Agency) and it will tell you how much money Staton has on hand and how much money he is in debt.
double
June 29th, 2011
2:26 pm
@Flo Taxes also.
geez
June 29th, 2011
2:28 pm
http://www.ethics.state.ga.us/Reports/Campaign/Campaign_ReportOptions.aspx?NameID=211&FilerID=C2006000060&CDRID=31579 – Here’s Staton’s campaign finance report from January 2011. He’s paying himself for his own campaign office.
R U Kidding Me?
June 29th, 2011
2:29 pm
Another Republican member of the Georgia State Senate caught in an ethical dilemna and a financial scandal? There was a time (about 9 years ago) when that would have been unusual. Today, it’s called the Republican way.
Pompus, arrogant, Holy Man Cecil Staton, who chairs the Senate Higher Education Sub-Committee for Apropriations, strikes a financial deal with Georgia Southern University’s athletic department which creates a huge conflict of interest for the good Senator. Then, he magages to stiff GSU for $54,000, thinking that surely they would cancel his contract, because after all, he IS the most Godly Senator of them all! R U Kidding Me? Come’on Cecil. You have become one of the biggest jokes in the State Senate and brother, that is quite the accomplishment. Last month, it was the Beth Merkleson scandal. This month, it’s much worse.
And what about another fine member of the Senate Leadership??? Chip Rogers, who is currently being sued for mortgage fraud, and is under a $2M+ IRS tax lien. And then there is Gov. Crooked Deal. His list of scandals would make Sonny Perdue envious. And when the Ethics Commission draws up supeonas to look into your financial dealings, just get the board to refuse to sign the supeonas and then proceed to fire the staff.
There is a reason the Republicans didn’t control state government for 134 years. It’s because they can’t govern because they are all too busy stealing for themselves. US Attorney Salley Yates … WHERE ARE YOU????
Winfield J. Abbe
June 29th, 2011
3:17 pm
“Knock Knees” already trumped my comment. The principle of conflict of interest is not in the vocabulary of the ignorant folks who run Georgia, partly because most of them graduated from corrupt UGA which never taught them any ethics or explained why an honest person automatically
walks away from any possible conflict of interest.
Mr. Perdue appointed 12 members of the Regents from his cronies at UGA. The new Chancellor Huckaby received his new half million dollar soft plum job due to cronyism and the good old boy system here. The State of Georgia even violated the federal fair employment Act with impunity. A good secretary would have done a better job for alot less money.
In Georgia it is not what you know, but who you know. And don’t worry about any penalties for violating conflict of interest principles in Georgia. Even lawyers almost never receive any punishment either. This is why Georgia is a corrupt cesspool.
Johnny
June 29th, 2011
3:38 pm
Hey Georgia State.. Here is a way to settle it once and for all. Have your football team play GSU’s football team and the winner get the use the initals GSU..
Eagle 6 on it
June 29th, 2011
4:04 pm
1st: Georgia State should be known as GsU and Georgia Southern as GSU
2nd: Why in the Hell did Sam Baker hire a Furman grad to run our radio network…Can we get Nate Hirch back Touchdown Georgia Southern
Panama
June 29th, 2011
4:08 pm
Hate to bring this up but GaSo’s own administration in it’s identity standards guide, says that Georgia Southern is not to be referred to as GSU so as to not confuse it with any other institution. If they really wanted the brand they should have maybe , I don’t know, put it on a football helmet, trademarked the logo, purchased the internet domain, put it in a fight song, placed it the 50 yard line of their football field, placed it on a skyscraper on their campus, become a university with that name and acronym a quarter century before anyone else could come and steal it. Oh wait, someone already did all of that.
Panama
June 29th, 2011
4:09 pm
@Johnny
Do your research. Your AD will not schedule us. I believe the correct term is…
BWAK!
Can't believe Cecil Staton
June 29th, 2011
4:09 pm
Cecil staton speaks. It is the fault of local media.http://warnerrobinspatriot.com/bookmark/14512051-MY-OPINION-Irresponsible-Journalism .
Having reviewed Staton’s history since April my most pressing question is Why in the world didn’t Staton get law enforcement involved in finding out who hacked into his computer system. He promised an investigation that would clear his name. Where is the name clearing proof.
I can’t believe anyone would follow this joker.
Cecil, look in the morrow and see who is to blame in all of your mess.
Panama
June 29th, 2011
4:11 pm
@Eagle for 6
SHOULD and ARE are too different articles. Your school says you are Georgia Southern or GS. Period. Take it up with your administration and get yourself a flux capacitor enabled vehicle.
Huh?
June 29th, 2011
4:32 pm
http://www.gsustore.com ? Oh yeah, didn’t Bill Curry say he was afraid to play a tough opponent in Georgia Southern? By the way, GSU doesn’t have the need for any ugly skyscrapers on their campus. Beautiful area down there.
Johnny
June 29th, 2011
5:26 pm
Yeah you are right. We don’t play high school teams..
Serious Robuck
June 29th, 2011
5:33 pm
Last Man, does Staton’s behavior bother you at all? Or are you just concerned with black Democrats in Macon? Serious is curious about your thoughts.
R U Kidding Me?
June 29th, 2011
5:43 pm
Johnny and Panama:
You two are a classic example of the typical voter in this state. The story is about a corrupt leader of the State Senate and all you two morons want to talk about is some silly ass football trash talk. I know, just give you your guns with a healthy dose of Jesus, and you could care less what the crooked politicians steal.
Panama
June 29th, 2011
5:52 pm
@R U Kidding
I dont talk Georgia politics because invariably some idiot starts pumping his chest with his opinion. (Hint Hint) Politically this is the most embarrassing state in the Union. Why keep demonstrating it in print? ;P
Stop whining. 65 Days
td
June 29th, 2011
7:01 pm
Serious Robuck
June 29th, 2011
5:33 pm
Last Man, does Staton’s behavior bother you at all? Or are you just concerned with black Democrats in Macon? Serious is curious about your thoughts
LMS do not answer this guy. All he will do is call you a name and never give you an honest answer. He is just a George Sorros plant on these blogs with the only purpose is to take the progressive tack of calling conservatives dumb, stupid or a fool.
Serious Robuck
June 29th, 2011
7:57 pm
td, you are a fool. Your posts are so stupid they don’t merit discussion. Last night you accused the Obama administration of “taking over” 20% of the American economy by passing Obamacare. That statement is so off the wall, no one with a mind would engage you in arguing it. I spent a good part of my professional life abroad where government DOES control health care. I never heard even one person there complain about their health care other than waits for non-emergency procedures. Trust me, they would NEVER exchange their system for ours.
Now I’m 60, self-employed and self-insured. Try out the insurance marketplace, dumbass, when you’re my age and you’ve survived a vicious melanoma. The greedy insurance companies are still in charge here, not Obama. But you’re a fool and logic is foreign to you…why am I responding to you?
I’m curious about LMS’ position because in the year or so I’ve been reading and occasionally posting here, I’ve never read a post of his where he in any way criticizes any Republican. I just don’t think he’s capable of it, even in an egregious case like Staton’s. What do you think of Staton, td? Were you aware of his Beth Merkleson impersonation? Did you know that when he was posing as a woman, he was attacking Casey Cagle, a conservative Republican, who from all I’ve ever read is a really decent guy?
td
June 29th, 2011
8:32 pm
Serious Robuck
June 29th, 2011
7:57 pm
Since I am such a fool just go and listen to one of the Democratic leaders of the House and what he said Obmamcare is:
http://hotair.com/archives/2011/03/15/conyers-obamacare-a-platform-for-government-takeover-of-health-care/
td
June 29th, 2011
8:37 pm
Try reading this editorial too:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/feb/11/obamacares-casualties-800000-jobs/
Serious Robuck
June 29th, 2011
9:12 pm
td, thanks for the advice and the suggestions.
double
June 29th, 2011
9:41 pm
I did not think anyone could tell LMS what to do, or not do.So much for thinking.
double
June 29th, 2011
9:45 pm
Will Jones are you sure you are blaming the right groups?
Eagleton
June 29th, 2011
10:22 pm
We elect people like this because we don’t look at there deeds. We only listen to there words So now the higher education chair is running a shake down on a higher education institution and the chair of banking is embroiled in the failure of his bank and the majority (something) is trying to welsh on his hotel loan he guaranteed with a congressman we also elected. Meanwhile the same bunch is choking public education while chasing immigration and spending millions on schools to make little authoritarian followers.
Eagleton
June 29th, 2011
10:26 pm
“their” instead of “there”.
Ethic
June 29th, 2011
10:30 pm
Lawmakers should be prohibited from earning more than 10% of their income directly or indirectly from doing business with the state
Last Man Standing
June 29th, 2011
10:41 pm
td:
These blogs are full of educated and wise posts, or at least the people posting think themselves educated and wise. A liberal will never let facts obscure their vision of the world he/she wishes to see, and he/she dismisses anything a conservative offers in the way of information supporting a conservative thought or point of view.
“All he will do is call you a name”
I noted that his next post contained his references to you as “fool” and “dumbass”. I think those words more aptly fit him.
PeachState Patriot
June 29th, 2011
10:46 pm
http://www.13wmaz.com/news/article/133984/175/Georgia-Southern-Rejects-Statons-Partial-Payment
This link includes access to all of the documents. Very very very interesting. I guess his buddy Chip will save him again.
double
June 30th, 2011
1:23 am
LMS is a suck.Kissing TDs a$$.No one party,liberal or conservative right all the time.
Last Man Standing
June 30th, 2011
7:23 am
double:
There is no kissing going on here, but I do remember a time in the not too distant past when td and I were attacked every day for merely predicting a conclusion that was plainly evident. If I remember correctly, you were one of those attacking us. td and I think alike most of the time.
Now that you have gotten your two cents worth in, you will be able to go on about your business.
Ethic
June 30th, 2011
9:00 am
It is more than a little sad that in the last dozen posts only 3 are anything resembling discourse in the public square. Chest thumping in the lawmakers’ houses is why the nation is reeling. But, I guess that’s the problem – we get the gov’t we deserve. It is a “government of the people” and when people are reduced to name calling, gov’t is simply reflecting the populace.
Enjoy your idiocracy, guys. The state house boys are getting rich while you rail, McCarthy like, at each other on a virtual public square – painting L or C and blurring the lines between the two.
Want to know where it all ends, take a litte time and watch the movie “The Lives of Others” I know for some you’ll think it off limits since it’s in subtitles.
Republican State Lawmaker Interferes with Democratic Primary :: Georgia Politico
June 30th, 2011
10:02 am
[...] State Lawmaker Rep. Allen Peake, who Galloway describes as a “fervent Republican,” has interjected himself into the Race for Macon’s Mayor and State Senate. He [...]
double
June 30th, 2011
12:12 pm
Lms you are getting more senile.Find where I attacked you for your predictions.You are as big a liar as the braggart.Yep you do think alike.Now that you got your quarters worth in go suck up.
double
June 30th, 2011
12:38 pm
@Ethics you begin your blog speaking sensibly,then end it wanting to base our future on a movie.idocrazy?