Mitch Seabaugh: GOP domination of Fulton delegation an ‘innocent byproduct’
Senate Reapportionment Chairman Mitch Seabaugh told reporters this morning that a Republican map that would put Fulton County legislation under GOP control was an “innocent byproduct” of his effort to satisfy the demands of his Democratic and Republican colleagues.
Seabaugh made his remarks after Democrats in the Senate loudly complained of unfair treatment, but before his committee met to consider a new version of the chamber’s political boundaries – designed to give Republicans a constitutional majority after the 2012 elections. The map is expected to be passed out, for a floor vote as early as Thursday.
In addition to giving the GOP a decent chance at building a two-thirds majority, the map could also give Republicans control of the Fulton County delegation by adding portions of four Republican-leaning districts inside county lines.
As a rule, legislation affecting individual counties must pass through local delegations before reaching either chamber. In the case of Fulton, that could include some very hot issues – such as the reach of county government in a territory filled with new cities, and the creation of a new Milton County from north Fulton.
Currently, the Fulton County Senate delegation is dominated 4-3 by Democrats. The new map could change that to a 7-4 Republican edge.
Seabaugh said this was not intentional.
The Sharpsburg lawmaker said his own Coweta County district expanded into south Fulton after consultation with his Democratic colleague, Donzella James. “Her district was overpopulated and when I sat down and spoke with her, she identified a certain area of population that she was willing to give up,” Seabaugh said. The city of Chattahoochee Hills is now in his district.
(James denies this account. And in the subsequent committee meeting, declared Seabaugh’s version “a lie” — later revising her assessment to “an untruth.”)
In any case, Seabaugh told reporters, county legislative delegations aren’t a matter for those concerned with voting rights. “Delegations – they are an advisory position. Legislation comes, and basically they sign off on it. This does not in any way [result in] disenfranchisement of the members of that county and who they vote for,” he said.
Further, Seabaugh said that not all Republicans are in favor of the creation of Milton County.
The man in charge of reapportionment in the Senate also took issue with Democratic charges that they had been snookered out of offering amendments to the map.
Senate Democratic Leader Steve Henson of Tucker said Seabaugh told him late Monday that no Democratic changes had been offered as of 11 a.m. – 24 hours before today’s 11 a.m. meeting — and thus would not be considered.
Henson said the rule was a result of new rules adopted by the Senate to speed the redistricting process – at 10:51 a.m.
Seabaugh went to the well to note that the 24-hour rule was adopted by his committee last April – and that Henson, in a June letter, had acknowledge the rule’s existence. “I’m sorry. If you can’t read the rules, won’t read the rules, or won’t obey the rules, I am going to follow the rules,” Seabaugh said.
Henson later said that Seabaugh was “technically” correct. But he also said that, until the Senate changed the rules on Monday morning, the reapportionment committee couldn’t have scheduled a meeting so early. “If they hadn’t changed the rules, we couldn’t have had that meeting until Wednesday. They passed those rule changes at 10:51 a.m. on Monday. We had until 11 o’ clock to get our amendments. They gave us a nine-minute chance,” Henson said.
Update: On the drive home, Seabaugh called to say that Henson was still mistaken in his understanding of Senate rules, and that his reapportionment committee could still meet Tuesday without the Senate chamber rule change.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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138 comments Add your comment
n
August 16th, 2011
3:06 pm
Thanks DannyX. Your stuff is priceless.
td
August 16th, 2011
3:25 pm
0BAMA INHERITED: a AAA credit rating; $1.61 gas (as of 12/31/08); 5.4% unemployment; and an 8 trillion dollar debt (accumulated since 1776, that was called “devastating”). 2 and 1/2 years later, we have an AA credit rating, nearly tripled gas prices, 9-10% unemployment & the debt ceiling is 17 TRILLION. Some STILL say this is a good job! Not sure who is scarier 0bama or his supporters. NUMBERS DON’T LIE!
GOP record in GA
August 16th, 2011
3:28 pm
Since Barnes lost in 2002, what has the Republican majority done in Georgia to: increase employment; simplify the tax code; cut taxes; shrink government; increase graduation rates; improve HOPE; maintain our home values; improve traffic; strengthen ethics laws; and reduce crime? This is a decade-long record of state management. Instead of trying to compete with the Democrats pre-2002, we need to compete with Charlotte, Dallas, Phoenix. Nashville, etc. Ask yourself: are we setting ourselves up to improve our future vs other states? Will our kids be better off in 2022 with our current direction?
td
August 16th, 2011
3:59 pm
GOP record in GA
August 16th, 2011
3:28 pm
“Republican majority done in Georgia to: increase employment”
First the government does not control employment. We were at full employment until the recession hit. I guess you think state government caused the recession.
“simplify the tax code”
Our tax code is pretty simple. It could be better so I will give you that one.
“cut taxes”
You are a Dem so I know you did not mean this one, but we have went from $23 billion in revenue to $17.5 and the Republicans did not raise taxes unlike most of the Democratic run states.
“shrink government”
Government has been shrunk in some agencies by as much as 50 to 60%. I think you would have to say the Republicans have done an excellent job on this one.
“increase graduation rates”
Graduation rates are higher today then they have ever been in Georgia. Take out the children of Democrats and it would be a great deal better.
“improve HOPE”
Deal saved the program this year.
“maintain our home values;”
Housing bubble bust took that one out. I do not think you can blame a nationwide problem on the Republican leadership in Georgia.
” improve traffic”
I have noticed this week how much traffic has improved since the illegals are leaving. It could still be improved more with more roads in north metro.
“strengthen ethics laws”
Who rally cares about this one?
“reduce crime”
We have more people locked up now then at any time in the states history. Crime would reduce as well as education increased if some more Dems left the state.
Overall, considering we have been in the greatest recession since the great depression the Republicans have done a pretty good job. Could be better and will get better once they get those districts draw to give constitutional power.
findog
August 16th, 2011
4:03 pm
It is time to bring redistricting into the 20th century
computer model with a set parameter:
county, city, subdivision, potable water supply
Billy McKinney having Cobb County included in his district was bad
Packing the GOP into Fulton County to spin off the affluent is just as bad
td, whenever has two wrongs made a right?
td
August 16th, 2011
4:06 pm
findog
August 16th, 2011
4:03 pm
You can not do it that way my friend due to the voting rights act.
findog
August 16th, 2011
4:11 pm
td, Obama’s measurements do not go from 12/31/2008 because W set up the 2009 budget
But since you pointed it out, how did the deficit get from 1T under Carter to nearly 6T when Bubba took over?
findog
August 16th, 2011
4:13 pm
td, sure you can, the voting rights act does not require gerrymandering or packing
td
August 16th, 2011
4:13 pm
findog
August 16th, 2011
4:11 pm
Stupidity mostly, although a lot of it has to do with the growth of entitlement programs. Alas the formation of the tea party.
findog
August 16th, 2011
4:22 pm
M-1, M-2, MX
tax cuts while increasing defense spending
didn’t work for the Reagan so they double-downed with W
according to Cheney, deficits don’t matter
td
August 16th, 2011
4:25 pm
findog
August 16th, 2011
4:22 pm
I am pretty sure entitlement spending (especially on Medicaid, Medicare, Food Stamps, WIC) have increased more than defense spending during the same time period. Defense is an actual constitutional responsibility, I have not seen where entitlements are.
findog
August 16th, 2011
4:42 pm
ah my friend you are wrong
WAR is a federal function, defense is a post WWII unconstitutional addition
we have not been in a war since 1946
Offensive weapon systems: B1, B2, Y22, ect
Cadillac welfare queens cause much less economic harm than aerospace war profiteers
LMAO
August 16th, 2011
4:46 pm
It’s clear the job of @td is to run interference for the state GOP on message board. As a teebeggar he’s as stupid as they come. The GOP in Georgia is going to RAISE our taxes during the next session. Every “use” tax is going to be raised to pay for more bank failures and asphalt. It was stopped becuz some DEM stood up and told EVERYONE. Without that all of our taxes would go through the roof. He’s using selective memory as well. Guess he doesn’t recall Perdue taking the school busses off the street when gas prices were approaching $4 during the waining days of the Bush Administration.
@td tell your GOP hacks and teebaggars the truth.
The strategy is simple…make EVERYHTING about Washington and Obama. Don’t take responsibility for ANYTHING. Deflect and defer. Yes, those teebaggars are easy to rile up when you say it’s the BLACK GUYS FALT!!!!!!
Bull!!!!!
Centrist
August 16th, 2011
4:49 pm
@ findog
According to a 1996 report of the Joint Economic Committee of the United States Congress, during Reagan’s two terms, and through 1993, the top 10% of taxpayers paid an increased share of tax revenue to the Federal government, while the lowest 50% of taxpayers paid a reduced share of the tax revenue.
On 8 of the 10 key economic variables examined, the American economy performed better during the Reagan years than during the pre- and post-Reagan years.
Interest rates, inflation, and unemployment fell faster under Reagan than they did immediately before or after his presidency.
Reagan’s tax cuts, combined with an emphasis on federal monetary policy, deregulation, and expansion of free trade created a sustained economic expansion creating America’s greatest sustained wave of prosperity ever. The American economy grew by more than a third in size, producing a $15 trillion increase in American wealth. Every income group, from the richest, middle class and poorest in this country, grew its income (1981–1989).
td
August 16th, 2011
4:59 pm
LMAO
August 16th, 2011
4:46 pm
It’s clear the job of @td is to run interference for the state GOP on message board.
Could you please go and tell me where I need to go to get my pay check for this great job I am doing? Will you write me a reference?
“The strategy is simple…make EVERYHTING about Washington and Obama”
Everything is about Obama and Washington for this coming election cycle. Obama is the worst President this country has ever had (I never thought those words would come out of my mouth after Carter). This country has to get away from his socialist model and back to the free enterprise system. I do not care if he was black, white, yellow or green. I would be on these blogs saying the same thing because he is a SOCIALIST.
Did the truth get your panties in a wad today? Poor baby can not handle the truth.
ahhkee
August 16th, 2011
5:03 pm
payback is a bitch isn’t it Dems?
Centrist
August 16th, 2011
5:03 pm
Reagan is credited with wining the cold war by standing up to the Soviet Union which collapsed – creating the “Peace Dividend” that Clinton inherited. Reagan is in the top 10 of all major polls ranking Presidents with approval ratings consistently in the 70’s. He won the two biggest landslide elections in history. If it weren’t for his second term Iran – Contra mess, he would probably be at the top of most lists.
Of course, the extreme left (hence mainstream media and posters here) hate it.
GOP record in GA
August 16th, 2011
5:59 pm
Basically, there is no defense of the last 10 years of GOP state government except it is all Obama’s fault?
honested
August 16th, 2011
6:21 pm
centrist
Do you have history rewrite talking points in front of you?
‘ray-gun is credited with winning the cold war’ (but you left out, except by rational historians and people who are not wrong wingers). Tell me who was President when a guy named Lech Walesa set up an independent trade union in Gdansk Poland? It wasn’t ray-gun because he had not won his first primary yet. Who was President when coal miners in the Ukraine went on strike because they hadn’t been paid in years? Who was President when East Germans began gathering in churches to network on effective ways to step out from under the military dictatorship holding them down? Most of the former soviet Citizens who basically said ‘you can shoot us but we are not going to do this any more’ had no idea who ray-gun was. It was those brave Citizens who ‘ended the cold war’.
But ray-gun did give a rousing speech for the hoo-rah crowd.
And he did pi$$ away about 6 trillion on military hardware with little or no long term value.
Wouldn’t that have been better spent on education and infrastructure?
Maybe ‘apologist’ would be a better handle.
honested
August 16th, 2011
6:23 pm
‘gop’
Without Obama to blame, they would have to accept responsibility for their abject failure.
Their ability to suspend disbelief was clear at the redistricting hearing this afternoon.
honested
August 16th, 2011
6:25 pm
centrist
The second term was when ray-gun got caught for the treasonous behavior in Iran-contra.
It had been under way since about 1982.
This after the ray-gun administration had dismissed or reassigned most of the State Department Professionals who had experience in Central America and advised against the nonsense the ray-gun administration wanted to pursue.
honested
August 16th, 2011
6:28 pm
td
You wouldn’t know a socialist or socialism if it stepped forward and improved your miserable life.
A ’socialist’ Barack Obama ain’t (no matter what the wrong wing radio nuts tell you).
findog
August 16th, 2011
6:47 pm
Centrist, Reagan raised taxes more than any president ever
Sure things went well during his reign as we acclimated to quadrupedal oil prices and the fed reduced the crippling interest rates that were raised to battle inflation that killed Jimmy and our only real outstanding president in the modern era Ford
td
August 16th, 2011
8:18 pm
honested
August 16th, 2011
6:28 pm
td
You wouldn’t know a socialist or socialism if it stepped forward and improved your miserable life.
A ’socialist’ Barack Obama ain’t (no matter what the wrong wing radio nuts tell you).
I my friend do not have a miserable life and I listen to very little conservative talk radio. Most of my opinions are formed from the books I read and my own life experiences.
Now what to you call a person whose main core beliefs include redistributed wealth, government taking care of the people and social justice? Well from my own reading I believe that is called a socialist. Now you tell me O wise one a different definition?
honested
August 16th, 2011
9:19 pm
td
So where does this ‘redistributed wealth’ nonsense take it’s genesis?
Certainly not from the policies of this apparently conservative republican in Democrat drag president.
honested
August 16th, 2011
9:21 pm
td
I guess in your perfect world (everyone else’s nightmare) the government would eat people rather than ‘take care of them’.
td
August 16th, 2011
10:49 pm
honested
August 16th, 2011
9:21 pm
td
I guess in your perfect world (everyone else’s nightmare) the government would eat people rather than ‘take care of them’.
I think that may be more humane then see that hopeless look in a generational welfare client.
honested
August 16th, 2011
11:37 pm
td
Apparently, your cohorts did not learn from the experience bestowed upon the imperial French.
You may yet get your chance.
Alex Hamilton
August 17th, 2011
8:35 am
This is not a football game. I am always amazed at the us and them mentality in a country where our fortunes are inextricably intertwined. For those that are cheering that the Democrats lost, if that’s true, then we’re a one party state – like Russia or Egypt under Mubarrak. A one party general assembly is free to become the ruling class. Unless any of you are Uber rich and can buy their influence, a one party system is WAY not in your best interest. Wise up.
Alex Hamilton
August 17th, 2011
8:43 am
Another point. (though most have moved on from this blog) How is the creation of new government entities “less gov’t? In the last 6 or 7 years, the ruling party has created what now -4 or 5 new governments and talk of ADDING a county? Georgia doesn’t need less government. It needs less governments – say 100 counties instead of 159 and 200 or 300 cities instead of 600. How many unneeded councils, mayors police departments are there??
Alex Hamilton
August 17th, 2011
8:58 am
“Now you tell me O wise one a different definition?”
First redistribution of wealth is a weaselly term. Granted pure redistribution of wealth combined with collective ownership of the means of production is a socialist system. But our democratic experiment was founded on individualism, but not the Ayn Rand variety. We have always placed a huge value on every human life (see our battle protocols for the wounded). So a measure of redistribution has been the desire of the majority of the populace for most of our existence. Not pure redistribution, but enough to satisfy our consciences that we care about all of our citizens.
There is nothing in socialist dogma about the government taking care of people – that’s Leninism and their definition of “taking care” was strange indeed. No, socialism is about the public ownership of the means of production. That simply hasn’t been advocated by the current president. The one thing that might legitimately have been argued as a socialist move was the virtual take over of GM, but it was an odd circumstance and there was no intention that it be permanent. In fact, I believe progress is being made to return GM to a gov’t free company.
So, there’s your other definition.
Gary
August 17th, 2011
11:23 pm
I believe it was the current occupant of the WH that said elections have consequences. Well this is a consequence of the Republican victories. Sorry but you lost.
Redistricting spurs re-examination of Georgia’s many counties | Kyle Wingfield
August 18th, 2011
5:06 am
[...] has reignited the issue of Milton County. The proposed maps for the state House and Senate would shift the majority in each chamber’s Fulton delegation to Republicans, many of whom want to re-carve that erstwhile [...]
Did someone say ‘redistricting’ … — Peach Pundit
August 18th, 2011
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[...] Sen. Mitch Seabaugh said giving Fulton County, a traditional Democratic stronghold, seven Republican… is nothing more than an ‘innocent byproduct’ of the process. Um, [...]
Did someone say ‘redistricting’ …
August 18th, 2011
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[...] Sen. Mitch Seabaugh said giving Fulton County, a traditional Democratic stronghold, seven Republican… is nothing more than an ‘innocent byproduct’ of the process. Um, [...]
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August 19th, 2011
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[...] Not even Republicans are buying this one. [...]
God Bless USA
August 19th, 2011
1:24 pm
10 years of the BS..time to change and move on.
Redistricting Maps Response |
August 22nd, 2011
9:14 am
[...] or disfavor a political party or an incumbent” standard. Jim Galloway of the AJC reported, “In addition to giving the GOP a decent chance at building a two-thirds majority, the map could also …”. The partisan bickering during committee meetings further illustrates just how politically [...]