Archive for August 29th, 2012

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens address the Republican National Convention in Tampa on Wednesday. AP/J. Scott Applewhite

TAMPA — A speech before a national political convention begins with a phone call and a surprisingly tight deadline. For Attorney General Sam Olens, that call came three weeks ago.

And it arrived with a slight twist: Olens would perform a rhetorical duet before delegates with his Florida counterpart, Pam Bondi.

Days of emailing and editing, some late-night tweaks and two dress rehearsals later, the bespectacled lawyer — who had been chairman of the Cobb County Commission only two years ago — stepped in front of thousands of delegates to the Republican National Convention and millions of TV viewers with his partner on Wednesday night.

“We know that the Constitution limits federal power, but President [Barack] Obama clearly believes those limits just get in his way. So he ignores them,” Olens began. “He promises to …

Continue reading Two witnesses for the GOP prosecution in Tampa »

Tampa — The final meeting of the Georgia delegation to the Republican National Convention will feature an early morning address from U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, courtesy of House Speaker David Ralston.

What Boehner says will be a mystery to the rest of us. State GOP Chairman Sue Everhart has ruled that the Thursday meeting – like all other meetings of the Georgia delegation this week – will remain closed to journalists.

GOP spokesman Chris Kelleher said press was being excluded “at the request of one of the guest speakers” – but he could not say which one. But don’t assume that either Boehner or Ralston is the cause of the exclusion.

Previous closures have been intended to shield from reporters the lack of unanimity for Mitt Romney within the delegation – with little success.

By the way, the Insider is entirely willing to accept audio clips that might be sent via smart phone from tomorrow’s breakfast.

- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider

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Continue reading John Boehner to address Georgia delegates in closed session »

Tampa — State Sen. Josh McKoon, R-Columbus, who was the only dissenting vote on a legislative ethics panel that this month levied a $5,000 fine on Senate Rules Chairman Don Balfour, R-Snellville, said Wednesday he has asked Attorney General Sam Olens to consider a criminal investigation.

Olens, set to address the Republican National Convention this evening, confirmed receipt of McKoon’s request, but declined any further comment.

The Senate Ethics Committee faulted Balfour for billing the state for mileage while out of town on lobbyist-funded trips, and for failing to create a subcommittee to audit all senators’ reimbursement vouchers.

In a minority report, McKoon outlined why he thought Balfour was deserving of a harsher punishment. Read it here.

McKoon, a delegate at the Tampa said he sent Olens a copy of his minority report, plus a brief cover letter requesting the investigation.

- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider

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Continue reading Josh McKoon asks for AG investigation into Don Balfour »

TAMPA — Johnny Isakson may be the nicest and most frustrated U.S. Senator at the Republican National Convention.

The “nice” part is officially documented. Washingtonian magazine, in its biannual ranking of the chamber, awarded Isakson the title in its most recent issue. “The cordial Georgian got more votes than half a dozen runners up, “ the magazine declared. The ballots came from congressional staffers.

Isakson is pictured with a halo over his head.

Is it dangerous to be declared a nice guy in Washington?

“I hope not,” Isakson said this morning. “I sold houses for 33 years. I never sold a house to somebody that didn’t want to buy it, and I never sold one for somebody that didn’t want to sell it. you don’t convince them of either thing by calling them a son of a [blatherskite], or trying to convince them you’re right. What you do is try to let them come to that decision.”

Which brings us to that other part. What happens when no one in Washington – or at least, not the …

Continue reading A conventional jolt: Johnny Isakson is nice and frustrated »