Archive for the ‘Carol Porter’ Category

DuBose and Carol Porter, who last year ran as a power couple for governor and lieutenant governor, are ending their nearly 28-year marriage.

Carol Porter confirmed that she filed for divorce about three weeks ago. DuBose Porter also acknowledged the split. “We reared four wonderful children together,” he said.

Carol Porter, left, at the February 2010 news conference announcing her Democratic candidacy for lieutenant governor, with her husband, Dubose Porter, right, nearby, and their four sons behind them. Bob Andres, bandres@ajc.com

The couple own the Courier Herald newspaper in Dublin, which DuBose Porter represented in the state House. DuBose Porter was the leader of the Democratic caucus in the years following the Republican takeover of the state Capitol, and in 2010 sought to cap his political career with a run for governor.

In January of that year, Carol Porter subbed for her husband, giving a speech before a group of business leaders – and did so well that within weeks …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: A Democratic power couple calls it quits »

The state ethics commission appears ready to dismiss the complaint lodged last October against Casey Cagle that accused the Republican lieutenant governor of having an inappropriate relationship with a campaign staffer and overpaying her with campaign funds.

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle. Bob Andres, bandres@ajc.com

Case No. 20010-0066 – a Cagle spokesman confirmed this is the one — is listed on the “dismissal” portion of the March 1 agenda for the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission.

The complaint was filed by Ray Boyd, the real estate entrepreneur who last spring considered a Republican run for governor – but would not sign the loyalty oath required by the state GOP.

Boyd’s complaint offered no proof of the affair, which allegedly occurred around the time Cagle, then a state senator, was elected lieutenant governor in 2006.

Cagle called the allegation “absolutely false,” and declared the complaint to be the work of his Democratic opponent, …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: Complaint alleging Casey Cagle affair headed for dismissal »

Is it possible for the upraised middle finger wielded by so many of you in metro Atlanta’s traffic lanes to become — in say, the next 100 years or so — a greeting of welcome and brotherhood?

Your answer to the question, believe it or not, could determine what kind of future Democrats have in Georgia. At least in the near term.

At the state Capitol, we are on the verge of yet another culture war over our state flag. Early this month, while they were emasculating Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle in Macon, Senate Republicans took a spare moment to declare that all members of that chamber will be required to recite a daily pledge of allegiance to the Georgia flag.

The 1879 Georgia flag

The author of the proposal, state Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, said he had no intention of igniting a debate over state sovereignty. But inside and outside the Senate, those who would like to see the federal government shrink to its 19th-century waistline will certainly see it as a sign of favor.

Two …

Continue reading How Democrats can avoid the next fight over the Ga. flag »

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle at his debate with Democratic rival Carol Porter. AP/David Goldman

A bait-and-switch was pulled on those of you who went to the polls on the first Tuesday of November.

For months, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle had crisscrossed the state, warning that if Democrat Carol Porter were elected to replace him, a Republican-controlled Senate would immediately strip her of all power.

She would be an inert figurehead with a staff and a $91,609-a-year state salary, the Republican incumbent argued.

The lieutenant governor was re-elected by a comfortable margin. The people had spoken.

Three days later, at a closed meeting on the Mercer University campus in Macon, Republican members of the Senate voted to strip a stunned Cagle of nearly all his authority. When the General Assembly convenes in January, he’ll be little more than the figurehead he warned against.

As people in polite company say, payback is a harsh mistress.

That conclave in Macon, with its palace coup against …

Continue reading Bait-and-switch: The Capitol coup against Casey Cagle »

Call this the story of Mark Taylor’s revenge.

But first, let us agree to a set of terms. The rebellion in Macon that stripped Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle of his powers late Friday may have indeed been the “power-sharing agreement” that Republican senators claim.

In the same way that Sonny Liston “shared” the heavyweight title with Cassius Clay. The way that the Texas Rangers “shared” the World Series title with the San Fransciso Giants.

And the way you “share” your paycheck with Uncle Sam. That kind of sharing.

With a final voice vote, the Republican caucus removed Cagle’s power to appoint committee chairmen. This is the biggest hammer in any lieutenant governor’s arsenal. It is the key to his influence.

You’ll recall that two senators – Preston Smith of Rome and Judson Hill of Marietta – lost their chairmanships this year when they refused to go along with fee and tax increases in the budget bill.

Nor will Cagle be allowed to determine the make-up of …

Continue reading How a freshly elected Casey Cagle was stripped of power »

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle has flown down to Macon this morning to argue against an effort by Republican Senate leaders to strip him of his authority to control that chambers’ business.

Newly re-elected Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle. Bob Andres/bandres@ajc.com

The Senate GOP caucus has gathered on the campus of Mercer University to vote on an effort to return to a system first enacted under Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor, a Democrat.

Senate leaders of the chamber – including President pro tem Tommie Williams, R-Lyons, Majority Leader Chip Rogers, R-Woodstock, and Cecil Staton, R-Macon – want changes in the chambers rules that would give control over the flow to a committee of senators.

Cagle was initially not invited to attend the meeting. But Cagle spokesman Ben Fry said an invitation arrived at noon Thursday – shortly after the attempted palace coup became public.

We’re told that the vote, expected by 1 p.m. today, is close – and could hinge on newly elected members to the Senate.

The …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: Cagle flies to Macon to put down revolt »

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, right, gets a high five from a supporter on election night. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

You are Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and have just won re-election by an impressive margin.

Your GOP cushion in the Senate has increased by one, to 35 members out of 56. So how do you celebrate?

By fighting a palace coup.

We understand that ranking Republican members of the Senate – including President pro tem Tommie Williams of Lyons, Majority Leader Chip Rogers of Woodstock, and Cecil Staton of Macon – have served notice on Cagle that they will attempt to curb his single-handed power to control that chamber’s affairs.

In other words, they want to render him a figurehead a la Mark Taylor.

Details about motivation for the move are still lacking. The issue will be raised among senators at a Friday caucus meeting that will introduce newly elected senators to their colleagues. Cagle will not be permitted to attend.

But in one-on-one conversations, look for Cagle to …

Continue reading Newly re-elected Casey Cagle faces a palace coup »

Republican candidate for Georgia lieutenant governor Casey Cagle, left, argues a point as Democratic candidate Carol Porter, looks on during a debate Sunday. AP/David Goldman

Mark Twain is alleged to have declared that ignorance rarely is the culprit in tough spots. What gets us in trouble is the stuff we do know for certain — that just ain’t so.

Late Friday, going into the final weekend before Tuesday’s vote, a complaint was filed before the State Ethics Commission, alleging that – several years ago — Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle had an affair with his campaign manager and paid her $181,000 in campaign funds to hush the relationship up.

The complaint was filed by Ray Boyd, the real estate executive who attempted to join the GOP race for governor this spring – armed with $2 million of his own cash. He was refused, because he declined to sign a loyalty oath to the party.

Here’s what he told 11Alive:

Boyd [said] Friday that he does not have any proof of the affair as he …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: Casey Cagle, Carol Porter and a certain delicate matter »

Over the weekend, Democrat Carol Porter put out her first TV ad to attack Republican incumbent Casey Cagle in the race for lieutenant governor:

The script:

Carol Porter: “I’m Carol Porter. My opponent Casey Cagle says he protected educational funding, but in reality he cut $4 billion. He says he kept taxes low. But he gave us the single largest property tax increase in Georgia history, during a recession.

“Taxpayers are tapped out, and we deserve the truth. There are solutions for Georgia, but we need new ethical leadership to push them through. I’m Carol Porter, and I ask for your vote for lieutenant governor.”

(A video previously in the above space was incorrectly identified as a work product of the state Democratic party.)

Cagle responded with this today:

The script:

Female narrator: “Carol Porter. Her false attacks and liberal agenda are wrong.”

Casey Cagle: “In Georgia, putting a priority on people means doing what’s right. That’s why we fought to …

Continue reading Ads from Carol Porter and Casey Cagle — and a mysterious fight over a tax on groceries »

Georgia is considered by political strategists to have three Democratic congressional districts vulnerable to Republican attack this year.

House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, will visit the 8th District (Jim Marshal of Macon vs. GOP challenger Austin Scott) today, and the 2nd District (Sanford Bishop of Albany vs. GOP challenger Mike Keown) on Wednesday.

But this explains why we haven’t seen any sign of a Boehner visit to the 12th District. From the Savannah Morning News:

U.S. Rep. John Barrow had nearly nine times as much campaign cash as his Republican opponent going into the final stretch of the race.

As of Sept. 30, the Savannah Democrat reported to the Federal Election Commission he had banked $655,422.

That was after he’d spent $587,820 over the previous three months and nearly $1.4 million during his campaign.

Republican Ray McKinney, a nuclear power project manager, had only $73,235 on hand.

That left the Lyons resident ill-equipped to respond to Barrow’s …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: Why John Boehner will skip Savannah »