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AJC.com > Legislature > Blog > Archives > 2007 > January > 25 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USJohnson says ethics complaint not filed properly
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The General Assembly’s ethics committee has rejected a conflict-of-interest complaint filed against a state lawmaker, declaring that it was not filed correctly.
Senate President Pro Tem Eric Johnson, presiding chairman of the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee, said Edward Chapman did not include a signed affidavit with his complaint.
In his complaint, Chapman alleges state Rep. Larry O’Neal (R-Warner Robins) had a conflict of interest in 2005 when he pushed legislation that gave Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue a $100,000 tax break in connection with land Perdue sold in Houston County.
“The law requires a signed affidavit for obvious reasons and he did not do that,” Johnson said. “I just want to make sure that if he is going to refile it and swear to it that it is factual and truthful and if he has knowledge of it. That is why we do it. Let’s see what this kid knows and swears by.”
Chapman said he signed his complaint, had it notarized and mailed it today so that it would arrive at the State Capitol Friday. He did not sign the original complaint he sent the committee this week.
“While I wish the committee had notified me more promptly, I’m thrilled that the committee takes the process so seriously and look forward to it continuing to do so as the refiled complaint moves forward,” said Chapman, a former Georgia Democratic Party operative.
Also today, Chapman called on House Speaker Glenn Richardson to withdraw from the ethics panel, saying Richardson is unable to make an impartial ruling. Richardson, who is co-chairman of the committee, is refusing to step aside.
In an email to Richardson today, Chapman quoted comments Richardson made late last year about O’Neal.
“If you attack one of us, you attack all of us,” Richardson said about O’Neal in a House Majority Caucus meeting in November. “Somebody attacked one of us, they attacked all of us. We stand with you, Larry.”
Richardson was apparently referring to accusations Democrats made against O’Neal during last year’s gubernatorial campaign between Perdue and Democratic Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor. Chapman dredged up those accusations in the complaint he sent the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee this week.
“It is clear that Speaker Richardson has rendered himself unable to make an impartial ruling,” Chapman said. “Judicial guidelines require that a judge recuse himself if there is even an appearance of impropriety and Speaker Richardson clearly has passed the threshold of appearance.”
Richardson’s spokeswoman today referred to a state law that says the committee “shall be governed by ten members,” including the speaker.
“The statute governing the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee requires the speaker to serve on the committee, and he is going to do the job he was elected to do,” Richardson spokeswoman Clelia Davis said. “This committee will operate under the statutes which govern it.”
Chapman is also calling on the ethics committee to meet in public. The committee’s rules, however, say the ethics panel may meet secretly.
In an interview Wednesday, Johnson said the committee would appoint a three-member panel to determine if Chapman’s complaint warrants an investigation by the full ethics committee. That review panel, he said, will include Johnson, Richardson and a senator appointed by Johnson.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: politics
Comments
By Dirty Dawg
January 26, 2007 09:05 AM | Link to this
Keep it up Republicans. Even Georgia voters will ultimately come to realize that they’re being had by a bunch of cynical, greedy white boys and our revenge will be sweet and thorough. We might be the last state in the union to finally ‘get it’ when it comes to the motivations of the Repugnant Party, but ‘get it’ we will and ‘getting even’ will follow.
By L O Guvna
January 26, 2007 10:07 AM | Link to this
First of all, I am a Republican. I grew up as a Republican in the north. I had the pleasure of working in the legislature of a northern state, and I have also had the displeasure of working in the legislature of Georgia. There are large differences between the two, and Georgia has a lot to learn. That being said, the Republicans of this state have sickened me. They are a perfect example of the “oppressed becoming the oppressors”. When the Republicans took over the General Assembly in 2005, their vitriolic actions made me ashamed to be considered a Republican. I have since left the old boy regime, but their actions continue to sicken me. And a simple warning to the mothers and fathers of Capitol interns…keep those chastity belts locked up. Your daughters are working amongst a group of pillaging redneck Vikings who are trying to make up for their early life bucolic celibacy. That is what happens when the boy leaves the farm. No dignity. No class. No respect. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Nice job, Walker!