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AJC.com > Legislature > Blog > Archives > 2007 > February > 15 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USDem takes ethics complaint to feds
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One day after Republican legislative leaders dismissed his complaint, a former Democratic researcher said he would take his conflict of interest complaint against a Republican House member to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and State Attorney General Thurbert Baker.
Edward Chapman, who worked last year for the Democratic Party, alleges House Ways & Means Chairman Larry O’Neal (R-Warner Robins) pushed legislation that led to a $100,000 property tax deferral for Gov. Sonny Perdue.
O’Neal and Perdue are long-time friends and O’Neal has served as the governor’s lawyer on some land deals.
House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) and Senate President Pro-tempore Eric Johnson (R-Savannah), who head the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee, had defended O’Neal’s actions even before the complaint was filed. Chapman said that showed they had no intention of taking his complaint seriously.
The Ethics committee determined that it had no jurisdiction in the matter because the alleged ethics violation took place during the 2005 legislative session, prior to the Jan. 9, 2006, creation of the panel, Johnson said in a statement.
However, the panel has now quickly dismissed all four of the complaints against Republican lawmakers that have been filed, raising questions about the panel’s ability to police its members when it comes to conflicts of interest.
Much of what was in the complaint about O’Neal and the Perdue tax break was reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution last fall. The complaint said O’Neal put the financial interests of the governor above those of the state.
He will now ask the U.S. Attorney’s and Georgia Attorney General’s offices to review his complaint.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Categories: politics
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By ConservativeDem
February 15, 2007 12:23 PM | Link to this
Some dems just can not take “no” for answer…
By GA Tax Payer
February 15, 2007 12:50 PM | Link to this
NO Conservative Dem -that is not the case. When the rest of the state has to pay their taxes. Why should the good ole boys get a $100,000 tax break? My Sonny do list includes PAY the state back!!
By CD
February 15, 2007 1:21 PM | Link to this
Let’s lose the Democrat and Republican labels and focus on the principle: Did/did not a politician use his/her position to better themselves, personaly/financially? THAT is the question. Would YOU take ‘no’ for an answer if it was given to you by the friends of the wrong-doer looking to protect their man at all cost?
At least Edward Chapman is going about it in the right order. He started locally, realized justice was not being served and is now going to the next level.
Regarless of party, what more can we expect a public servant to do? Let’s insist, as a society, that the process be allowed to work and not be obstructed. If we do, we will all have an easier time accepting the outcome, regardless of what it may be, if we know there was a TRUTHFUL investigation.
By Max
February 15, 2007 1:58 PM | Link to this
yes
By Have Big Bag, Will Travel
February 15, 2007 2:57 PM | Link to this
The out-of-power-Dems have only one goal. “Let’s stifle government by filing ethics complaint after ethics complaint. It worked in the last election…we know it will work if we keep it up. We will just pack our brief cases of ethics complaints and move to the Dem side of the street.”
So, boys and girls, prepare yourselves for more of the same-o, same-o…
By RJ
February 15, 2007 3:35 PM | Link to this
When the deck is stacked the outcome is predictable. I have read the complaint and it is well documented. CD you are correct this matter goes beyond partisan politics.
This is a sad day in Georgia. We were hopeful that the Republicans would show us better. Instead, they have shown us contempt.
By cc
February 15, 2007 4:22 PM | Link to this
Republicans are out for themselves. They do not care about the state of the state. They use our government as their very own bank, service industry and jobs program. If you think for one second our “leaders” care about us then you are nuts. Unless of course you’re a lobbyist or dating a member of the house… or both. There is nothing noble about our republican state gov.
By TP
February 15, 2007 4:58 PM | Link to this
This IS partisan and nonsense. Georgia WAS one of the few remaining states that continued to impose state income tax on a transaction that is not subject to federal income tax. It was well past time to change the law - even if it did benefit the Governor. It certainly benefits many other taxpayers as well.