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DEL.ICIO.USHow a private life was pushed into the spotlight
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Not quite a week ago, veteran political columnist Bill Shipp buried a small land mine midway through his bi-weekly column, which appears in many Georgia newspapers, though not this one.
“[House Speaker Glenn] Richardson has been seen as an almost sure bet to run for governor in 2010…. In recent weeks, however, he has become the subject for derision among his peers because of his some of his after-hours activities,” Shipp wrote.
No quotes, no attribution, no documentation. And so the rest of Georgia’s mainstream media held back. One of President Bill Clinton’s gifts to journalism was the establishment of standards - admittedly not always high, and not universally observed - to justify delving into a politician’s personal life.
Bloggers, however, felt no such compunction. On Friday, the Republican-oriented blog, peachpundit.com, threw itself into the topic. Discussion came largely under the guise of what the mainstream media might soon report, and their motives.
The Internet speculation set the Republican phone tree blazing. Still, the mainstream media outlets didn’t budge. Not until Saturday night, when state Democratic party chairman Bobby Kahn gave them the minimum they required - someone willing to publicly put his name to a formal accusation. WSB-TV was the first to report it.
Richardson, said Kahn in an ethics complaint to be filed today, engaged in an “inappropriate” and “personal” relationship with an unnamed lobbyist from Atlanta Gas Light last year, while the company was seeking legislative approval for a $300 million pipeline across the state.
In fact, Kahn — who relinquishes his Democrat chairmanship at the end of this month — had done Republicans a small favor. As the author of the complaint, he allowed Republicans on Sunday to rally around the House speaker as the victim of a partisan assault.
Not to say that GOP lawmakers don’t recognize what’s at stake.
Long before the weekend, Republicans in the Legislature said they needed to be seen doing the right things for the right reason this session - or risk losing Georgia as Republicans lost much of Washington in November, under the shadow of bribery, influence-peddling, and tawdry activities with young male pages.
“Keep your mouth shut, keep your zipper up, and keep your hand in your own pocket,” advised Senate President pro tem Eric Johnson (R-Savannah).
Richardson is unlikely to suffer any immediate political damage. He is to be re-elected to a second term as House speaker today, against token Democratic opposition.
But if Richardson has any ambition to be governor in 2010, this not how he wanted that pursuit to begin.
Comments
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By Rob Smith
January 7, 2007 9:39 PM | Link to this
Read The Following Blog about Atlanta Public Schools…
http://www.redrockglobal.blogspot.com/
By Ironic
January 7, 2007 10:09 PM | Link to this
Bill Shipp’s column alone wouldn’t have caused this furor. Funny it was the Repub-leaning but somewhat moderate PeachPundit that caused the commotion. This is not just about Bobby Kahn and Dem’s tying to cause trouble. There is no doubt that some of Richardson’s Repub rivals for Guvna subtly helped fan the flames.
By RJ
January 8, 2007 10:12 AM | Link to this
This matter is straighforward. It does not require a high powered analysis, particularly a partisan one. Another serious allegation has been made against another one of Georgia’s top elected officials. Now, we must let the investigative process unfold to determine if the facts support the claim.
This matter, along with lingering questions about the Governor’s land deals, places the Republican controlled General Assembly in a position of demonstrating what it stands for. Will the Republican setup investigative machinery function without prejudice as it is suppose to? Will attempts by both the Governor and Speaker to minimize the allegations by casting them in partisan light be successful? Both the investigation and outcome will define the Georgia Republican Party for better or worse.
By Oh heck no
January 8, 2007 1:02 PM | Link to this
Don’t tell me you two clowns are going to rag on Bill Shipp. You can’t carry his jock strap. That said, why didn’t you or he uncover this last session when it was going on. I guarantee it was there for the picking.
By Oh heck noq
January 8, 2007 1:06 PM | Link to this
And by the way, if he’s doing it with a lobbyist, it ain’t private anyway. What a couple of sad sacks.
By JustMe
January 8, 2007 1:37 PM | Link to this
Not quite on topic, but some time back I sent an email to Mr. Richardson regarding his position on a matter of interest to me. I was surprised to get a response telling me that I was “clearly a typical Democrat.” His point may have been accurate, but I thought it was far beneath the dignity of his office to respond in such a manner. I went on to have a very testy email exchange with the Speaker which ended only when I stopped replying. You’d think the Speaker of the House would have more to do with his time than send rude emails to people (even though, admittedly, my emails to him probably weren’t very polite).
By Ms..Just Me Two
January 8, 2007 4:50 PM | Link to this
Nothing I love more than an e-mail exchange with a political dummy…which Mr. “Just Me” obviously is. You think that just because our leaders are too smart to fall for your nasty responses you should be treated as courteously as those who live above ground.
Sometimes I find it a form of recreation to spar with the likes of YOU. You should be flattered.
By justme
January 9, 2007 11:32 AM | Link to this
My impolite emails to Speaker Richardson were only AFTER he sent an insulting email to my first, and polite, email expressing my views which happened to be different from his. That was his email where he indicated I was “obviously a typical Democrat”. I live far above ground thank you, and think that elected officials should show voters some degree of respect. And by the way, I’ve worked for a politician before and no matter how insulting or derogatory the letter or email from a constituent was, we were always required to respond in a courteous manner. I guess all politicians don’t have that same policy.