Home > Political Insider > Archives > 2008 > May > 20 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USYet another reason why e-mail and politics don’t mix
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One of eternal maxims of politics is this: Never speak when you can nod, never nod when you can wink, and never — ever — put it in writing.
For the last 18 months or so, state Sen. John Douglas (R-Conyers) and the city of Conyers have engaged in a running feud. Douglas has accused Conyers officials of posting police officers outside the city limits on I-20 in order to catch speeders.
Conyers officials say they’re operating within the law.
The back-and-forth reached a crescendo last summer, when City Manager Antony “Tony” Lucas sent a letter to Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle — copied to half the world — that called Douglas an “ignoble politician” who had resorted to “blackmail” by threatening to hold up legislation to permit Conyers to levy a hotel-motel tax to help support the Georgia International Horse Park.
Also, this spring, Douglas picked up Republican primary opposition from former state senator Mike Crotts.
But all this is by way of background.
Last Wednesday, Gov. Sonny Perdue signed Conyers’ hotel-motel tax legislation. That very evening, an e-mail landed in the computer operated by this writer, containing a string of e-mails sent between Douglas and Conyers Mayor Randy Mills.
Click here to see the exchange.
The string begins with a request from Mills that Douglas support the hotel-motel tax bill, which had just passed the House. Douglas responds that Conyers isn’t within his Senate district — and advises Mills to seek out state Sen. Ron Ramsey, a Democrat.
But soon afterwards, Douglas sends this from a private e-mail account to Mills:
Randy:
After giving more thought to the hotel/motel tax bill coming to the Senate, I have this to offer:
I will work behind the scenes and guarantee its passage, if:
— You guarantee to me that your police department will only leave Conyers in emergency or essential situations, and
— Your city council apologizes to me at the next meeting for the name calling and unprofessional actions shown last summer, and
— Tony Lucas stays neutral in my reelection campaign and provides no assistance to Crotts unless the law requires it. (open records requests, etc.) (I have sources who can monitor this.)
Those three actions on the part of Conyers guarantees your tax bill. Ron Ramsey and I will work out how we are going to get it through the Senate, but we will get it done.
John
Douglas owns up to the e-mail, and said it must be read in the context of what was said at a Conyers city council meeting last summer. “When they called me ‘unhinged,’ and the city manager called me a ‘king,’ I never, ever responded in kind,” the senator said.
Both Douglas and Mills agree that the Conyers mayor never responded to the offer and conditions listed by Douglas above. “I just ignored it and moved on,” Mills said.
Said Douglas: “Even without an answer, I supported [the legislation], and it passed.” In fact, H.B. 302 was approved by the Senate with a 43-3 vote.
Services »
Comments
By tom ga hunter
May 20, 2008 6:13 PM | Link to this
Douglas claims to repesent me, He is slime.. I’m voting Crotts
By GodHatesTrash
May 20, 2008 6:47 PM | Link to this
Douglass might be the biggest freak/moron under the Golden Dome - and that’s pretty damn stupid.
Douglass is trash, through and through. A buffoon ape-man.
By Believer
May 20, 2008 7:49 PM | Link to this
Anyone that believes this type of behavior is limited to a few people in the Conyers area probably still believes the earth is flat. I know better. E-mails are a wonderful thing.
By Francisco Cabeon
May 20, 2008 9:13 PM | Link to this
What? Douglas wants an apology from the City of Conyers after they called him names? Is that not the pot calling the kettle black? John Douglas calls people who disagree with him names all of the time.
Now he wants an apology for doing the same thing?
You people can keep this hypocritical loser out there in Newton and Henry counties!
By Thomas
May 21, 2008 10:27 AM | Link to this
Senator Douglas is a patriot. He is one of the hardest working political figures I have ever encountered and I am proud he is my senator.
The city of Conyers is simply mad because he called their hand on their use of their police outside of their city limits—just for extra revenue.
Crotts moves around just to run for office and tries to make people think he even lives in the district. Crotts is dishonest to the core.
I’m for Douglas
By fishbone
May 21, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this
Thomas you sound like a campaign ad. What’s John Douglas done that’s so important? He demands a formal apology & for what? Because he was driving like he was drunk & got pulled over for it?
By Newton Citizen
May 21, 2008 6:29 PM | Link to this
The Conyers police have been raiding Newton and Rockdale for 20 years. That includes the time Crotts was in the Senate representing both, but not Conyers. He said nothing. Douglas stood up to them and took the flak. This is a winnning issue for him in Newton and Rockdale so the more Crotts stirs the pot, the better Douglas looks for having gonads and backbone.
By fishbone
May 22, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this
Do you have any documentation “Newton Citizen” or are you just speaking from your hindquarters?
Douglas was driving recklessly enough to be pulled over. I’ve then heard that Douglas also witnessed another stop by the Conyers PD & stopped to “observe” the situation.
John Douglas doesn’t have gonads. If people knew the real John Douglas, I don’t think they’d be too impressed.
John Douglas is a hypocrite. But it’s hard to admit that to one’s self, isn’t it?
By susan smith
May 22, 2008 1:06 PM | Link to this
Hey Newton Citizen….I know your note the newspaper as you would have people to believe. Emails don’t lie….Douglas said what he said . Talk about blackmail and extortion. Īll vote for your bill if you will do these three things‘“What a dwweeb. Then he shows his brilliance by hanging up on the reporter…..This guy needs to go away.
By fishbone
May 22, 2008 2:08 PM | Link to this
So the Newton Citizen paper called to question Douglas & he hung up on them? What a wimp. Why doesn’t John Douglas have “the gonads” to come on & defend himself? Why? Because he’s a wimp, a fraud, & a liar.
By Herb
May 23, 2008 12:09 AM | Link to this
I guess no one noticed that most of Senator Douglas messages are there and most of Randy Mills is missing? Where is the text in the March 7 09:57 AM message (what did it state)? The March 7, 12:25 message is clear to me. The really strange thing is where Senator Douglas is “giving more thought” on March 7, 09:31 PM the font has suddenly changed?
The timeline in this story really sucks badly and if you have never had your emails altered, please send me one and I’ll show you how it’s done. I think this story is full of holes.
I have had emails from John and the font is always consistent with the March 7 12:25 PM message. You all need to wake up and see the “political wool” pulled over your eyes.
I find John Douglas to be a man of integrity, caring of his constigents, and in favor of the FairTax.
The Citizen sucks as a newspaper (two day old news), Mike Crotts sucks as a politician. Someone needs to explain to me how raises the tax rate expands tourism all the while fleecing him, and you all suck for believing this trash editorial!
By fishbone
May 23, 2008 8:35 AM | Link to this
Herb, Where’s the Beef? You’re following in the path of your mentor, Douglas.
What’s funny, is that I decided to “wake up” & I have sent “the political wool” pulled over my eyes. And it comes from that scumbag John Douglas.
By the way, it’s “constituents” rather than “contigents” Mr. BK.
You find John Douglas to be a man of integrity? Where’d you get that line, from his campaign ad? John Douglas is a pitiful little man.