Home > Political Insider > Archives > 2008 > August > 22 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USICYMI: Powell back on PSC ballot, von Spakovsky lands a temp job
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just in case you didn’t see these elsewhere:
— A Fulton County judge has rebuffed Secretary of State Karen Handel and ordered Jim Powell, a Democratic candidate for the state Public Service Commission running against Republican Lauren “Don’t Call Him Bubba” McDonald, restored to the November ballot. Handel’s office hasn’t made a decision on whether to appeal.
Democrats say Handel’s removal of Powell from the ballot smacked of partisan politics. She denies it. Democrats are eager to win this one. A PSC contest is one of those races where party identification matters most — just the kind of race that, from their point of view, could benefit from an Barack Obama surge.
— My Washington colleague Julia Malone reports that Hans von Spakovsky, the controversial former Fulton County Republican Party chairman who failed to win confirmation to the Federal Election Commission, has found a temporary job at the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
Von Spakovsky has been hired to review civil rights reports for Todd F. Gaziano, a Civil Rights Commission member who has been one of von Spakovsky’s most outspoken defenders.
Von Spakovsky’s safe harbor has spurred a new round of objections from one Civil Rights Commission member and the civil rights community as a whole — which had been highly critical of von Spakovksy’s service at the Justice Department. While there, the former Fulton County resident successfully pushed for approval of a Georgia law requiring voters to show photo ID.
Democrats have charged that such laws inhibit voting by minorities and the elderly.
The hiring “is absolutely disgraceful and speaks volumes about the political patronage still being doled out by the current administration,” said J. Gerald Hebert, executive director of the Campaign Legal Center, a voting rights advocacy group and leading opponent of von Spakovsky.
Gaziano, the civil rights commissioner whom von Spakovsky will serve, said his new part-time assistant is a “great and very talented person.” He said he would be working until the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30 on a report about religious freedom in the U.S. prison system and also helping on a study of discrimination in housing.
Photo credit: Rick McKay/Cox Washington bureau
Comments
By epol
August 22, 2008 4:25 PM | Link to this
why no mention of who appointed the judge who “rebuffed” sec state Handel?
Oh thats right its only political if a Republican like Handel who makes the call!
Watch for the appeal on the law
By Artie
August 22, 2008 7:42 PM | Link to this
Karen Handel continues to illegally abuse the power that the great citizens of this great State gave her to advance the common good not her party’s good. One must wonder why she would go to these extreme measures to disqualify this candidate. Thank you Judge Shoob for checking this illegal abuse of power. Mrs. Handel has once again demonstrated why it is critical to elect college educated leaders with core-Georgia values. If you think this high school graduate understands these complex legal issues, you can think again.
By the way, Zell Miller appointed Judge Shoob. Yes, the same Zell Miller who lent his voice to Perdue’s and Ralph Reed’s political ads.
By Helen Crane
August 22, 2008 7:48 PM | Link to this
epol: so sorry that all the newsworthy corruption action comes from Rs. Know your facts: Handel cleared Powell when the issue was initially addressed by powells previous(democrat) opponent. When it was projected that Powell would win- either the pro utility guv and or the utilities themselves (who weld a great deal of power and money for elections)gave Handel her marching orders. She then too back her power(which she had reliquished to a judge who ruled in Powells favor) and, without calling powell sent notice to all the elections offices to take him off the ballot. (despite this he got 85% of the vote!)After Powell got a judge to halt her order and she was notified of such, she made almost no effort to cancel her actions with election boards. She is a typical bought and sold corrupt official owned by the utilities because they fear Powell will beat the pants off utility kiss a* Bubba Mc Donald. Powell is a proponent of renewable energy and a real consumer advocate. He brings experience and ethics. Your’e pickin’ on us won’t work. Cry me a river - we want good government.
By SFG
August 22, 2008 7:49 PM | Link to this
The Judge got it wrong, Handel is enforcing the law that the Judge clearly did not understand or care about.
If you are interested in the facts instead of partisan rants, check it out yourself and you will see that the Seretary of State is enforcing what the laws of Georgia say about election law.
Judges don’t always get it right any remember the OJ trial?
By Jerry
August 22, 2008 8:11 PM | Link to this
I am a Republican but I’m not stupid. This is so obvious and irresponsible on Handel’s part. Georgia Power ex-lobbyist (AKA Perdue Chief of Staff)probably made that call while Perdue was spending more of our tax money on an another “economic development” tour of some exotic country. Will vote for Powell no matter how frigin’ Democrat he is to pay less on my power bill and prevent Bubba- a twenty plus year Democrat formerly Appropriations chair under Murphy from helping Georgia Power to raise my power bill. That’s what the PSC does folks - it votes on rates!!!! Rumor has it that this guy just finished a whirl wind tour to the West Coast in the gas guzzling RV belonging to Georgia Power. Guy isn’t even campaigning. The power company’s b*** ain’t getting my vote!!! This is one R with a memory and a conscious.
By RJ
August 22, 2008 9:04 PM | Link to this
This is the second time Handel has been overturned. Both Judges are trained in the law and both are in good standing before the Georgia Bar. Karen Handel has only a high school education. Case Closed!
By Bob
August 23, 2008 11:21 AM | Link to this
Not just two superior court judges, but also Handel’s own administrative law judge, have ruled that Powell is qualified. Isn’t there a 3 strikes rule?
By Handel is a criminal
August 23, 2008 12:03 PM | Link to this
If you vote to re-elect Karen Handel in 2010 you obviously don’t believe in freedom and democracy. Karen Handel has no respect for the law and I think she is willing to disenfranchise and intimidate voters. She is Katheline Harris on steroids. The difference is that Harris had the whole recount thing thrust upon her. Handel openly conspires to find ways to chip away at democracy in Georgia.
You are required to get 800 signatures to get on the ballot in Georgia as an independent in a state house race. Colon got 1700, but Handel convienantly threw out just enough to prevent her from getting on the ballot against Republican turn coat Jacobs.
-With that said, I don’t believe Bush blew up the levees or 911 was an inside job or other crazy conspiracy theory s**. I just believe Karen Handel is the most immoral statewide elected official to serve Georgia since Lester Maddox.
If you support Handel you’re endosing facism.
By Tim Fay
August 23, 2008 2:52 PM | Link to this
One big reason liberals despise Hans von Spakovsky is that he had the courage to defend a legal, simple procedure to help ensure the integrity of our voting system and prevent voter fraud. In areas where voter ID requirements have been in place during recent elections none of the so-called disfranchised groups (liberals, minorities and the poor) showed any decline in turnout at the polls.
By DaninMacon
August 23, 2008 4:07 PM | Link to this
It is not fair to stop democrats from cheating on election day. They have been doing it forever. It stands to reason, that liberal hacks would hate HvS. You would hate him too if he tried to prevent you from rigging elections. Most Americans by a wide margin support voter ID laws. These laws insure the integrity of our elections. That means no cheating. Democrats do not like that.
By Dalton David
August 23, 2008 7:16 PM | Link to this
Karen Handel lacks Georgia values because she was born and raised in Maryland.
The Katherine Harris comparison is apt except that Katherine Harris is educated—Agnes Scott College and Harvard University. Karen Handel’s highest degree is a high school degree.
How embarrassing! The citizens of our peer Southern states, FL, AL, SC, TN, & MS, each elected a college educated Secretary of State.
By Georgia Republicans ain't too bright
August 24, 2008 12:10 PM | Link to this
Georgia Republicans are you going to nominate high school drop outs to replace Cagle and Handel?
If that statement makes me an elitist so be it, but moderate metro Atlanta Republicans need to wake up see what’s going on with the state Republican Party.
The fact our Lt. Governor and Secretary of State don’t have college degrees say it all about the state Republican Party.
Being stupid is becoming a badge of honor in the state Republican Party. It’s not just at the state level. Congressman Lynn Westmoreland also lacks a college education.
Yee Haw conservatism is beginning to rule the day in Georgia and it’s moving our state backwards.
GA Republican Party=White Trash