Reed taps Borders and Ashe to lead transition

By Ernie Suggs

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Mayor-elect Kasim Reed has tapped prominent attorney Lawrence Ashe and outgoing City Council President Lisa Borders to co-chair his transition team.

“Get to my left and my right,” Reed told them as they approached the podium for a news conference Monday. “We are going to be together for a while.”

Reed said the two would work with him for 120 days, beginning Jan. 4, the day of his mayoral inauguration. He said Ashe and Borders would be responsible for putting together search committees for police chief, chief operating officer, and chief financial officer, among other positions.

“I am fully confident that I have the right people to lead my transition,” Reed said.

Ashe is the founding partner and the chair of the Atlanta law firm of Ashe, Rafuse & Hill. The firm is said to be the largest in the state with both a female name partner and an African-American name partner.

Ashe said that within the next week, he and Borders will appoint a full transition team of up to 13 members. He said national and international search firms will also be used – pro bono – to help with broad searches.

“The mayor-elect has been very clear about building a strong team,” Borders said.

Borders’ appointment solidifies a tight bond that she and Reed have established since the general election. Borders had competed in the mayor’s race, and after she was defeated in the general election, she quickly jumped aboard the Reed campaign with an endorsement and vigorous campaigning.

“I always thought Lisa was highly qualified, and I have always said I would have an administration ruled by talent and merit,” Reed said. “Lisa is one of the most talented people I know, and I happen to like her personally.”

Borders said she wanted Reed’s term and administration to be “wildly successful.”

Reed also briefed the media on his trip to Washington, D.C., last week to meet with White House officials, particularly to talk about getting $300 million for the Peachtree Streetcar project.

He met with senior adviser Valerie Jarrett; Mona Sutphen, White House deputy chief of staff for policy; Cecilia Munoz and David Agnew, both of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs; and Patrick Gaspard, White House political director.

“I wanted to introduce myself and start the dialogue,” said Reed, adding that he will travel to D.C. “one or two” more times before Jan. 31 to meet with the congressional delegation. “We want to compete in a muscular way.”