In his first public remarks on the White House decision not to include cash in its annual budget proposal last week for an expansion of the Port of Savannah, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed told local business leaders and civic leaders not to give in to partisan heckling. From Maria Saporta and the Saporta Report:
Reed has been the most essential Democrat in the bipartisan effort to squeeze the dredging cash out of the Obama administration.
***
State Sen. William Ligon, R-Brunswick, will hold a press conference at noon today to disavow his own anti-Common Core bill. From the press release:
"I have communicated with committee members, Concerned Women for America (CWA) of Georgia and American Principles in Action (APIA) that I cannot support this House substitute circulated out on Monday and Tuesday because it does nothing to stop our State from continuing its involvement in the national standards movement," stated Sen. Ligon.
***
Democrats now have permission to fret over November. From the Associated Press:
Republican David Jolly defeated Democrat Alex Sink in a Florida special election Tuesday that largely turned on the federal health care law, with both sides using the race to audition national strategies in one of the country's few competitive swing-voting districts.
The implications of the dueling messages for control of Congress in November inspired both parties to call in star advocates like former President Bill Clinton and former vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan, in addition to blanketing the district with ads, calls and mailings. More than $11 million was spent on the race, according to the Sunlight Foundation, a nonprofit group that tracks government information.
While Republicans held the congressional seat for more than four decades until the death of Rep. Bill Young last year, the district's voters favored Obama in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections.
***
The White House's nomination Tuesday of Leslie Joyce Abrams for a U.S. District Court judgeship can be seen as an olive branch to the Georgia civil rights community that was so upset with the previous package of nominees.
Just take a look at who was out vouching for the sister of House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams: former NAACP president Ben Jealous. From today's AJC:
"She also quite frankly has a range of experiences from growing up the daughter of a librarian and a dock worker in southern Mississippi … to attending some of the greatest law schools and universities in the country and working right at the top of the profession ever since," Jealous said. "That really allows somebody to empathize and understand a wide range of people in our society and their predicaments and what justice should look like in their case."
We asked Jealous to comment on the dispute over the other nominees, and he deflected the question -- saying he had stopped following the news since he stepped down from his post in November, while acknowledging a lot of “frustration” in a lot of states.
U.S. Rep. David Scott, D-Atlanta, has taken the lead Congressional role in criticizing the Georgia picks. His chief of staff, Michael Andel, said Abrams seemed like a good pick – even though Georgia Democrats were again excluded from a selection. Said Andel:
"I think the White House got this one right, definitely. And I don't know if it was related to the last batch or if she has always been on their list, but I think if they keep doing this, they'll get a lot of support. It's seen as very positive and I believe she'll get support, and hopefully the senators will like her, too."
***
A bioscientist and a battle-tested city councilman have been tapped by Libertarian Party to contend for the state's top two races in November.
The party sent word via Facebook that Andrew Hunt, the former chief executive of a nanotechnology firm called nGimat, is the party's nominee to challenge Gov. Nathan Deal.
Amanda Swafford, who was elected to two terms on Flowery Branch's City Council, is running for the open U.S. Senate seat. That party notes that she is the first female candidate formally nominated to run for the seat.
A third candidate, Aaron Gilmer, was tapped to run for Public Service Commission, District 4, against Republican incumbent Lauren “Bubba” McDonald – who already has two Republicans and a Democrat after his job.
Libertarians rarely attract more than a few percentage points of support in Georgia. But that may be all it takes in November to force a runoff between the two major-party candidates in the marquee matchups.
***
Gov. Nathan Deal had long scheduled an appearance at Briarlake Baptist Church in north DeKalb County for last night. What he couldn't anticipate was that it took place on the eve of a key committee vote on the fate of plans to create a new city of Lakeside, a proposal that has divided some residents who back a different city push – a city of Tucker, for instance.
While protesters who had initially planned to stake out the event never materialized, several sought to ask him his stance on the Lakeside effort. They witnessed a full-fledged dodge. Said Deal at the event's end:
"I know a lot of you came here to ask about cityhood. That's not on my agenda. Those are local issues. And I know you are talking to your local legislators. These are difficult issues for them and for you. But I respect the power of local governments and the power of the General Assembly to come to the best conclusion. I have every confidence to believe they will do that. I don't engage in detailed discussions about boundaries. That would be inappropriate."
***
Over at WAGA-TV, Dale Russell takes a look at SB 840, a bill affecting drug reimbursement rates for pharmacists, sponsored by state Sen. Buddy Carter, R-Pooler, a pharmacist and congressional candidate. Is this a conflict of interest that should prevent him from voting on his own measure? "Obviously, it's borderline," Carter admitted.
***
Attorney General Sam Olens on Tuesday announced that Robert Ingram, partner of the law firm of Moore Ingram Johnson & Steele and former State Bar president, serve as chairman of his re-election bid. Ingram also headed up Olens' first bid for the job.
***
On Friday, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia will be in Buckhead for a constitutional symposium sponsored by the State Bar of Georgia. The event is already at capacity.
***
U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson apparently has gotten official White House approval to use the president's name to beat back DeKalb County Sheriff Tom Brown, who is mounting a formidable Democratic primary challenge. From the press release:
"Congressman Johnson has done an outstanding job," said President Obama. "Together, we are fighting to restore middle class security and expand opportunity for all Americans. I've worked with Congressman Johnson as we've extended the security of health care to millions and pulled our economy back from the brink of collapse while protecting consumers and passing historic Wall Street reform. I am proud to stand with Hank and support his re-election."
About the Author
