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John Russel Houser was a former activist in Columbus, Ga., described by one former colleague as "radical."
A LinkedIn page that appears to belong to him but was not immediately verified features a picture of Houser and indicates he received an accounting degree from Columbus State University in 1988 and a law degree from Faulkner University in Montgomery, Ala., in 1991.
Late Friday morning, Columbus State confirmed Houser graduated from the institution. He is not listed as a member of the state bar associations in Georgia or Alabama, but the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reported he had been admitted at one point to practice law in Alabama after attending an unaccredited night law school.
In 1994, he joined the fight to help defeat a local bond issue for a Columbus school district. Years later he ran as a Republican for tax commisioner, but withdrew when he was accused of stealing an opponent's yard signs.
According to the LinkedIn profile, he was a regular guest on a television show at an NBC affiliate in Columbus.
“Invited political controversy on every one of them,” the account holder wrote, “and loved every minute of it.”
Calvin Floyd, who hosted the "Rise & Shine" television show told NBC News Houser's behavior was known to be erratic.
“He was on from time to time because he was a very radical person with radical views,” Floyd said. “He was a Republican and then I would have someone with a real strong Democrat view on.”
According to the Ledger-Enquirer, Houser is the son of the late Rembert Houser, a longtime city tax commissioner.
“That’s how I knew him,” Floyd told NBC News, “but I had him on my show because he was a very radical person.”
Floyd told said Houser was recently selling car parts at a local flea market. Asked if he was surprised when he heard Houser was the shooter, Floyd said “no.”
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