On MyAJC.com: Watch a video that takes you inside The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Capitol Bureau and see our reporters in action.
Activity was fast and furious as the end of the Georgia General Assembly session approached last week.
And as a day with our team at the Capitol showed me, it’s The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s job to sort through all the chaos under the Gold Dome to shine a light on what’s important.
No day at the Capitol is typical, and our reporters covering the action there bring impressive insight to bear each day. They have a combined 85 years of experience, and no news organization has more or better reporters covering Georgia’s government.
It’s also hard to imagine a team more dedicated. For example, some worked through the night last week to keep track of bills as the session raced to a finish.
A day at the office for our team typically begins the evening before. After reporters have filed their stories for the newspaper — as well as providing updates to our web sites, their blogs, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts through the day — editor Susan Potter sends an evening note to key folks at the AJC. Potter’s note sets the agenda for the next day, based on the Legislature’s plans. It summarizes where the action will be and how we’ll cover it.
On the day I visited, I first joined veteran reporter and columnist Jim Galloway in the Capitol rotunda. It was a huge boost to my credibility, because everyone at the Capitol knows Galloway, who writes our popular “Political Insider” column and blog. He can barely take five steps without someone stopping him to talk.
On this day, he was reporting on state school superintendent John Barge’s bid to be governor. It was the moment when Barge would formally file the paperwork for his long-shot attempt to wrest the Republican nomination from Gov. Nathan Deal.
This would usually be the job of Greg Bluestein, who covers the governor. But he and his wife were dealing with a sick child that morning, so Galloway stepped in.
After spending time with Galloway, I met with Kristina Torres, who covers the Senate. On this day, that body would take up the state’s $20.8 billion budget – eventually.
But first, as I joined Torres in the press area at the back of the chamber, the Senate performed its rituals.
She’s an experienced hand and made sure I knew that no one can enter or leave the chamber during the Senate’s prayer.
After the prayer, a large group of men wearing green jackets began filing onto the Senate floor. Torres caught my confused gaze, and quickly explained that it was “Savannah Day.” The effort was to promote St. Patrick’s Day festivities in that city.
She explained that the budget would be approved, but the debate would be used by members to score political points.
As the presentation and debate on the budget began, reporter James Salzer joined us. By reputation, Salzer knows more about the budget than the lawmakers themselves. He’s been covering the Legislature for 24 years.
He offered a running commentary during the debate, and he pointed out how senators noted over and over they’ve increased education spending. That will be their mantra “from now through November,” Salzer said.
Later, back at the AJC’s Capitol Bureau office, I would get to watch and hear Salzer in action. He uncovered an obscure point in the budget: the Senate was giving some of its own staff bigger raises than other state employees. He wrote a story saying that. Other news organizations would spend the next day catching up to him.
Michelle Nunn, the person expected to be the Democratic nominee for Georgia’s open Senate seat also showed up at the Capitol that afternoon to file her papers and officially declare her candidacy.
Bluestein, having worked out things at home, was there to cover it.
Back at the bureau later that afternoon, I overheard banter, joking, ideas, suggestions – and the arrival of a couple scoops.
Here’s one: Galloway learned of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. family’s strong opinions about how his image should be used if a statue was built on the Capitol grounds – because he obtained a letter sent to the governor. Within minutes, Galloway reported that on his blog. And he quickly worked with another reporter on a story for the next day’s newspaper.
It was one story among a day's worth of impressive journalism – journalism conducted by a team dedicated to letting readers know what really goes on in Georgia's government.
