‘It was small talk’: Burt Jones pours cold water on Rick Jackson reconciliation
The wounds from the scorched-earth Republican primary between billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and have not healed.
Jones rejected a Washington news outlet’s report that President Donald Trump offered to make him U.S. ambassador to Germany in exchange for endorsing Jackson in the general election against Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms. But he also made clear the feud is very much alive.
“I’m open for discussion but it’s their move to make, to have a genuine conversation about it,” Jones said in an interview early Wednesday. “Let’s not forget they filed a defamation lawsuit against me.”
Jackson’s campaign declined to comment on private discussions. His spokesperson, Garrison Douglas, said, “We know Republicans are united behind our campaign, and we’re moving forward to face Keisha Lance Bottoms.”
The latest flare-up came after NOTUS reported that Trump dangled the diplomatic post as part of his effort to broker peace between the two former rivals.
Jones, an executive with his family’s Jackson-based petroleum and insurance firm, flatly denied the account.
“The president didn’t offer me anything in exchange for an endorsement. I wasn’t offered anything,” he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “The only thing the president asked is if we could somehow come together.”
Justin Peligri, chief of staff for NOTUS, said the news outlet “stands by our reporting.”
The AJC previously reported that Trump personally intervened after one of the nastiest intraparty fights in modern state history, calling Jones and urging him to meet with Jackson.
Trump had endorsed Jones during the primary but quickly backed Jackson after the billionaire defeated him in the June runoff.
The AJC reported then that Trump was still pressing both camps to cool tensions ahead of a difficult November race against Bottoms.
The depth of the rupture between the rivals became clear last month when Jones told the “Politically Georgia” podcast he wasn’t just withholding an endorsement of Jackson. He wouldn’t even commit to voting for him.
“We’ll see,” Jones said when asked if he’d cast a November ballot for Jackson. “Obviously, I’m interested in supporting and keeping Georgia Republican-run and keeping it red. And I think November is going to be a challenge.”
There are plenty of other obstacles to any detente.
Jones has repeatedly pressed Jackson to take responsibility for a roughly $20 million ad campaign by a shadowy anonymous group that targeted him during the primary. Jackson has denied any involvement.
Another sticking point is the defamation lawsuit Jackson filed against Jones during the primary. Jones told the AJC he could reconsider his stance if the litigation was dropped, though he disputed the NOTUS account that he was demanding a $25 million settlement.
There’s little sign of any legal truce happening.
In a scorching 22-page court filing earlier this month, Jackson’s lawyers ratcheted up the rhetoric as they urged a judge to reject Jones’ motion to dismiss the case.
The legal warfare cuts both ways. Jones Petroleum, the lieutenant governor’s family’s firm, has separately filed a $100 million lawsuit against Jackson and his campaign over attacks accusing the company of profiting from an illegal gambling enterprise. Jackson’s attorneys have called those claims baseless and retaliatory.
Then there’s the matter of trust. Jones pointed to an episode from before Jackson entered the race, when the billionaire’s team persuaded him to record a video praising Jackson as a “good friend” and highlighting his work with foster children.
Once they became rivals, Jackson’s campaign repurposed the footage in an attack ad accusing Jones of hypocrisy for criticizing someone he had so recently praised. Jones said he hasn’t forgotten.
“Forgive me for not trusting them after the foster care video,” he said Wednesday.
The two former rivals met privately a few weeks ago in Middle Georgia at Trump’s urging. Jackson has described the session as a “great conversation” and said both were focused on defeating Bottoms.
Jones gave the AJC a decidedly cooler assessment:
“It was small talk.”
