For Immediate Release – October 31, 2006
Contact: Linton Johnson, 404-285-2453 or http://webmail.bellsouth.net/agent/MobNewMsg?to=linton.johnson@wordexpress.info
WIGGINS’ SISTER AFFIRMS TRUTH OF HER AFFIDAVIT IN STATEMENT FROM HER LAWYER
ATLANTA – A Hunstein commercial states that Mike Wiggins has neither the experience nor values to be a Supreme Court justice. Among other facts, the commercial informs voters that Mr. Wiggins sued his only sister, that she said he threatened to kill her when she was eight months pregnant, and that a judge ordered Mr. Wiggins never to contact her again.
The facts were based in part on an affidavit filed in the lawsuit by Mr. Wiggins’ sister. In the affidavit, she said she was afraid of and intimidated by him. She also said that after their mother went into a coma, her brother had cursed and verbally abused her, threatened to have her arrested, and threatened to kill her shortly before she had her third child.
In a written statement and television ads run by those bankrolling his campaign, Mr. Wiggins’ claims that that he sued his sister to fulfill a promise to her mother, save her life, and recover money that his sister stole from her mother’s estate. Mr. Wiggins also claims that he won the case and was vindicated. And he denies abusing his sister, in effect accusing his sister of perjury.
Today, Mr. Wiggins’ sister confirmed the truth of her affidavit in a statement issued by her lawyer in the lawsuit, Todd McLeroy of Cullman, Alabama:
Mike Wiggins’ sister is a life long resident of Cullman. She is a respected citizen, homemaker, wife, mother of three, and member of the board of a Christian school. The litigation with her only brother was perhaps the most difficult and painful period of her life. She does not want to relive any part of that time by becoming involved in her brother’s campaign for a position on the Georgia Supreme Court. However, she has authorized me to state that the affidavit she filed in February 1999 is true, and she stands by what she said then.
Mr. McLeroy’s statement, a copy of which is attached, sets forth at length all of the facts and circumstances. The statement directly contradicts Mr. Wiggins’ claims about the litigation. Among other points:
Mr. Wiggins was not close to his mother. When she had her stroke, Mr. Wiggins had not had much contact with her for some time. His sister was the primary care giver.
Mr. Wiggins removed all of the money in her mother’s bank account after she went into a coma. His sister, as a result, could not pay her mother’s bills. Mr. Wiggins’ sister was forced to establish a guardianship and borrow money against her mother’s house to pay for her care.
After learning about the mortgage, Mr. Wiggins’ started a court fight in which he went through four sets of lawyers and litigated in many different courts.
Eventually, there was a settlement in which the sister agreed to allow him to become their mother’s guardian. There was no “victory” for Mr. Wiggins. His sister simply gave in, deciding she did not want to fight with her brother about her mother’s money. A key part of the settlement was a court order preventing Mr. Wiggins from ever contacting her again.
After he became guardian, Mr. Wiggins asked the court to put his sister in jail because she had not returned their mother’s family photographs, a few personal items, and a few pieces of inexpensive furniture. She had kept the items because of her fear Mr. Wiggins would burn them. After a court hearing, the judge refused to jail Mr. Wiggins’ sister.
After their mother died, Mr. Wiggins’ sister learned that he had changed the beneficiary on an insurance policy that their mother had maintained on her life from his sister, who had been the beneficiary for about 15 years, to Mrs. Wiggins sister. Mr. Wiggins used the money to pay his lawyers. While his sister tried to challenge what he had done, she eventually gave in to avoid having to deal with him.
During the course of the litigation, Mr. Wiggins did not display the temperament expected in a judge and had difficulties dealing with all the other professionals in the case, including opposing counsel and the lawyers who were appointed by the court to serve as his mother’s guardians at litem.
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