Oconee County, GA Politics

Perdue failed to disclose land buy near prized tract Acreage next to the governor's Houston County home abuts a pristine forest that's slated for major development By KEN FOSKETT The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 10/28/06 Gov. Sonny Perdue took office in 2003 after campaigning for greater transparency in state government. But within months, he bought 101 acres next to his home in Houston County without disclosing it as required by state law. The omission obscured a conflict of interest Perdue faced in 2004 when the state had to decide whether to protect a major tract of conservation forest abutting the governor's land. (ENLARGE) Ben Gray/AJC (ENLARGE) Government transparency was a campaign issue for Sonny Perdue. Bita Honarvar/AJC (ENLARGE) The Oaky Woods, a 20,000-acre hunting and wildlife preserve, was sold to developers in 2004. The previous year, Gov. Sonny Perdue bought a 101-acre tract next to his home that also abuts the woods. The state decided it could...

The Stamp Act Best Democratic commercial yet

Perdue Campaign Manager Ticketed For DUI POSTED: 2:22 pm EDT October 27, 2006 UPDATED: 3:36 pm EDT October 27, 2006 ATLANTA -- Police and officials with Governor Perdue say the governor's campaign manager was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol Wednesday night. A police incident report says 24-year-old Nick Ayers was driving his Chevy Tahoe above the speed limit and had strayed out of his lane when he was spotted by a Georgia State Patrol trooper as he returned to Perdue's campaign headquarters in Buckhead just before 11 p.m. Wednesday. The report says Ayers told authorities that he had, "consumed a strong Jack and Coke." Georgia state trooper J.W. Rickett reported that he could smell alcohol on Ayers breath. He wrote that Ayers almost struck another car as his SUV entered the parking lot. Ayers consented to a field sobriety test but refused to take a breathalyzer test, replying "NO sir" when asked to do so by the o...

Olbermann - Stay the Course Stay the course with the Republicans Nov. 7th and I guarantee more deaths in Iraq of US soldiers, more lies and much more wasting of money and precious resources in the name of Halliburton, Donald Rumsfeld and others like Dick Cheney

Georgia Rep. makes a fool of himself on Colbert More evidence of why we need Democratic Congressional representatives in Georgia

The Devil is down in Georgia This video shows the trail of lies and corruption in the state of Georgia by the Republican party

State House District 113 Bob Smith Total Contributions: $66,086 Total Expenditures: $30,472 Sept. 30, 2006 Report American Council of Life Insurers PAC, Washington, DC, $250 Benson’s Inc., Bogart, $1000 Berrong Quality Welding, Inc., Watkinsville, $125 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Houston, TX, $350 Builders PAC, Atlanta, $1000 Bullock, Spratt, Hull, Insurance Agent, $250 Clarke County Republican Committee, Athens, $2000 Committee to Elect Ben Harbin, Martinez, $1000 Committee to Elect Ben Harbin, Martinez, $1000 Committee To Elect John Lunsford, McDonough, $200 Committee to Re-Elect Glenn Richardson, Dallas, $1000 Community Bank Employees for Better Govt. PAC Fund, Atlanta, $500 Equifax, Inc., Atlanta, $250 Estess, Rick, Watkinsville, Regional Sales Mgr., $300 Forest PAC-GFA, Forsyth, $400 Friends of Mark Burkhalter, Alpharetta, $1000 GA Branch, Associated Contractors PAC, Atlanta, $500 Garrett, Simon, Statham, Owner, $500 Genentech, Tampa, FL, $250 Georgia Association of Realtors PAC...

State Senate District 46 Bill Cowsert Total Contributions: $149,136 Total Expenditures: $111,798 Sept. 30, 2006 Report A.C.E.C. Georgia P.A.C., Atlanta, $250 A.C.E.C. Georgia P.A.C., Atlanta, $250 AFLAC Incorporated, Columbus, $250 Baker, George W. or Brenda C., Monroe, RE Sales, $150 Benson's Inc., Bogart, $1000 BEVPAC, Atlanta, $500 Blanton, Kelly, Athens, Radio Advertising Sales, $250 Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Georgia, Cincinnati, OH, $500 Brown, Marvin T., Athens, CPA, $150 Burnham, H. Clifton, Athens, Business Owner, $200 Chance For State Senate, Tyrone, $1000 Clarke County Republican Committee, Athens, $2000 Cobb, Thomas J., Athens, Insurance Sales, $300 Committee of Automobile Dealers of GA, Atlanta, $500 Committee to Elect Balfour, Norcross, $500 Dalton Carpet One, Athens, $300 Edwards, James Don or Clara M., Athens, Retired University Of Georgia Professor, $200 Friends For Chip Rogers, Woodstock, $500 Galis, Chuck, Athens, Real Estate Developer, $200 GAMPAC-State, Atlanta,...

Gov's daughter starts ruckus in Habersham State patrol post at issue By Scott Henry Published 10.25.2006 http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=145542 Creative Loafing Atlanta In what can be described as a case of bad political timing, the oldest daughter of Gov. Sonny Perdue has stirred up a feud with the board of commissioners of predominantly Republican Habersham County, where she makes her home. In an article in last week's Northeast Georgian newspaper, Commissioner Douglas Vermilya accused Leigh Brown, Perdue's daughter, of having publicly threatened the county board if it didn't pony up the funding to build a proposed Georgia State Patrol post on State Route 365, the county's main highway. "I don't appreciate a political gun being put to my head and I don't like being pushed into a corner with these types of threats," said Vermilya, a Republican who teaches at North Habersham Middle School. The tiff began Oct. 13, when the ne...

Be sure to come to the debate tomorrow night Nov. 1 at the Oconee County Library Daniel J. Matthews, Jr.

GA Supreme Court This shows you what kind of person Mike Wiggins is

The following is from Tony Gleen of Citizens for South Oconee and he forwarded an email from John Cleaveland about helping in the efforts of moving the massive school house to the Heritage Park location First, if you haven’t seen this week’s Oconee Enterprise, be sure to pick up a copy and read the lead article. Folks, our citizen activism IS making a difference in south Oconee . If county officials are stating publicly their concerns about growth in the southern regions of the county, then obviously we have helped create an environment where they feel comfortable doing so. This is a very positive development. We can’t let our guard down though. Be sure to attend the BOC meeting on Tuesday, November 7 th when the Plum Creek rezone requests will be voted on. Incidentally, be sure to let the folks at the Enterprise and Oconee Leader know how grateful we are of their coverage of these issues. Second item. See the message below from John Cleaveland. The Central Schoolhouse i...

Mark Taylor for Governor - 01

Carol Hunstein

Thank You, Mr. President Real Republicans

Because at the Mayoral debate last night he threw his support behind Mayor Heidi Davison. This shows a shrewdness and political savvy far beyond his 26 years of age. I suppose he got it from his dad Rich Rusk or perhaps his grandfather Dean Rusk, former Secretary of State under John F. Kennedy. Anyhow, Andy basically said that he could split the townie vote and elect Charlie Maddox as a result, so he was throwing his support to Mayor Heidi Davison. It will be interesting to see if this Athens mayoral race results without a run-off. I think Heidi's campaign is picking up momentum toward possibly winning a run-off, but the Maddox campaign is getting the full weight of the local GOP efforts behind it with lots of signs around town. Signs don't win elections, voters do. But who has been stealing all the Jane Kidd signs, Bill Cowsert supporters? I know this blog is supposed to be about Oconee County politics, but Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties are linked for many more reasons t...

Write a letter to the editor of a Georgia newspaper See what other Republicans in Georgia are up to... Jack Kingston Lynn Westmoreland Thomas Price John Linder Nathan Deal Charles Norwood Phil Gingrey What will Charles Norwood put on the Auction Block next? HOW NORWOOD RESPONDS TO HIGH ENERGY PRICES Rep. Norwood voted against cracking down on the oil and gas industries price gouging. Rep. Norwood voted for the GOP energy bill that gave billions to oil, gas and nuclear industries. Big oil and gas industries have given Rep. Norwood $111,561 . Any surprise? REP. NORWOOD PUTS BIG BUSINESS AHEAD OF AMERICAN WORKERS Rep. Norwood voted to strip overtime protection from millions of workers. GOP "HEALTH CARE" Big drug interests have given $103,110 to Norwood over the Representative's career. They know who their friends are. Rep. Norwood voted against allowing millions of Americans to save their hard-earned dollars on prescription drugs ...

Special Comment: Advertising terrorism The key to terrorism is not the act — but the fear of the act FREE VIDEO • Special comment: Advertising terror Oct. 23: "Countdown" host Keith Olbermann discusses images of terrorists in recent Republican campaign commercials. Countdown KEITH OLBERMANN'S SPECIAL COMMENTS MSNBC TV • A special comment about lying The president of the United States — unbowed, undeterred and unconnected to reality — has continued his extraordinary trek through our country rooting out the enemies of freedom: the Democrats. • A textbook definition of cowardice • Bush owes us an apology • This hole in the ground • 'Have you no sense of decency, sir?' • Feeling morally, intellectually confused? Related Stories | What's this? • Pakistan arrests 29 Taliban suspects • 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for July 28 • Q&A: Are Islam and the West Incompatible? • Olbermann: Clinton told truth about 9/11 Most Popular • Most Viewe...

Men bring out big ideas By Rob Pavey| Staff Writer Sunday, October 22, 2006 The dominant issues in the race for Georgia's 10th Congressional District are far more predictable than the candidates. Iraq, Medicare and immigration reform all rank high, but both incumbent Republican Charlie Norwood and Democratic challenger Terry Holley say they have plenty of new ideas to share with voters. "One of my proposals is to create an elevated train system in medians above interstate highways," said Mr. Holley, a 52-year-old jeweler and former teacher who is challenging Mr. Norwood's re-election bid. "We already own the land," Mr. Holley said. "We could go from Augusta to Atlanta to Macon, create tens of thousands of jobs in the process, reduce fossil fuel consumption and also provide reasonably priced transportation." Mr. Norwood, 65, has some interesting ideas, too, including a desire to make Americans aware that Iran is a more serious threat to the nation...