Richardson Campaign Mail??

According the the AJC, voters near Speaker Richardson's home turf got this special mail. Presents him with a bit of a dilemma don't you think?





So, will Speaker Richardson side with property owners or big oil? Only the Speaker knows for sure.

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Richardson Relishes "Opportunity" to Cut Kids' Benefits

Georgia Republicans have decided that they prefer a vacation to staying on task and finding a solution for PeachCare that does not involve cutting children from the rolls. While the legislature is on this two week break, the date, March 11th, past which no more children will be enrolled will come and go. What a lame, cowardly attempt to avoid accountability for getting what you really want: reduced services for the neediest Georgians so that the Governor can keep his promise to cut the taxes of a strong voting block: wealthier seniors. The truth is, Georgia Republicans are vacationing because they relish the opportunity to cut access to PeachCare.

If Republicans are crying about PeachCare, those are crocodile tears. Democrats gave Georgia children PeachCare, and ever since Republicans have been trying to find a way to curtail the program. They won't tell you that, at least, not usually, but today, Speaker Richardson let his slip show with this remark, as reported by AP reporter Shannon McCaffrey in the Telegraph:

House Speaker Glenn Richardson said the funding fight "has given us a good clean opportunity to give the program a fresh look."

At least the Speaker is owning up to the real agenda here.

The bottom line is that limiting the access of children to PeachCare is bad fiscal and public policy. Those children who do not get adequate early medical care have higher health costs in the long run, and most often those costs are picked up by the taxpayer. Children who do not get good basic healthcare are less likely to come to school "ready to learn."

Given the consequences, it is outrageous to support programs like "Go Fish" and tax cuts for higher income seniors while our children's access to healthcare is in jeopardy. It would be one thing to discuss cuts if austerity was the rule of the day in other areas of the budget, but that is not the case. This is a debate about priorities. As Rep. Randall has said, these are our children. We have the money to fill the gap, and we should do just that. And, as Randall suggested once from the well, Richardson and those of his ilk should fall on their knees and repent.

Just what does he not get about "as you do to the least of these, you do unto me?"

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Richardson Channels DeLay

Feeling a little tense there, Mr. Speaker? More and more, it appears that Speaker Richardson is channeling Tom DeLay. (We know what happened to DeLay, and Richardson might be wise to note his fate.) The Speaker's arrogance and impulsiveness seem boundless. On Saturday, he is quoted in the Telegraph saying this about the person who filed the ethics complaint against Larry O'Neal:

"This is the Democratic Party of Georgia's lawyer cronies, using him as a pawn in a very dangerous game for him," said Richardson, a Republican from Hiram." (Jan. 27, 2007, The Telegraph)

Today, the Speaker is quoted taking on the press, threatening to yank credentials based on what they write. They have, according to his staff, no constitutional right to be on the floor of the House. I can absolutely understand why the Speaker wants to hide from the press, but his continued threats to those who would dare criticize him and his friends are wearing thin, as is his lip-service treatment of ethics that allows him to remain on the panel for his friend.

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Glenn Richardson's "Unadulterated" Videotape

Today, in the AJC, Glenn Richardson says that the videotape will clear him. I had heard that there might be video, but this is not what I was not exactly what I was thinking of. I have to wonder why Speaker Richardson keeps bringing this up. Here's a portion of the article:

"Richardson's assertion that he killed the bill relates to a speech he made on the House floor two days before the 2006 session ended. To refute the conflict-of-interest allegation, aides to the speaker showed The Atlanta Journal-Constitution a video clip of that speech, in a version that had been edited to include a soaring musical score: An unadulterated version is available on the General Assembly's Web site, in archived video from the morning of March 28."

A soaring musical score? What? And did the AJC really use the word "unadulterated"?

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Richardson's Rule By Intimidation

According to the Associated Press, Speaker Richardson is on the hunt for those who helped fuel the rumors of his alleged extramarital affair. If you think that Porter and Kahn are shaking in their shoes, think again. The question is, what weapon does one carry when hunting for Republicans? Photographs? Threats regarding leadership posts or committee assignments? Whatever his weapon, it's a shame that Richardson is more than willing to use his position as Speaker to carry out a personal vendetta. He doesn't even do it quietly: he tells the press for God's sake. On his list of criteria for legislation that would be considered, perhaps he should've added, "cannot be sponsored by someone who accused me of having an affair."

No doubt, Richardson didn't become Speaker by being a nice guy. This "hunt" is consistent with his heavy-handed way of dealing with pretty much everything under the Dome. Remember him yelling at the GPTA delegation in the gallery last year? He is known for his temper and his tirades. This is an interesting approach, however. One would think that the Speaker would be working not to give this story legs, but instead, he is fueling the fire with statements like this to the press: "I want to know who else was behind it," he said, adding with a smile: "I'll tell them I didn't like it." That strategy makes me think that there's more to come, and that the Speaker is trying to tamp down the flames before the House catches fire.

Perhaps I missed it, but I have yet to hear the Speaker deny the alleged affair. AGL also chose not to comment on the alleged affair, saying that they as a company had always acted properly. He called it poison, called it manufactured, called it stirred, but never simply called it rubbish. I have a suggestion. If there is photographic evidence relative to these allegations, then publish it. After all, if he is innocent, the pictures would clear his name. See, wouldn't that be easy? So, let's see the pictures. Don't hold your breath.

Today, the question smart people are asking is what caused Burkhalter to back away from the race for Speaker.

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Richardson Awash in Rumors

Georgia Republicans are looking a little frayed these days. As they jockey for position in the leadership elections to take place on Monday, they risk exposing some of their dirty laundry. Check this story on Peach Pundit. As Bill Shipp noted earlier this week, some questions have arisen about Speaker Richardson's after hours activities. Humm...you know when they start the blaming and explaining they are in real trouble. When they invoke the Clinton metaphor, their goose is cooked. Expect this story to break over the weekend, and expect more causalities as rocks get tossed about the glass house of the Gold Dome. The interesting thing is that it appears that the Republican internal fight for power is to blame for the story breaking. Where's that rigid discipline and party loyalty that helped them gain power? Is this the opening act in the Richardson-Cagle-Westmoreland fight for Governor? This could make Cox-Taylor look like a love-fest.

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