7th District State Representative Candidates on FYN’s Candidate Day
Election, Politics May 23, 2016
Sam Snider and David Ralston speak on FYN’s Candidate Day for the citizens on the eve of the election day.
When we need action – David Ralston is there for us
Election, Featured, Featured Stories, Politics May 16, 2016
Letter to the Editor
Letters to Editor May 16, 2016
The image of David Ralston his political detractors are trying to paint is absurd and far from reality. It is a desperate attempt to smear the character of a fine public servant in the hopes of gaining a few votes for a losing campaign. David Ralston was the outsider elected Speaker whose leadership repaired the image of a legislative chamber badly tarnished by scandal into a functioning house committed to responsible legislation in service to Georgians.
David Ralston is truly a life-long Republican who spent most of his early political career in the minority. He was first elected to the state Senate in 1992 defeating an incumbent Republican who had switched parties. That was the same year, Sonny Perdue (D) was re-elected to the state Senate and Nathan Deal (D) was exiting that same chamber to win a seat in the U.S. Congress. David was a pioneer for conservative principles and building the Republican Party in Georgia before our last two Governors had even joined the GOP.
When he was first elected to the state House, David was not a member of the “in crowd.” His predecessor stripped his political opponents of preferred committee assignments and challenged leaders of his own party to public fights. As a result, issues that needed immediate attention fell to the wayside as political theatrics took center stage.
David challenged the status quo and the Speaker at that time and lost. He paid a political price for his courage in challenging the powers that be. After all, that’s the way things had been done in Georgia for years. Political retribution had long been a common practice.
In 2010, David Ralston was nominated and elected Speaker by his colleagues on a promise to change the attitude of leadership and build a cooperative culture that would focus on respectful debate and putting the needs of Georgians over special interests. It was a promise he kept.
David Ralston could have chosen to follow the path of his predecessors. He could have sought retribution against those who had previously punished him. But, he didn’t. Instead he brought his fellow house members together and built upon a Republican majority. Within months of David taking the helm of leadership several house members switched parties building the largest GOP majority in state history. Many credited the improved climate implemented by Speaker Ralston as an impetus for the switch.
No individual has made a more positive impact on the political discourse in Georgia than David Ralston. His detractors would have us believe it is a result of his lack of commitment to conservative principles. They are wrong. It’s a result of his commitment to those very conservative principles.
For three decades, the people of the 7th District have trusted the leadership of David Ralston. That sphere of trust in his leadership has expanded throughout all of Georgia. David Ralston has led numerous legislative achievements. But no achievement has been more significant than the culture of cooperation now found in the House of Representatives. For that, we are a better and stronger Georgia.
Hank Burnham
512 Randy Point Road
Athens, GA 30606
706-461-3141
Speaker David Ralston 4/1/16
Politics April 1, 2016
BKP Speaks with House Speaker David Ralston for a Legislative Session Wrap-up.
State Bar Denies Ralston
State & National July 16, 2015
Today, FYN learned of a State Bar recommendation to proceed to trial against David Edmund Ralston,Georgia State Speaker of the House.
The Georgia State Bar has previously filed a Formal Complaint and requested a Special Master to hear the complaint. A Special Master, in law, being an authority appointed to make sure judicial orders are followed. In this case, Attorney Mark Dehler, of Hiawassee, was appointed the responsibility by the Georgia State Supreme Court.
Under this complaint Ralston faces charges of 10 counts of violation of State Bar Rules of Conduct. For more information on these allegations and filings read our past stories on this topic including David Ralston Faces Disbarment and Mr. Ralston has Acknowledged Unintentional Mistakes.
Former Governor of Georgia, Roy Barnes has filed a Petition of Voluntary Discipline on behalf of Mr. Ralston stating references to alleged violations and offering voluntary disciplines to accompany those violations.
The Petition for Voluntary Discipline notes that though the document does include admissions of guilt, they are for the process of arbitration and not admissible in court.
Barnes answers the ten counts of violation with his own view of the violation and offers his idea of the most severe appropriate rule of discipline for each violation. These alleged violations involve a case of one, Mr. Chernak.
In the Petition Barnes states “There is no clear and convincing evidence of a violation” in response to eight of the charged counts.
Admission is given regarding rule 1.8(e) when, as stated, Ralston provided “interest free advances to the Chernaks in 2010 and 2011,” and 1.15(II)(b) when he comingled his personal funds with those of clients.
Barnes goes on to suggest a rule of discipline, or punishment, for these violations. With regard to Rule 1.8(e), though disbarment would be the most severe possible punishment, Barnes states the most sever appropriate punishment would be Admonition under Standard 4.34 as listed in the document on pages 40 and 41.
With regard to Rule 1.15(II)(b), Barnes states that none of the Sanction Standards could apply to Ralston’s situation, but on a more general basis, Standard 4.1 Failure to Preserve the Client’s Property could apply. Barnes again suggests Admonition as the most sever appropriate discipline under Standard 4.14 as listed in the document on pages 41 and 42.
Both of these Disciplines would amount to little more than a public “slap on the wrist” for Ralston.
The Georgia State Bar wasted no time in their response, saying that the speakers petition was “inaccurate, incomplete, or immaterial.”
Standing in firm opposition to Ralston’s Petition for Voluntary Discipline, the State Bar’s Response stated, “the petition fails to contain sufficient information concerning the admissions of fact and the admissions of conduct, and should be rejected.”
The State Bar calls for an evidentiary hearing “where the proof of each party can be tested”, calling it “essential.”
Now these two documents will go before the Special Master, Mark Dehler, and he will either accept the State Bar’s Recommendation and this issue will go to trial, or he will accept Ralston’s Petition and send a recommendation to the State Supreme Court for a final decision.
Don’t miss a much deeper inspection of these documents on Good Morning From The Office tomorrow, July 16 at 7:00 AM.