Casey Cagle’s Reprehensible Acts, The Michael Williams Press Conference that missed the Target
Featured, Politics July 18, 2017
“The Die Has Been Cast”
Swing and a miss, strike two. State Senator Michael Williams now has two strikes against him with the media in his quest to be the next Governor of Georgia.
Williams’ first strike was at the State GOP convention when he announced in a speech that a member from Lt. Governor Casey Cagle’s campaign team approached him backstage and offered him a deal to get out of the Governor’s race. In his speech at the GOP convention Williams claimed in front of 1500 people that he was offered the Chairmanship of the Appropriations Committee if he would get out of the race. He never named the individual with Cagle’s team who made the offer in the backroom deal. An accusation with no name leaving the media hanging. Strike one.
Williams’ press conference last Thursday at the Capitol was strike two.
Williams sent out an invite last Wednesday announcing a press conference he would be holding at the Capitol Thursday afternoon. The invitation stated he would be revealing the reprehensible acts of Lt. Governor Casey Cagle.
The press conference was scheduled for 2PM and Williams was 30 minutes late. The press conference only lasted twelve minutes. I attended this press conference and from memory the only thing I got out of it was ‘campaign Casey, a member of Casey Cagle’s team, offered him a committee chairmanship to get out of the race. Angered that Cagle may have out maneuvered him on minimum wage for Sheriff deputies, Willams directly asked Cagle to get out of the race and something about “tying shoes”.
The media pressed Williams to give the name of who from Cagle’s team offered him the chairmanship. Williams’ only response was, ‘not at this time.’ I asked him the final question of the press conference, “did you not say that it was a member of Cagle’s team?” Williams said, “correct.” And I asked, “and you’re not prepared to give us who that is”? Williams: “no”. Williams then told everyone to have a nice day and walked off taking no more questions.
Williams held up a copy of SB 254 entitled: Minimum annual salary for each deputy appointed by each Sheriff; provide; Local Law Enforcement Officer Compensation Commission.
Senators Greg Kirk and Josh McKoon co-sponsored the bill along with Williams. Williams claims that Cagle is the reason the bill went nowhere during the past legislative session. Maybe Williams thought this would be his strongest campaign issue. This could show he is the true friend of law enforcement in the campaign.
In May Cagle announced along with Greg Kirk the Compensation of Police and Sheriffs Task Force. Statement released by the Lt. Governor’s office, “The service and dedication of our law enforcement officials is nothing short of heroic,” said Lt. Governor Cagle. “We must make every effort to ensure local compensation packages are both competitive and fair to those who protect and serve. COPS will help local governments identify ways to maximize their support for the men and women who bravely protect our communities and neighborhoods.”
Kirk, one of Williams’ co-sponsors gone and with the other Josh McKoon running for Secretary of State he may not have any backup concerning his claim that Cagle killed the bill.
Recently Cagle commented about a possible sheriff deputy minimum wage. He has not gone into any detail though.
This week is the Sheriffs’ Association’s Summer Conference where each candidate will get a chance to address the Association.
Brian Kemp, Hunter Hill, Michael Williams and Casey Cagle will have their chance to make their pitch. You can forget this week which one is the true conservative, cause this week all you will hear is ‘I am the true friend of law enforcement’, {no} ‘I’m the true friend of law enforcement,’ {no} ……
My suspicion is that the Sheriffs’ Association will support whomever they think will be best able to get something done for them when it comes to minimum wage for deputies. If that turns out to be Cagle then that may mean Williams has been totally out maneuvered on the issue and SB 254 could turn out to be, as a campaign issue for Williams, no more than good initiative/poor judgment.
You can understand Williams’ frustration. If Cagle gets almost every Sheriff in the state to actively campaign for him that is big. Really big. Maybe that is the ‘reprehensible’ act.
But, Williams’ shoe tying comment directed toward Casey Cagle was a ‘low blow’ no pun intended. Williams experienced several personal attacks especially during his first State Senate race. The rumors are already flying and emails being sent concerning Williams’ past. Maybe Williams’ comment was a subtle warning not to go personal. It’s disappointing this early in the campaign that things are taking a dirty turn rather than staying focused on the issues.
The voters of Georgia may want to hear about issues like casino gambling, rural economic development, tax reform, healthcare, infrastructure…… not who can tie their own shoes.
I feel Williams’ gets one more strike with the media. I can only speak for myself. If he calls another press conference I will attend. Williams has to make good on his claims of reprehensible acts by Cagle soon or that will be strike three and he will lose his credibility. It’s a long time until election day and Williams will need the media to take him serious to help get his message out.
Kemp and Hill have not commented on the Williams’ attacks of Casey Cagle. They both seem to be able to keep their campaigns focused on the issues and not the dirt for the time being. Odds are they will have to join the mud pit before the race is over.
Michael Williams was the first Georgia politician holding a state office to support Donald Trump for President. Williams is attempting to run a Donald Trump-style campaign. There’s only one problem, he is not Donald Trump.
Trump never held public office. He had no legislative voting track record. He could run against Washington D.C. and the Media.
Williams has a State Senate voting record. During his first two years in the State Senate his voting record looks like he was working well with the Republican Establishment. His third year looks more like someone preparing to run for governor.
I am not questioning Williams’ conservative credentials, just the direction his campaign is headed. If you going to demand Casey Cagle get out of the race, it’s time to give the reason why with the facts.
Jones takes Board of Education seat, sales tax passes
Election 2018, News May 24, 2018
CHATSWORTH, Ga. – Heath Jones defeated Celeste Bargeron to win the Murray County Board of Education (BOE) District 6 seat and the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax passed in Tuesday’s primary election.
In the Republican primary Tuesday, incumbent Heath Jones took 1,385 votes and 67.46 percent to overcome Bargeron, who received 668 votes and 32.54 percent. No candidates Democratic candidates qualified to face Jones in the November general election; therefore, Jones will retain his seat on the board.
The BOE District 5 race saw Mitchell Wilson run uncontested in the Republican primary, receiving a total of 1,502 votes. Wilson is also unopposed in general election and will assume the District 5 seat on the board.
In BOE District 7, Republican incumbent Kelli Reed was also unopposed in the primary and will be unopposed in the general election. Reed took 1,553 total votes and will retain her seat on the board.
In the chief magistrate judge’s non-partisan race, Connie Reed was unopposed and garnered 2,019 total votes.
The county referendum to continue the 1 percent SPLOST for another six years was approved by voters. The referendum took in 1,689 yes votes (67.08 percent) and 829 no votes (32.92 percent). The new SPLOST will take effect Jan. 1, 2019.
In the state Senate District 54 race, Republican incumbent Chuck Payne edged out challenger J. Scott Tidwell with 5,012 total votes (52.87 percent) to Tidwell’s 4,467 (47.13 percent). Payne will move on to the November general election to face Democrat Michael S. Morgan, who was unopposed in the primary and received 1,565 total votes.
In the three state House of Representatives’ races, no candidate ran opposed in his respective party primary. In District 5, which encompasses portions of Murray and Gordon counties, Republican incumbent John Meadows received 2,596 district-wide votes while Brian Rosser took in 504 total votes in the Democratic primary. Meadows and Rosser will meet in November in the general election.
In state House District 6, which includes north Murray County and a portion of Whitfield County, Republican incumbent Jason Ridley ran unopposed in the primary and will run unopposed in the general election. Ridley received 2,090 total district votes.
The race for state House District 11, which includes portions of Murray, Gordon, and Pickens counties, Republican incumbent Rick Jasperse and Democrat Lee A. Shiver both ran unopposed in their parties’ respective primaries. Jasperse received a total of 4,865 votes across the district while Shiver took 673 total votes. Jasperse and Shiver will meet in the November general election.
In state-level races, runoff elections will be required to determine the Republican winners of the gubernatorial race, the race for lieutenant governor, and the race for secretary of state.
For governor, current Lt. Governor Casey Cagle will face current Secretary of State Brian Kemp in a runoff election July 24. Cagle took 39.01 percent of the statewide votes to Kemp’s 25.55 percent. The winner of this runoff will move on to face state Representative Stacey Abrams, who handily defeated fellow state Representative Stacey Evans in the Democratic primary. Abrams garnered 76.44 percent of the statewide Democratic votes to Evans’ 23.56 percent.
In the lieutenant governor’s election David Shafer will face Geoff Duncan in the July runoff for the Republican nomination. Shafer won 48.91 percent of the Republican votes statewide while Duncan received 26.65 percent. The winner of the runoff will face Democratic primary winner Sarah Riggs Amico in November.
The secretary of state’s race will also be decided in the July 24 runoff as Republicans Brad Raffensperger and David Belle Isle will meet for their’s party nod. Raffensperger took 34.98 percent of the Republican votes while Belle Isle took in 28.53 percent. The winner will face Democrat John Barrow in the fall general election.
In the county’s only federal election, the U.S. House of Representatives District 14 race featured Republican incumbent Tom Graves and Democrat Steven Lamar Foster both running unopposed in their parties’ respective primaries. Graves took a total of 38,235 Republican votes in the district while Foster received 10,611 votes in the Democratic primary. Graves and Foster will meet in the general election in November.
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NRA endorses David Shafer
Election 2018, Politics April 17, 2018
BLUE RIDGE, Ga. – The National Rifle Association (NRA) continues to unveil their endorsements for the upcoming May General Primary, and the latest announcement revealed their pick for the next Georgia Lieutenant Governor, Senator David Shafer.
Georgia State Senator David Shafer.
Shafer currently serves as a State Senator of the Georgia State Senate, a position he has held since first being elected in 2002. Shafer has also held the title of President Pro Tempore. He has had this designation since 2013 when his fellow Senators unanimously elected him to this position.
Shafer received a letter from the Chairman of the NRA’s Political Victory Fund Chris Cox. In this letter Cox noted Shafer’s work in Georgia in regards to protecting Second Amendment rights: “Nearly every Second Amendment bill in the last 16 years has had your name attached to it.”
“David Shafer is a voice for freedom and faithful friend to Georgia’s law abiding gun owners,” Cox said explaining the decision made by the NRA, “This endorsement is a reflection of his unwavering support for the Second Amendment.”
Shafer received the Defender of Freedom award from the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action in 2013.
This award came after Shafer’s key role in passing Senate Bill 101 by an overwhelming majority in the Georgia Senate.
The bill essentially made what the NRA deemed as “several important changes to Georgia firearms laws”. Among these changes were increasing reciprocity for out-of-state concealed carry permit holders and preempting a ban on firearms in public housing giving residents the ability to defend themselves regardless of their economic stature.
Shafer has long held an A+ rating with the NRA Political Victory Fund and the NRA says of Shafer that he is “one of the nation’s strongest champions of the Second Amendment.”
“The framers of the Constitution intended for us to be able to defend ourselves,” Shafer said. “I am proud of my record fighting for the Second Amendment rights of every law abiding Georgian.”
The NRA’s endorsement is sure to pull some weight in the upcoming May General Primary. There are currently more than 100,000 active members of the NRA in the state of Georgia.
The May General Primary is scheduled to take place May 22, 2018. Voter registration deadline for this General Primary is April 23.
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Getting Started in 2018
State & National January 12, 2018Getting Started in 2018
By: Sen. Steve Gooch (R – Dahlonega)
On Monday, January 8, 2018, we reconvened for the second session of the 154th Georgia General Assembly, which many anticipate will be very fast-paced. The Georgia Senate began our business with leadership changes and three new members. We will also welcome another new member next week who won a special election on Tuesday, January 9, 2018.
In addition to welcoming three new members, Sen. David Shafer, who served as the Senate President Pro Tempore since 2013, resigned his position and the Georgia Senate nominated and elected Sen. Butch Miller to serve in this role. Sen. Miller is a fellow North Georgian and we are honored to have him as our next Pro Temp. The Senate Committee on Assignments also announced chairmen and committee assignments for the upcoming year.
In addition to my duties as Senate Majority Whip, I will continue to serve as the Vice-Chair of the Transportation Committee, the Secretary of the Appropriations Committee, as a member of the Finance, MARTOC, Regulated Industries and Utilities committees and as ex-officio on the Senate Assignments and Rules committees.
As we draw near to the second week of session, we will begin budget hearings as we craft the Amended FY18 and General FY19 budgets. During these meetings and agency presentations, I will keep the prosperity of all Georgians in mind as we finely comb through proposals. Our focus will be on saving tax payers’ dollars while ensuring economic growth and job creation continues to grow in our great state.
Something new here at the Georgia Senate is livestreaming of standing committees that meet in one of the five rooms wired during the Senate Transparency Project. This is in addition to the Senate Chamber being livestreamed during session days. The goal of this project is to bring transparency to standing committee meetings, where legislation is discussed and vetted before moving forward in the legislative process. Another objective is to provide access to our process for those who do not live in the metro area and cannot get to Senate committee meetings quickly. I truly encourage you all to take the time to watch these livestreams. But, if you can’t get to a computer during the meeting time, each and every meeting video is archived to be watched during any time—day or night.
On day four of the session, Gov. Deal gave his last State of the State address. Within his address, Gov. Deal focused on the growth across the board within the state of Georgia. For the past five years, Georgia has been named the number one place to do business. Overall, we have a very busy session calendar ahead of us as we work on the Governor’s budget proposals, legislation pending from last year and other issues that may arise.
I would like to say thank you to all of my constituents for your encouragement and care for the 51st District of Georgia. Please call or email me with any questions, comments or concerns you have and I look forward to hearing from you.
Senator David Perdue Recaps This Year’s Results, Previews 2018 on Fox News
State & National January 2, 2018
Senator David Perdue Recaps This Year’s Results, Previews 2018 on Fox News
ATLANTA, GA – U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) spoke with Mike Emanuel on Fox News’ Special Report about President Trump’s significant accomplishments during his first year in office and the priorities heading into 2018.
Delivering Results: “President Trump laid out four agenda items this year. We accomplished most of them. President Trump wants to continue to get results. The economy is going to move now that we started regulatory work and with the tax bill we just passed.”
Early Success: “The President is working diligently to get ready for 2018, but he is very happy with the results of 2017. His first year in office we saw 2 million new jobs created, 860 rules and regulations being reversed, illegal crossings down 60%, 500 people have been fired at the Veterans Administration for non-performance. The President is very excited about the future of our country now that we’re moving to get the economy going again.”
Business Focus: “We have a business guy in the White House for a change. He is moving at a business place, not a bureaucratic pace. Look, 2018 is an election year, but we have different leadership in the White House. He is not going to waive off his priorities for an election process.”
Immigration Solution: “President Trump, Senator Tom Cotton, and I have been consistently saying that any solution for DACA has to include an end to this archaic chain migration and money for border security and the wall at our southern border.”
Helping American Workers: “That’s what’s wrong with Washington, career politicians don’t understand how the free enterprise system works. The best thing we can do for the American worker, the American consumer, for anyone who works in America is to help our businesses, large and small, become competitive again with the rest of the world.”
Breaking The Gridlock: “The problem in Washington is gridlock. The minority party is causing that right now, but there are signs of encouragement. Frankly, the immigration issue is one that should have a bipartisan solution. We believe we can do that early in the new year. The President is going to keep focused on that as we get back to work next week.”
Republican, A Metaphor for Incompetence?
Opinion November 9, 2017
Well, well, well. Democrats decisively won the Va. governorship and now scream it was a joyous repudiation of that awful Donald Trump. Lying between the real issues and the screaming propaganda that the Republicans are on the ropes, is the simple little fact that Northern Va. is the deepest part of the ‘swamp’ where many, if not most of the swamp dwellers reside, including #Never Trump Republicans. Remember, the GOP Senate Fund has actually been used to help fund Democrats campaigns if the Republican candidate is conservative with Tea Party connections or one who challenges the ‘RiNO Establishments’ official line.
Important to both campaigns for Va. Governor, was the complete failure by either candidate to face the issue of Obama’s collapsing health care scheme; the Democrats because they didn’t want to remind voters that Obamacare was indeed collapsing, and the Republicans because they didn’t want to remind voters of the incompetence of the Republican Party by its failure to repeal and replace Obamacare. Many RiNO’s still dwell among them.
All the liberal media blowhards are screaming exactly the same thing. “Everybody hates Trump.” But, do they? The results of a new poll published yesterday said that if Hillary and Trump faced off today, Trump would still win. What the politicians up there don’t realize is that the majority of American’s actually hate them and what they stand for, more than they do Donald Trump.
Trump after all, is fulfilling his campaign promises, striking down, as fast as he can, the unelected regulatory bureaucracy Obama imposed on us to kill our economy, reducing the size of government employment rolls, energizing the economy, creating employment opportunities, slowing down illegal immigration, reestablishing America’s status as a valuable and trustworthy military partner against crackpot dictators, and reorganizing fair trade practices with other countries. Not a legacy to be ignored. He doesn’t like the UN either and that can’t hurt.
The roots of the tree of Socialists dogma have been well nourished for years because we didn’t pay attention. The rabid reaction of America’s leftists, its college administrations and the millennial students they are brainwashing, have been ignited into inflamed passion, less by Hillary’s loss than by Trumps victory. This, all while the Democrat party itself collapses around them. Hillary did collude with the Russians, She did sell 20% of our uranium to them and she did rig the Democrat Convention to beat out Bernie Sanders. Now comes Donna Brazile with her tell all book, probably a lame scheme to destroy Hillary once and for all, and set up Michelle Obama for a presidential run. Remember, it’s a year out and the questions about Barak’s Obama’s unknown past still haven’t been answered. Why is that?
For that same one whole year, the crap the left has flung against the Trump train has failed to stick. The media, always leading the anti-Trump parade were falling back in confusion until one or two blue state election victories re-energized what they believe is the true message, that everybody does hate Trump. Well, sorry CNN, but no, they don’t.
Trump will succeed by the merit of his own skill as a capital businessman, bringing his supporters along with him. He will fail if the Trump public doesn’t start their own campaigns to strike back, not just against the sinister Democrats, but the RiNo Republicans themselves. Some are already fleeing Trump’s success. More should be encouraged to follow. This is our only opportunity, short of revolution, to correct our screwed up government and it is only Trump who is capable of Making America Great Again. Remember, freedom is the goal, the Constitution is the way. Now, go get ‘em! (09Nov17)
(R) Karen Handel Wins Georgia 6th District
Featured, Politics June 20, 2017 No Comments on (R) Karen Handel Wins Georgia 6th District 54(R) Karen Handel Wins Georgia 6th District. Nancy Pelosi loses hope of being Speaker of the House. Handel wins the most expensive Congressional District Race in United States history. Tune in tomorrow morning to FYNTV.com at 8am for full election analysis.
CLICK ON THE ABOVE PICTURE FOR ELECTION RESULTS.
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State National 8/26/16
GMFTO August 26, 2016
BKP is joined by Rick Glueckert and Bruce Conti to talk National News and Politics in downtown Blue Ridge.
A Piece of Mind 7/28/16
GMFTO July 28, 2016
GMFTO’s Producer, Lonnie, offers thoughts on BKP’s questions about the Conventions and a Millennial’s Mind.
Stephen Aaron and the DNC 7/28/16
GMFTO July 28, 2016
Gilmer County Republican Party Chairman, Stephen Aaron joins GMFTO to talk about the Democratic National Convention and a Republican’s viewpoint on it.
Convention Round Table 7/27/16
GMFTO July 27, 2016
Georgia Republican Delegate Linda Clary Umberger and Gilmer Republican Party Chairman Stephen Aaron sit down with BKP for a round table discussion about the National Conventions.
Fact vs. Fiction: Senator Perdue Lays Out The Facts About Tax On Fox News
State & National December 5, 2017 , by Admin AssistantFact vs. Fiction: Senator Perdue Lays Out The Facts About Tax On Fox News
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) spoke with Shannon Bream on Fox News @ Night to clear up the misinformation about the U.S. Senate’s plan to fix the tax code, help middle-class families, and make America more competitive again.
Fiction: The GOP tax plan will add $1 trillion to the national debt.
Fact: “I am more optimistic that this plan is going to ignite our economy. President Trump said job one was getting our economy going again. We pulled back on regulations, unleashed our energy potential, and now we have an historic opportunity to change the tax code and make American companies and workers competitive again with the rest of the world.”
Fiction: This tax plan is only going to help the wealthy and hurt lower and middle-income Americans.
Fact: “Real Americans are going to benefit from this. A family of four, making the median income of $73,000 a year, will have their taxes cut almost 60%. A single mom with one child, making $41,000 a year, which is the median income for a single worker, will get a 75% tax cut. More importantly, between 3-6 million people are estimated to have their taxes go to zero. The greatest beneficiary of this plan is the person who will get a job because the economy is going to be ignited.”
Fiction: There has been no transparency to this process. The entire process was hidden from the American people and pushed through at the last minute.
Fact: “Over the last few years, there have been over 70 open hearings in the Senate about changing the tax code. This has been a fully transparent process. I hear the rhetoric from the other side. This is all coming from the side who a few years ago had then-Speaker Pelosi say ‘you’ve got to pass the bill to see what’s in it.’ This has been an open process the entire time. This is regular order. It went through committee, where we had amendments offered. We’ll have amendments added to it tonight. All of this has been done in the light of day.”
Fiction: The tax plan will generate very little economic growth.
Fact: “President Trump has really pushed us to make sure this plan will make American businesses grow. I believe we have accomplished that. Today, we have the highest corporate tax rate in the world, and the corporate tax rate is a huge penalty on the American worker. I know because I’ve lived in Asia and worked all over the world. We are now going to become more competitive with the rest of the world.”