In my recent article entitled, “How the Forsyth County Commission Used Public Funds to Bail Themselves Out of Ethics Charges,” I described how Forsyth County senior staff, and the county attorney, have been working in concert with four commissioners, each of those officials playing a particular role in an apparent effort to shield themselves from meaningful ethics accountability.

But, isn’t it ironic when an attorney apparently appointed to shield county commissioners and executive staff from ethics complaints, finds himself embroiled in ethics complaints just like his appointers, and has to be dismissed? The newly-created office of “county ethics attorney,” which has never existed in the history of Forsyth County, has now become a veritable revolving door, whoever walking through it soon discovering that the very services he or she is appointed to provide are contrary to the intent of the county ethics code, and violate the authorities and procedures the code prescribes. So, unless the ethics rules are changed, practically any intervening activity a “county ethics attorney” might undertake, which usurps authority the code specifically assigns to other office holders, or which alters the flow of prescribed ethics procedures in any way, could become cause for a new complaint.

Ethics Standards Apply to all County Personnel-Even the Ethics Attorney

Forsyth County maintains a rigid set of ethics standards, rules of you will, applicable to all county officials and employees. According to the Forsyth County Ethics Code, those rules specifically apply to “the board of commissioners, any member of a board or authority appointed by the board, the county manager and assistant administrator, the county attorney and any of his assistant county attorneys, any other elected or appointed officer or employee of the county.” Thus, no one at the county is exempt from ethics rules and responsibilities, not even a county ethics attorney.

According to those rules, anyone can file an ethics complaint when he or she feels one or more of the parties subject to the ethics rules have violated the county’s standards. When that happens, a process prescribed within those same rules must take place. That process is designed to remain free from influence of interested parties, especially those against whom an ethics complaint might be filed, but also free from the person or persons filing a complaint. The principle of independence is the foundation of the Forsyth County Ethics Code. When the processes conducted under the ethics rules do not remain independent, the system breaks down.

Forsyth County Ethics Program is Broken

Under the control of a cast of the following four county commissioners, Alfred John, Kerry Hill, Laura Semanson and Mendy Moore, the Forsyth County Ethics Code has broken down. Over the past several months, I have documented for you an apparent ongoing attempt by those four commissioners, aided by senior staff and the county attorney, to systematically override the independence necessary for the ethics processes to yield equitable outcomes. The apparent subversion of the ethics rules has been carried out by the six working together to interpose an appointed “gatekeeper,” to supervise the ethics process. From that post, one incidentally not authorized by the ethics code, the commissioner’s new “county ethics attorney” could be positioned to effectively quash any complaint filed against the aforementioned office holders. What the commissioners apparently did not anticipate, however, is that the office holder apparently appointed to dismiss complaints filed against them, attorney Christopher Balch, by virtue of various activities he has undertaken within that appointment, has himself become the subject of ethics complaints. The ethics rules to not sanction the appointment of anyone to intervene, and thus possibly taint the independence of the prescribed ethics procedures. The interposition of such a “gatekeeper” to overlord and affect the independent ethics process is itself a violation of the very rules such an officer is appointed to oversee. Thus, any such appointee who affects the independence of the ethics processes from such a post can easily find himself the subject of related ethics complaints.

Because the commissioner’s so-called “county ethics attorney” has now himself become the respondent in at least two ethics complaints related to his work at that position, attorney Balch cannot presently participate in his role of the commissioner’s gatekeeper. And because the commissioner’s previous appointee is disqualified from gatekeeping complaints, especially concerning his own vulnerability to the rules, this past Thursday, out of apparent desperation to keep their gatekeeping operation functioning, those same four commissioners, along with the county manager and a representative of the county attorney’s firm, proposed and passed a new resolution, this time appointing a different law firm into the same ethically-challenged gatekeeper position Mr. Balch formerly occupied, as if becoming “the next contestant on the Price is Right.”

The new firm, Carothers & Mitchell, LLC, specifically including attorneys Thomas Mitchell and Cullen B. Threlkeld, appointed for the published purpose of “providing legal guidance and support to the Ethics Panel Clerk and Ethics Panel,” has been assigned to replace Mr. Balch, and will now be subject to the same rules as Balch, who is apparently out the door.

The idea of an attorney providing legal guidance to a three-attorney ethics panel, effectively situates a fourth attorney onto the panel, which violates the code no matter how anyone would like to couch it. Thus, depending on what activities the new “contestant” undertakes, he (they) could become the subjects of ethics complaints, just like Mr. Balch. For that reason, we can expect that the crew of Balch replacements may choose to operate more discretely to avoid the same fate as their predecessor.

One major obstacle the new team will face is that the tasks associated with the position they are designated to fill, cannot be carried out without varying from the mandated ethics procedures prescribed in the code. The code sanctions no “county ethics attorney” to intervene in an otherwise straightforward process purposely designed to be carried out by a layperson who is not an attorney, and who is tasked only with following an uncomplicated set of discrete, clerical tasks.

How the Forsyth County Ethics Rules Are Supposed to Work

And so, let’s discuss how the ethics complaint process is supposed to work. Once you understand that, I expect you will be able to see how the newly-devised gatekeeping operation works outside of the code’s prescribed independent procedures. According to the Forsyth County Ethics Code, when a complaint is filed it is received by an individual charged with the responsibilities of the “ethics panel clerk.” As the title indicates, that office is a clerical one. The tasks assigned to that person are solely administrative and secretarial in nature. They are not tasks requiring an attorney’s formal education and training.

According to Ethics Code Section 2-112(e), once a complaint is filed, the first task the ethics panel clerk must perform is “determining that an ethics complaint meets the facial requirements of section 2-124 of this Code of Ethics.” Facial requirements are surface requirements. They do not require legal analysis, professional training or skills beyond possessing a good mind and a willingness to follow a few straightforward instructions. If the ethics panel clerk determines that a complaint is “technically deficient,” meaning that it does not meet one or more of the “facial requirements,” the ethics panel clerk must notify the complainant of those specific “technical deficiencies” and provide that party seven days to correct those deficiencies before dismissing the complaint on “technical grounds.”

The facial requirements the ethics panel clerk is empowered to judge do not require legal analysis or interpretation. They are simply boxes to check on the following checklist:

1. Is the complaint signed and notarized?

2. Is the complaint supported by affidavits based on personal knowledge?

3. Does the complaint pertain to conduct occurring more than six months prior to the complaint being filed or contain no statement that the conduct was concealed or non-disclosed?

4. Does the complaint specifically identify the provisions(s) of the Code of Ethics alleged to have been violated by exact code number?

5. Does the complaint provide a detailed explanation of why the alleged conduct constitutes a violation?

6. Does the complaint contain the full legal name, mailing address, or phone number of the complaining party?

7. Does the complaint contain the following statement: “I have read the ethics complaint and aver that the facts contained therein are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.”

That’s it, very simple and hardly time-consuming. None of those checklist items, which are designed to be administered by the ethics panel clerk, requires any particular skill or training beyond that of a layperson—a clerk. The ordinance is written that way because the facts and arguments of an ethics complaint are not to be adjudicated at the level of a layperson. Facts and arguments are reserved to be analyzed and judged by seasoned attorneys comprising a three-member ethics panel.

Once the ethics panel clerk has determined that all facial requirements pertaining to a complaint are met, and that the complaint is therefore not “technically deficient,” the ethics rules require the clerk to “conduct a blind drawing of three names from the list of members and contact each member to determine their availability to serve on the ethics panel.” Next, “upon selection of three qualified members who are available to serve on the ethics panel, the clerk shall prepare a document identifying panel membership and both the clerk and the county manager and/or county attorney that witnessed the selection process shall attest on that document as to the legitimacy of the selection process.”

Notice the county ethics rules do not empower anyone other than the ethics panel clerk to administer the process I just described. Should anyone else, such as an individual appointed as a gate-keeping “county ethics attorney,” interject him or herself into judging the facial requirements of a particular complaint, that activity could only be undertaken from outside of the county ethics rules, effectively casting those rules to the wind. And it is the alleged overriding of processes prescribed by the county ethics rules, Mr. Balch apparently usurping the authority of the ethics panel clerk, and interjecting himself as a fourth attorney on a three-attorney ethics panel, that have provided the grounds for the ethics complaints presently filed against him.

Thus, as of last Thursday, Forsyth County taxpayers are apparently paying a veritable team of attorneys to provide very much the same questionable gate-keeping services previously carried out by Mr. Balch. Those services hardly accrue benefit to the citizens of Forsyth County. They are legal services specifically designed to mask and defend against allegations of unethical conduct by four commissioners, the county manager and county attorney. County ethics rules require respondents to ethics complaints to pay any costs of legal defense against such complaints out of personal funds, and limit reimbursement of those costs at $10,000. Reimbursement is authorized only if every allegation is dismissed by the ethics panel. Perhaps you see the commissioner’s motivations in all of this.

Ignoring Ethics Rules, Commissioners Delegate Prescribed Ethics Panel Clerk Responsibilities to New Gatekeepers and Assign New Law Firm as Fourth Attorney in a Three-Member Ethics Panel

One vital provision in the Forsyth County Ethics Code is that any person under it’s authority, including commissioners and county attorneys, in performing the responsibilities of their positions, must, “Uphold the Constitution, laws, and legal regulations of the United States and the state and of all governments therein and never be a party to their evasion.” In appointing the new gatekeeping firm to its responsibilities, however, all five commissioners, the county manager and county attorney who wrote the resolution, have arguably violated that provision, potentially nullifying their resolution of appointment. The Forsyth County Ethics Code PRESCRIBES certain tasks to be carried out by an office holder it describes as the “ethics panel clerk.” The ethics code anticipates that the ethics panel clerk, a layperson, will personally carry out those tasks. As we have discussed, the tasks associated with the ethics panel clerk amount to checking boxes in a checklist. Those tasks are not overly burdensome or time consuming. In last Thursday’s resolution, the commissioners relieved the ethics panel clerk of “part of the administrative burden associated with the current volume of ethics complaints.” They did not specify which part of the so-called “burden” the ethics panel clerk would be relieved. But that does not matter because the entire “burden,” if that term even applies, is PRESCRIBED to be administered by the ethics panel clerk in the ordinance. Thus, in doing so the commissioners have arguably evaded the ethics ordinance, which places them at jeopardy of even more ethics complaints.

Furthermore, in the new resolution the commissioners stated their intention that the new gatekeepers “provide legal guidance and otherwise support and assist the Ethics Panel Clerk and Ethics Panel in carrying out their respective responsibilities under the Forsyth County Code of Ethics.” The duties of the ethics panel clerk do not require legal determinations. The ethics panel clerk therefore does not require “legal guidance” in carrying out that office’s responsibilities. The assignment of a law firm to provide legal guidance to an individual whose sole responsibility is to check discrete boxes on a simple checklist, wreaks of the possibility that the commissioners intend for the law firm to interfere with the work of the ethics panel clerk and find ways to affect the clerk’s final determinations.

And by assigning certain attorneys to “provide legal guidance” to a three-attorney ethics panel, not only does the resolution defy the rules by effectively placing a fourth attorney on a three-attorney panel, but the commissioners also admit in their own words that this resolution is an attempt to GUIDE the panel toward certain outcomes, adversely affecting the independence of the ethics process codified in the ordinance.

Ethics code Section 2-61(d) provides the intent that “It is essential to the proper operation of democratic government that public officials be independent and impartial, that governmental decisions and policy be made in the proper channels of the governmental structure.” Last Thursday’s resolution arguably violates that intent, removing the independence of the ethics panel clerk from performing the duties of that office without extraneous “legal guidance,” and adversely affecting the intent that the decisions of the clerk’s office be made in that office and not be channeled to or through, or be affected by office holders in other offices.

As the appointment resolution it was passed last Thursday, it will be difficult for Mr. Balch’s replacements to provide the services it describes, without breaking existing ethics rules. That is because those rules do not authorize any parties, except the ethics panel clerk and the three-member ethics panel to affect their assigned purposes. Any tangible effect by the new firm on the processes prescribed under the ethics rules, or designated to the individuals authorized to carry out those processes, could land that firm and its attorneys in the same place as Mr. Balch, engulfed in ethics allegations themselves. Will they remain clear of those rules, or will they simply become “the next contestants on The Price is Right?” Time will tell. Stay tuned…

Below you will find the entire resolution unanimously passed by the Forsyth County Commission last Thursday:

Over the years, I have found that one of the most difficult interpersonal tasks I ever have to undertake is to try to explain to someone why he or she owes me money, when he or she does not want to pay. It does not happen often, but when it does, it is not uncommon that such a person suddenly loses all ability to understand English. I have come up with a term to describe that mannerism. The purposeful inability to mentally grasp what should be painfully obvious, when one’s understanding would come at a cost, is what I call, the “stupid defense.” It is a form of gaslighting. To such an individual one might honestly explain, “Look, Fred, you borrowed $100 from me last week and agreed to pay me back this week. Now, it is time for you to pay me back.” Cornered by the facts, the kind of individual I describe seemingly becomes stupid, answering something like, “I don’t understand why you would say that. I have to go now.”

The mannerism I call the “stupid defense” can be used in many circumstances, such as child being caught with his hand in the cookie jar and refusing to admit his crime, imagining that stonewalling and refusing to acknowledge what is painfully obvious might get him off without time served. You see, either an individual using the stupid defense really is stupid, or he thinks you are stupid enough to believe him. The stupid defense can be used in either scenario.

Forsyth County Ethics Process is a Sh*t Show

Citizens of Forsyth County should know that their local government is running what is commonly known as a “sh*t show” in the administration of its ethics rules and procedures, three recent ethics panel judges apparently ignoring, and perhaps breaking the rules themselves, while employing the stupid defense mannerism to justifying their actions. Those three ethics panel members allowed a known, conflicted county attorney, Christopher Balch, appointed to his position by a resolution written, proposed and approved by the same six public officials who were the subjects of the ethics complaint before the panel, to sit among the panel members at the table and provide legal advice potentially affecting their decision to dismiss the case against Balch’s bosses. But that is not all. That same trio of panelists then handed the conflicted attorney the task of writing the decision exonerating the very bosses who appointed him and who pay him $400/hr out of public funds for his work, in essence handing the proverbial fox the keys to the hen house. And those three attorneys, comprising a recent Forsyth County ethics panel, apparently cannot understand what is wrong with any of that, claiming publicly that neither Balch nor his arguments had any effect on their decision to exonerate Balch’s employers—a prime example of what I call the ‘stupid defense’ at work in the heart of Forsyth County Government. Apparently, those panelists are truly stupid themselves, completely misinformed by a lack of due diligence on their parts, or they think the people of Forsyth County are stupid enough to believe them.

Speaking for the three panelists during the recent appeal of the panel’s decision, panel Attorney David Will would claim,

To further the public impression that Balch had no influence over the panel’s initial decision to exonerate Balch’s bosses, during the motion-to-vacate proceedings last Monday the three panelists actually took a vote among themselves to say the county ethics attorney had no influence on their decision, as if such a vote would be meaningful in view of the fact that it was Balch’s biased legal theory, arguing that the panel lacked jurisdiction to act on the complaint before them, that became the rationale by which the panel members initially dismissed Mr. Howard’s complaint after an hour of deliberation.

The Initial Investigatory Review

In my recent article entitled, “How the Forsyth County Commission Used Public Funds to Bail Themselves Out of Ethics Charges,” I brought evidence to show how the four members of the Forsyth County Commission—Laura Semanson, Mendy Moore, Kerry Hill, and Chairman Alfred John—used taxpayer dollars in a way that aided their own defense against an ethics complaint filed by Mr. Howard filed November. Apparently reacting to Howard’s filing, on December 4th those six public officials choreographed the passage of a resolution authorizing attorney Christopher Balch to provide legal services relating to Howard’s ethics complaints against them, eventually resulting in a dismissal of the complaint by the three-member ethics panel I reference above, as reported by Forsyth County News.

To justify his participation with the ethics panel at the investigatory review meeting, Mr. Balch assumed the guise afforded by the six Respondents in their resolution, playing the role of an outside attorney having no relationship with his appointers, and only representing the interests of Forsyth County as an institution, while, as reported by FCN, simultaneously presenting himself as representing the interests of the ethics panel as its “outside counsel,” yet another potential conflict of interests. In my referenced article, I provided conclusive video and documentary evidence that although the resolution was orally proposed to the commissioners as a limited measure allowing Balch to merely advise the county manager and the ethics clerk, it was ultimately used to expand Balch’s activities to encompass the entire county ethics process, even seating the Respondents’ chosen attorney at the investigatory review table, providing him the opportunity to influence the three-member ethics panel judging the merits of Mr. Howard’s complaint against them. Doing so created serious conflicts-of-interests concerns. The officials drafting, proposing and approving the appointment of Balch last December, were themselves the subjects of the complaints Balch would have a hand in dismissing.

During the initial ethics panel hearing, despite prohibitions in the county’s ethics rules, the panelists allowed Mr. Balch to present a case for dismissal of Mr. Howard’s complaint, holding to a theory that the ethics panel had no jurisdiction to act on a complaint pertaining to any alleged breaking of state law. The panel agreed with Balch’s unauthorized, biased and conflicted presentation and dismissed the complaint on the grounds Balch laid out for them.

Mr. Balch’s argument is refuted by Sec. 2-82 of the county ethics ordinance, which makes it an ethics violation to violate state law while engaged in any activity applicable to an official or employee by virtue of his respective office or employment. The county ethics rules therefore provide jurisdiction for the ethics panel to draw conclusions of law.

To enforce Sec. 2-82 above, Sec. 2-124(5) provides the ethics panel jurisdiction to determine conclusions of law.

And when an ethics panel determines that a state law has been broken, the Sec. 2-125(e) provides authority to refer its finding of facts and conclusions of law to the county district attorney.

Scott Howard’s Motion to Vacate the Panel’s Dismissal

After reading of the panel’s initial decision in the local paper, Mr. Howard filed a motion to vacate, or nullify, the panel’s decision to dismiss his complaint. He did so on the grounds that Mr. Balch was an unauthorized participant in the earlier meeting, and that Balch himself had conflicted interests. Mr. Balch’s presence at the table was not authorized because the county ethics rules only provide for the ethics clerk and the three panelists to participate in the panel’s investigatory review. And as I have written, Balch represented conflicting interests because the resolution under which he was appointed was:

1. Written by one of the Respondents to Mr. Howard’s complaint, County Attorney Ken Jarrard;

2. Proposed to the commissioners by a second Respondent to Mr. Howard’s complaint, County Manager David McKee; and

3. Approved by the vote of the remaining four Respondents to Mr. Howard’s complaint, Commissioners Semanson, Hill, Moore and John.

4. The six Respondents therefore hold power over Mr. Balch.

Ethics Panel Reconvenes on Howard’s Motion to Vacate Earlier Decision

After filing his motion to vacate, Mr. Howard received an email from the Forsyth County Ethics Clerk, notifying him of a meeting last Monday (July 6) reconvening the ethics panel. The purpose of the meeting would be to consider his motion. The email made it clear, however, Howard would not be allowed to take part in the meeting, cautioning the Complainant:

Pursuant to the ordinance:

1. Neither the complainant nor the respondent may present evidence or address the Ethics Panel during the investigatory review.

2. No testimony will be taken at this stage.

More Conflicts-of-Interest?

I took the opportunity to attend last Monday’s ethics panel reconvening. In the photo below, on your right you will see (L-R) the three ethics panel members, Ronald Debranski, David Will, and Albert Norton. On the left side of the table, hidden from view is Forsyth County Ethics Clerk Brandi Zuckerman. Between Ms. Zuckerman and the camera you will identify Attorney Christopher Balch, the individual whose unauthorized and conflicted participation during the initial investigatory review was the centerpiece of Mr. Howard’s motion to dismiss, the only issue before the panel at the second meeting.

Out of town when notified, Mr. Howard would have had a hardship of traveling a twelve-hour round trip to attend the meeting, and would not have been allowed to speak or participate in any event. That Mr. Howard therefore did not attend, however, would seemingly be held against him by the three panelists, each agreeing aloud that they would have wanted to hear from Mr. Howard, even though doing so would be an ethics rules violation on their parts, no different, however, than allowing the conflicted attorney Balch to sit and address them as he had then done twice. Attending the discussion from my seat approximately thirty feet away, I spoke up and personally offered to place a call to Mr. Howard so that they panel could hear from him as they expressed desire, and was immediately rebuffed by Mr. Will. That told me how much the panelists really wanted to hear from Mr. Howard.

Although the motion being considered at this second meeting involved the unauthorized and conflicted participation of Mr. Balch in the first meeting, there seated across from the panelists once again was Mr. Balch, the three panelists allowing yet another round of unauthorized and conflicted interests to take part in dealing with the issue before them. And almost unbelievably, as those of us who gathered to witness this meeting would learn, Balch, the appointed Forsyth County Ethics attorney, hired by the orchestrated efforts of the six Respondents to Mr. Howard’s complaint, had been entrusted by this presumably neutral ethics tribunal, to write the decision exonerating the very appointers who put him there in the first place, and who therefore had the power to hire him, and even to fire him if dissatisfied with the product of his work!

As the meeting played out, the audience discovered that Mr. Balch brought with him a draft document of the initial case dismissal, apparently written by his hand, for the three panelists to consider and sign. Importantly, the panel itself did not author its own decision. Instead Balch, appointed to his position by the Respondents to Mr. Howard’s complaint, apparently was responsible for writing the exoneration of his appointers!

Stupid Defense at Work During and After the Meeting

During the meeting, I personally observed the three-member panel, each member alleging confusion as to the reasoning behind Mr. Howard’s motion to vacate the panel’s decision. Given the apparent conflicts of interests surrounding Balch’s involvement, the panel’s behavior, it seems, was simply another example of the stupid defense at work potentially shaping the outcome. Every reader who has made it this far understands the conflicts I raise, yet these three seasoned attorneys, selected ostensibly for their knowledge, independence and neutrality, portrayed themselves to be irredeemably confused by all this. For the record, the following passages, along with supporting evidence, are the grounds on which Mr. Howard voiced objections to his original complaint being dismissed with the participation and coaching of Mr. Balch:

1. Christopher D. Balch, the outside attorney engaged in connection with this matter, appears to hold concurrent attorney-client relationships incompatible with a neutral role. The County has described communications between Mr. Balch and the Ethics Clerk’s office as privileged attorney-client communications; a February 23, 2026 email asserts attorney-client privilege directly with Commissioner Laura Semanson, a named respondent. The same attorney cannot serve the County’s interest in an impartial proceeding and a respondent’s personal interest in defeating it. (Attachments 1-2.)

2. A determination dismissing a related complaint was issued by counsel on February 20, 2026, before any Panel was empaneled — although under the Panel’s own published Investigatory Review Procedure, that determination belongs to the Panel, not to counsel.

3. The resolution appointing Mr. Balch was adopted December 4, 2025 by a vote that included four of the named respondents. (Attachment 3.)

In addition, I was not afforded proper notice or service of the proceeding that led to this determination. The County Attorney was aware that I was out of town — a separate property matter involving me had been continued on that basis — yet I received notice only by email, approximately 36 hours before the hearing, sent on [the date of the primary runoff election]. I was never served in the manner the process requires. A determination reached without adequate notice and an opportunity to be heard cannot fairly stand.

After the meeting adjourned, I approached Mr. Will and questioned Mr. Balch’s jurisdiction argument due to the fact that the ethics ordinance provides the jurisdiction for the panel to issue findings of fact and conclusions of law as the basis of judging ethical behavior, and that according to the ordinance, law-breaking in the activities of one’s job with the county is itself an ethical violation. Mr. Will’s response was circular, saying, “Only if you have jurisdiction.” I immediately countered that the jurisdiction is defined right there in the ordinance, to which Mr. Will begged off, gathering his things and leaving the room, his response and actions, in my opinion, defining a final example of the stupid defense at work that day.

In his complaint, Mr. Howard provided certifying evidence tying Mr. Balch’s personal interests to the interests of each Respondent in the Howard complaint. Yet, these three ethics panel members acted as if they could not understand what Mr. Howard was talking about. I personally do not buy the panel’s ignorance in this matter. The conflicts of interest between Mr. Balch, the county attorney, the county manager and four commissioners, each who played their respective parts in appointing Balch, each who benefited from that appointment, and each who are named as Respondents in Mr. Howard’s complaint, would be obvious to any bright third-grader.

Lessons for Forsyth County Citizens

Forsyth County citizens should take note that their county is being run by the very officials cited in Scott Howard’s ethics complaint. Citizens should also note how difficult it is to enact justice against public officials who not only hold power over all who are employed by the county, but who also have control over the public purse to pay whatever it might cost to subvert the system in defending themselves.

In times like these, I am reminded of John Adams who wrote:

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

A parallel argument might be made that a community’s local ordinances are made for only honest public officials, and are wholly inadequate for the government of any other. In appointing Mr. Balch, Forsyth County commissioners used governmental power in ways the ordinances do not authorize. 250 years ago, our founders recognized that the use of governmental power without authority is the definition of tyranny. Until the people act to stem that kind of behavior, it will continue and fester. It is time for the people to clean out Forsyth County Government and restore honesty and accountability to those public offices.

Commissioners Under Ethics Charges Appoint Noted Ethics Attorney Chris Balch, Ostensibly to Provide Limited Advice-Ulterior Purposes Surface

As I reported in April, in November of last year Forsyth County received an ethics complaint against four commissioners, Laura Semanson, Mendy Moore, Kerry Hill and Chairman Alfred John. The Complainant was Scott Howard, a former Forsyth County resident who owns several properties around the county. Included in the Howard complaint were County Manager David McKee and County Attorney Ken Jarrard.

Not coincidentally, two weeks later, on December 4, 2025, McKee presented a resolution to the commissioners to approve. The county manager described the resolution as a simple authorization empowering outside attorney Christopher Balch to provide certain ethics advice, that advice limited to either McKee himself or to the county ethics clerk.

The commissioners quickly voted to approve the measure, setting into motion a sequence of events the effect of which would be to subvert the county ethics rules under which each county employee is bound. Close examination reveals that the McKee resolution granted far broader powers than the public was led to believe, powers which when utilized would directly impact the outcome of Mr. Howard’s ethics complaints against the four commissioners.

The timing of the resolution raises important questions. When it was adopted, ethics complaints had already been filed against multiple county officials, including four commissioners, County Manager McKee himself, and the county attorney. Thus, the resolution was presented by one party under ethics complaints, and approved by four other parties who were the subjects of those same complaints. Is it coincidence that four of the five commissioners who voted to hire and fund the county’s esteemed new ethics attorney were the same four who needed an ethics attorney?

Balch Already on County Payroll When Resolution Passed

Open records documents show that when the resolution authorizing Balch’s work was presented, the noted attorney had already been performing ethics-related legal work for the county for several months, and billing taxpayers for his work. That fact undermines the claim that McKee’s resolution was necessary for two county employees to obtain Balch’s advice. Instead of the limited role described by McKee to the commissioners, the resolution did much more than that, formalizing and expanding the role that Balch would assume, the well-known ethics barrister becoming the effective county attorney over all ethics matters, a role apparently deemed necessary due to the fact that County Attorney Jarrard was himself a subject of Howard’s ethics complaints.

But the plot keeps thickening. McKee’s resolution did not authorize the county to hire Mr. Balch directly. Instead it specifically authorized Jarrard to appoint Balch, which could only be done under an existing arrangement between Jarrard’s firm and the county. Thus, the new county attorney for ethics matters, Balch, authorized under McKee’s resolution, would be working under Jarrard’s understood authority, Jarrard having arranged the work for Mr. Balch while Jarrard was himself a subject of Howard’s ethics charges. Masking the relationships defined in the McKee resolution, creating an appearance that Balch was working directly for the county rather than Jarrard, Attorney Balch would commence billing the county, and county taxpayers directly, without going through Jarrard’s firm, even though according to the December 4 resolution his technical appointment came from Jarrard.

Soon the situation became even more troubling. That is when Balch began performing clerical duties strictly assigned to the Forsyth County Ethics Clerk under the Code of Ethics. In so doing, Balch effectively took on the role of gatekeeper, usurping the Ethics Clerk’s statutory authority, stepping in to personally block certain ethics complaints from ever reaching an independent Ethics Panel.

More concerns arose when Open Records Requests revealed that communications involving Commissioner Laura Semanson and Balch were initially withheld under claims of attorney-client privilege. Should Balch serve as “ethics counsel” for the county while simultaneously acting as personal counsel for an individual commissioner under ethics charges, such an arrangement would present serious conflict-of-interest concerns. Only when apparent ethical conflicts associated with self-dealing were identified and pointed out, did the county attorney over open records retract the notion that any such relationship existed, maintaining that the attorney-client privilege designation had been an error. That episode continued to raise significant questions about the true nature of the relationships between Balch, Semanson, Jarrard, McKee, as well as every other relationship among those under Howard’s ethics complaints.

A larger issue in all of this is whether Forsyth County’s ethics process has been compromised. When commissioners who are subjects of ethics complaints respond by hiring an attorney specializing in ethics, and involve him in cases requiring their own defense, especially when the efforts of that attorney always turn out to dismiss any charges against his bosses, citizens have every reason to question whether public funds are being used to protect the public or instead to protect public officials.

Balch Injects Himself Into Recent Ethics Panel Review of Complaint Against Four Commissioners-In Apparent Violation of Ethics Rules

According to the Forsyth County Ethics Code, after receiving an ethics complaint an independent, three-member Ethics Panel must first “conduct an investigatory review to determine whether specific substantiated evidence from creditable sources exists to support a reasonable belief that there has been a violation of this ethics ordinance.” During this initial phase of an ethics complaint case, the only county personnel authorized under the rules to address a panel of three attorneys, each chosen to judge the merits of the complaint, is the Forsyth County Ethics Clerk. To ensure panel independence, the ordinance empowers no one other than the Ethics Clerk to communicate with the three judges. The Ethics Clerk is responsible for:

1. Determining whether a complaint meets certain basic criteria, and if so,

2. Choosing three attorneys from a list who will be empowered to judge the validity of the complaint;

3. Provide the empaneled attorneys with the documentation associated with the complaint.

For reference, here is the applicable passage from the county ethics rules:

Notwithstanding artificial delays in the statutory time limitation of 60 days, which is a violation of ethics rules in and of itself, on Friday last, June 19, an Ethics Panel of three attorneys performed an investigatory review of Mr. Howard’s November 2025 ethics complaint. That review, obligated under the Forsyth County Ethics Rules, is designed to determine whether there is enough evidence to open a formal inquiry, during which both sides of a complaint would have the opportunity to address the panel. Noteworthy is the fact that the Forsyth County News received an emailed invitation asking for a reporter to attend. According to sources, the invitation was sent via email from Forsyth County Human Resources Director DeAndra Jordan to an FCN reporter. Judging by the size of the headline print at the top of page 1 of yesterday’s paper, and conceivably expecting the outcome of the investigation in advance, is there any question why the county might have desired the paper to be present at last Friday’s ethics proceedings?

Coincidentally, the date of the review happened to be selected during a time when county attorneys were aware that Mr. Howard would not be available, as according to Mr. Howard the county possessed a calendar of his availability stemming from a different matter. Because the Ethics Rules do not allow either side to address the independent Ethics Panel at this juncture, those rules also do not require agreement from the parties on a date and time.

According to the article, Attorney Balch, who serves at the discretion of the four commissioners under scrutiny during the proceedings, introduced himself as the panel’s “outside counsel.” Balch took the initiative and addressed the three-member committee, framing the purpose of the proceedings in the following reported manner:

What you just read was simply a lawyer’s a prestidigitation, a trick, a sleight-of-hand by Mr. Balch apparently designed to wedge his influence into the proceedings, and, unfortunately, the three-member panel of attorneys did not question whether his presence was entitled under the rules. According to the FCN article, Mr. Balch presented himself to the three panelists as THEIR counsel, THEIR attorney. In other words, according to FCN, the three lawyers comprising the Ethics Panel, suddenly themselves had an attorney, Mr. Balch. That makes four lawyers comprising a three-member panel. Did the three Ethics Panel attorneys sign an engagement agreement with Lawyer Balch to represent them? There is no evidence that they did. Did the three panel members ask Lawyer Balch for his advice or assistance in determining the outcome of the Howard complaint? Again, there is no evidence to support such a conclusion. So, you see what happened here, don’t you? The ethics code does not allow either side of an ethics complaint to communicate with the panel members during the investigatory review. That being the case, Mr. Balch, who again, works at the discretion of four Respondents to Mr. Howard’s complaint, inserted himself into the process and portrayed his presence not as the Respondent’s attorney or advocate, but as the panel’s own attorney there to advise them. The Ethics Rules authorize no one to serve in the capacity of counsel for the three-member panel. Doing so would automatically negate the independence of the three judges.

Yet, during no more than the reported hour it took to conduct the proceeding, Attorney Balch carried himself as the panel’s attorney as if nothing were out of the ordinary with that arrangement, Balch presumably acting according to the rules, while subtly guiding the three unsuspecting panelists to make a decision favorable to the Respondent commissioners. Those are the same commissioners by whose authority Balch was appointed, and who could fire him at will, and under whose authority he would be paid with public funds rather than their own. That Mr. Balch would therefore be conflicted in his self-described role of “outside counsel for the Ethics Panel” is hardly debatable. By his actions, Balch changed the very purpose of the proceeding away from the statutorily-imposed duty to investigate a complaint presented in several boxes and notebooks of documents, to one geared toward dismissing the case against four commissioners, the county manager and county attorney on certain “jurisdictional” grounds outside of the contents of those documents. Rather than carefully examining the volumes of claims and evidence one sees in the following photos,

the panel took Mr. Balch’s word that Mr. Howard’s case was entirely about jurisdiction, rather than the substance of his documentation. In the end, Balch secured the panel’s agreement that they did not have proper jurisdiction to judge Mr. Howard’s complaints, dismissing the case against Balch’s bosses.

Balch Twists Certain Facts In Making His Case to the Ethics Panel

Regarding the question of proper jurisdiction, the Forsyth County News reported:

While the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) Handbook does hold that, “Georgia law expressly exempts email communications from constituting a meeting under the Open Meetings Act,” the guide also disputes Balch’s blanket claim that “electronic communications are not a gathering of the agency,” the term ‘agency’ meaning in this case the board of commissioners. According to ACCG, a quorum discussing public business through telephone, internet, or other virtual means could indeed constitute a “virtual meeting” subject to the Act.

Thus, Mr. Balch’s claims before the three-member Ethics Panel were at least misleading. Rather than allowing the panel to perform its own unbiased investigation, as contemplated under the Ethic Rules, the panelists found themselves unduly influenced by a conflicted attorney whose job was created by the very people under ethics charges, and who would ultimately escape repercussion by virtue of Mr. Balch’s efforts.

The Smoking Gun Disproving Balch’s Jurisdiction Argument

The purpose in Mr. Balch’s argument was to say that any claim a Complainant might make which deals with the possibility that certain Respondents broke Georgia Laws such as the Open Meetings Act, would have to be adjudicated in a court of law, and would be improper for a local Ethics Panel to decide. That argument is unsupportable.

Practically speaking, let’s just say that an elected official might be caught red-handed stealing money from a petty cash jar, and that one hundred witnesses attest to it in front of the Ethics Panel, would an ethics case against such an elected official be necessarily deferred until the courts hear the case and render a judgment? NO. The Forsyth County Ethics Rules exist apart from the courts. The three-member Ethics Panel has its own local discretion to decide whether actions by county employees which they conclude violate state laws are ETHICAL. The very first tenet of Forsyth County’s Ethics Rules require that

Any member of a County Board, Commission, Authority, Elected Officials, and County Department Heads shall: Uphold the Constitution, laws, and regulations of the United States, the State of Georgia, the County of Forsyth, and all governments therein and never be a party to their evasion.

The Ethics Panel does not decide guilt or innocence, as in a court trial. That panel only decides whether actions by government employees are ETHICAL, and it bases that decision on local rules that guide their determinations. The Forsyth County Ethics Rules provide that any case brought against a county employee can be fully adjudicated, in-house, by a three-member Ethics Panel. Whichever way that panel decides would be separate and distinct to any charges brought to bear in a court of law. And the proof of what I write is incorporated in the ethics rules.

Should an Ethics Panel decide that a government employee has violated ethics rules by breaking the Laws of Georgia, according to Section 15 (E) of those same rules,

(E) An ethics panel may also forward its findings of fact and conclusions of law to the county district attorney’s office for appropriate action.

That provision allows any Forsyth County Ethics Panel to issue CONCLUSIONS OF LAW and rule on a question whether a county employee has violated a state law, its remedies, however, confined to the purposes and jurisdiction defined under the Forsyth Code of Ordinances. Under those ethics ordinances, there are no jurisdictional boundaries to prevent an Ethics Panel from drawing its own conclusions on fact and law. The Balch argument is therefore invalid on its face.

In fact, had last week’s Ethics Panel actually read the case provided by Mr. Howard, they would see that he asks for:

5. REFERRAL TO FORSYTH COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: Upon a finding of probable cause or violation, forward this Panel’s findings and a certified copy of audit log ORR-2026-675 to the Forsyth County District Attorney for criminal review under O.C.G.A. §§ 50-18-102(c), 50-18-74, and 45-11-1.

6. REFERRAL TO GEORGIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: Transmit this Panel’s findings, all filings in this proceeding, and a certified copy of the audit log to the Office of the Georgia Attorney General with a formal request for investigation of potential criminal violations of the Georgia Open Records Act and Georgia Records Act.

7. TRANSMITTAL TO GOVERNOR UNDER O.C.G.A. § 45-10-4: Upon finding that Respondent Semanson has violated O.C.G.A. § 45-10-3, transmit formal charges to the Governor of Georgia with this Panel’s recommendation that the Governor conduct a hearing and consider removal of Respondent Semanson from office pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 45-10-4.

County Taxpayers Are Paying for the Balch Charade and Should Demand Their Money to be Reimbursed by Respondents

It should be apparent to anyone who has read this far that their tax dollars are being used to personally defend Forsyth County Officials from substantive ethics charges. Those charges deserve to be adjudicated objectively by a truly independent Ethics Panel, one whose perceptions and opinions are not tainted by a supposed “County Ethics Counsel,” posing as the attorney for such a panel. What we just witnessed was an apparent charade, planned and carried out by some apparently unscrupulous parties involved with Forsyth County Government. Not only must last week’s Ethics Panel reconvene to vacate its decision respecting the Howard case and recuse themselves from future involvement in this case, but the parties in effect defended by the artistry of Mr. Balch must reimburse county taxpayers for the costs of his work.

Aftermath

What you just read is yet another example of how County Commissioners Alfred John, Laura Semanson, Mendy Moore and Kerry Hill have used county tax dollars for their personal purposes, in this case, their own ethics defense. Commissioner Hill will be gone soon enough. The other three must be next.

For those who do not know what I am talking about, prior to the US Senate runoff I published that I would vote for candidate Derek Dooley rather than Mike Collins. My vote was not based upon any personal or ideological preference of Dooley over Collins. I made it clear that it was based upon my historical analysis that Dooley had the better chance to win in November against Democrat incumbent Jon Ossoff. My choice of Dooley was purely to the purpose of sending one more Republican vote, and one less Democrat vote to the Senate, to support President Trump in the last two years of his second term, the same president I have steadfastly supported since mid-October 2015, eleven years ago.

The reason I held the position that Dooley had the better chance to win in November was simply the “Kemp Effect.” Before I explain that, I will point out that since 2019 I take a backseat to no one in criticizing Governor Brian Kemp, and have the archive of articles to prove it. But, whether I like it or not, it is just the truth that Governor Brian Kemp maintains heavy influence over his supporters. And in three US Senate elections in a row, Kemp has failed to inject active support for the Trump/MAGA candidates, and three elections in a row the Republicans have lost senate elections by substantial margins. It stands to reason, that if Kemp would get off of his backside and work to influence his flock of voters, the candidate who receives his support would have a better chance at victory than the candidate who does not. And I maintain that while Dooley would receive all of Kemp’s campaign energy, Kemp’s money and his political influence around Georgia, unless something miraculous happens, Collins will receive none of it. Thus, according to my dispassionate analysis, Derek Dooley, having both Trump and Kemp support, would do better in November than Collins who would only have Trump’s support. Why anyone, especially now my apparent FORMER supporters and friends, would have such an emotional reaction to my valid and dispassionate analysis, I cannot explain. Since I began writing these articles many years ago, my main concern, whether people like it or not, is to provide truthful analysis and back what I say with facts. I will not change from that purpose even if every political friend or supporter blocks me out of their lives forever.

But, Was I Right in My Analysis?

And, now we have some hard numbers from the runoff which support the analysis and conclusions that led to my vote for Dooley. To find them, we need to look no further than the early vote vs. election day vote totals for the gubernatorial runoff between Rick Jackson running without Trump/Kemp endorsements, and Trump-endorsed Burt Jones. Recall, last weekend, with two days remaining before the Tuesday runoff, Governor Brian Kemp suddenly endorsed Burt Jones for governor. Now, there may be other factors at work here, and although I do not know what they would be I acknowledge that possibility. However, the percentages of votes turning to Burt Jones on election day are remarkable to consider. During early voting, Burt Jones only received 41% of the votes against 59% for Rick Jackson. But after Kemp’s endorsement, those percentage reversed dramatically, although not enough for Burt Jones to overcome the Jackson lead going into Tuesday. On Tuesday, Burt Jones actually won in election day voting, 52.3% to 47.6% for Jackson.

Was that the “Kemp effect” at work? While my emotional detractors will undoubtedly say, not, I say it is quite likely. Three times now, history has documented the very real phenomenon that without the Kemp/Never-Trumper vote, any Republican candidate for statewide federal office is going to have a very difficult time getting elected against a well-polished and funded Democrat. There is really no other fool-proof reason, other than the Kemp Effect, for the advance voting vs. election day voting to turn out so dramatically inverted other than the fact that Kemp endorsed Burt Jones after the advanced voting totals were already in the bank for Jackson.

So, the truth is the truth, and I will continue to write the truth as I see it, regardless whether anyone likes it or not. I appreciate those for whom the truth is as important as it is to me, and whose friendship and support are not founded in agreeing with anyone’s particular viewpoint.

A Repudiation Against the Forsyth County Club

Last night’s runoff results are also a repudiation of Club-style politics, as well as the mean-spiritedness and shamefulness of the Jay Williams, character-assasination campaign model. The Rodes landslide should stand as a warning to any future candidates for county office who believe the way to win an election is to make up as many lies, disparagements and character assaults he or she can, bundle them into a series of attack mailers against good people, and imagine the people of this county are not smart enough to see what they are doing. In the future, no local candidate for office should assume the people of Forsyth County are stupid.

As a result of last nights repudiations, perhaps more good, civic-minded candidates will emerge to throw their hats in the ring, basing their decisions on a prospect that future campaigns will center on the adult treatment of public issues, rather than the politics of personal destruction. The days of the Club running Forsyth County, a circumstance which imparts a certain residual fear-of-reprisal among many good people of Forsyth County, are numbered. Last night at 9:22 PM, the “Concede Nothing” mentality that has been running Forsyth County itself conceded. The citizens of Forsyth County can place an exclamation point on last night’s people’s victory when they approve the county commission term limits provisions that will be on the November ballot.

This is Not Over—What You Can Do

Finally, the campaign to put the people back in charge of Forsyth County is not over. It is just beginning. Do not get comfortable. Do not get complacent. In fact, now is the time to get active! Adam will need as many prominent voices among the people as he can get in order to promote the public good against the entrenched interests that have been making misguided decisions for everyone in this county.

One thing you can do is restore your active membership in the Forsyth County Republican Party. It is being run by good, civic minded local patriots who only want good things for this county and state, and need your support to keep the energy alive. Right now is traditionally the low-ebb of political involvement in the Republican Party. The people just had a huge victory. You can help to gather momentum toward November and beyond. To do that, please go to the link below and fill out the short application. The county and state you save may be your own!

Forsyth County Republican Party Membership Page

Congratulations once again to Adam Rodes, his entire family and campaign team for a job well done!

I have seen a short clip of the debacle he calls a podcast, in which I hear Hawkins say, “That’s why, Hank Sullivan, I wrote her a $50,000 check.” Let me repeat that, Hawkins directs his attention to me and says, “I wrote her (Kerry Hill) a $50,000 check.” I thank Mr. Hawkins for “setting the record straight” that he did write Commissioner Hill a check for $50,000, especially after texting me that he did not write such a check, and threatening me to deal with his attorney for writing what was provably true on government letterhead, that an LLC organized by Hawkins contributed $50,000 to a PAC organized by Scott Cooper, who contributed 4/5 of that sum to the Kerry Hill campaign. As it turns out, those funds were used to launch several last-ditch attack mailers against county commission candidate, and leading primary vote-getter Adam Rodes.

You see, last week I wrote a Substack asking the question, “What Is So Important that Talitrix CEO Justin Hawkins Would Contribute $50,000 to Gain Back Kerry Hill’s Commission Seat?” I also asked a second question, “What are these people up to?”

Regardless what the Talitrix CEO and trusted Dolezal confidant might have us believe, a recent land sale in the District 1 “thumb” might provide a hint as to the reason for his desperation as Hawkins begins a new career in podcasting to promote the Kerry Hill campaign in tomorrow’s (June 16, 2026) runoff.

Below you will see what I meant when I referenced a geographical feature, the District 1 “thumb,” curiously, the only part of District 1 on the east side of GA 400.

This thumb is where the new Freedom Parkway Admin Building sits. Adjacent on the north side of the admin property sits a 6 acre parcel of land, as shown below.

Here is an aerial view of the property adjacent to the Admin building to its south.

Justin Hawkins closed on that property on April 15th of this year, taking ownership through an entity of his creation, House Hawkins LLC.

House Hawkins bought the property from an apparently related business, Freedom Parkway LLC, whose business address happens to be the suite next to Talitrix.

Freedom Parkway LLC dissolved approximately one month after the property was purchased by House Hawkins.

Why So Much Money To Kerry Hill?

I have no idea the future of Hawkins’ 6 acre parcel next to the Freedom Parkway Admin building. But I do know that, should Mr. Hawkins desire to rezone that property, he would have to work through the District 1 Commissioner, presently Kerry Hill. Apparently, Hawkins would rather work with Commissioner Hill should that plan be in the offing, rather than her opponent Adam Rodes. Hawkins just “wrote her a $50,000 check” to fund attack ads against Rodes on Hill’s behalf.

Thanks for Setting the Record Straight

So, I appreciate Justin Hawkins “setting the record straight” in admitting that he did write a $50,000 check to a Forsyth County Commissioner in case Hill wins. That might prove useful information when it comes time for public comments before a rezoning hearing on that property.

The court limited its opinion to Jackson’s request that Jones be enjoined from using the millions amassed in leadership committee to fund his campaign against Jackson. The court remarked that this statute is “unlike any other the courts have tested.” Thus, there are no precedents to regard on this kind of ground-breaking legislation. The court was not asked to rule on SB221’s overall constitutionality, and thus did not take that step. However, in affirming the injunction against Jones use of leadership funds the court did express, “the district courts have found that the leadership committee statute is likely unconstitutional—counting this case, five out of five times they have considered the question.”

Seeming Reversal by Kemp in a Last-Minute Jones Endorsement

On the heels of the 11th Circuit Court affirming the injunction against Burt Jones’ use of SB221 leadership funds against Rick Jackson, Governor Brian Kemp suddenly reversed what seemed at the time a tacit endorsement of Jackson, found in a video clip of Kemp that has been used in the Jackson campaign. In Kemp’s statements, he touted Jackson’s run for governor, offering, “Jackson’s been a good supporter of mine. He’s a donor, he’s got a great story…I’ve kind of felt, for really two years now, that that race is ripe for political outsiders, especially somebody that can self fund.”

Soon, Kemp clarified those remarks and expressed that he had not endorsed either candidate for governor. Suddenly, yesterday, Kemp endorsed Jones two days before primary runoff day. What is this all about?

Who is Better for Kemp?

I have a question for you: Which candidate, Burt Jones or Rick Jackson, would be better for a to-be former governor Brian Kemp? Let’s examine that.

Implying unquestionable causation is problematic. I will accept that, but is it a coincidence that on Friday the 11th Circuit made a blanket statement that “the leadership committee statute is likely unconstitutional,” and then on Sunday, seemingly reversing his course two days before the primary runoff between Burt Jones and Rick Jackson, Kemp endorsed the candidate who has embraced the SB221 leadership committee statute against the candidate who has fought it and won? Is it coincidence that after voting against SB221 in 2021, Burt Jones has himself reversed course and found himself motivated by the notion that as governor he, himself, could possess the same advantages as his predecessor Kemp, advantages which have been used to create the most powerful governorship in the entire fifty states? Is it coincidence that Kemp used the statute’s provisions to promote his power as Georgia’s governor for the past five years to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars raised and spent toward that purpose? Is it coincidence that Burt Jones’ opponent Jackson despised the SB221 provisions being used against his campaign by Burt Jones, so much that he spent his own money, sued and won an injunction against Jones use of those funds during the primary? Is it lost on any of these politicians that on the heels of Friday’s 11th Circuit opinion, SB221 now sits on a precarious perch and could in the future be (1) declared completely unconstitutional if pressed properly in the federal courts, or (2) be repealed using the influence of a governor whose name is Rick Jackson? Is it coincidence that were SB221 found unconstitutional all of that money could conceivably be forced through receivership to be returned to its contributors? And finally, is it lost on any of these players that a Governor Rick Jackson would have within his constitutional powers the prerogative to require a new attorney general to research and issue an opinion on the constitutionality of SB221 after next January, especially given that earlier in the campaign, sitting Attorney General Chris Carr called SB221 provisions, “wrong,” “rigging the system,” and, “an unconstitutional attack on the 1st Amendment?”

You see, there is more than a governorship at risk here. The entire dark money power brokerage system under SB221, run at the highest levels of Georgia elected government, is at risk. The 11th Circuit told you how remarkable this statute is, that the courts have never seen anything like it in any state in the country, and that it is likely unconstitutional. Given those facts, including Friday’s 11th Circuit opinion, one might ask what took Kemp so long in endorsing Burt Jones!

Better Late Than Never - Trump Finally Endorses Mike Collins for Senate

This weekend, President Trump finally endorsed Representative Mike Collins for US Senate. The writing is on the wall that Collins will win the Republican nomination. Trump has access to better information than we do, and polling texts have been happening all across Georgia on this race. Trump knows the outcome and wants to be the perceived reason for the Collins victory. His endorsement before the final bell rings allows him to say that.

I have made the case that without dual Kemp/Trump support leading to the November election, the odds against Collins or anyone prevailing against Democrat incumbent Jon Ossoff are prohibitively low. And because of Kemp’s past behavior, three times failing to support Trump-endorsed candidates leading to three senate losses, I chose to vote for the candidate whom I fully expect could receive energetic and monetary support from both Kemp and Trump, he being Kemp’s endorsed senate candidate Derek Dooley.

Money and political influence have a way of changing behaviors. We just saw that in Kemp’s endorsement of Burt Jones. Given the recent 11th Circuit opinion, Burt Jones is clearly better for a former, out-of-power, Governor Kemp than is Rick Jackson. And clearly, after Kemp is gone from office Trump will remain president for another two years. After this coming January, Kemp’s leverage will be gone and Trump’s power will still be there. Does that change the equation too? Will Kemp calculate that he is better off in the future by injecting energy, money and Kemp never-Trumper votes, into the candidacy of Mike Collins? All I can say at this point is that Brian Kemp will do whatever is in his perceived interest to do. Once Collins is the Republican nominee, it is my hope that Brian Kemp will drive energy and support into the Collins campaign and we can all wait to discover whether it will make a November difference.

A Personal Note

Lastly, just because I tell you the truth about a candidate or politician, that does not mean I do not like them, or won’t vote for them. Every candidate for office has plusses and minuses. Nobody is perfect. Here Burt and I are. I have voted for Burt in the past.

Here Steve Gooch and I are. Steve was a co-sponsor of SB221. I hate that legislation. But Steve has done many good things, including being an excellent representative for his district. Voting is important, but is not everything. Voting is not an end-all. Voting is only one of the activities of these people.

Above all, I value honesty, and I try my best to be honest with you. I do not mind people telling me things I do not agree with. That just means we have an issue to discuss. And when we do, I only want an honest conversation. Maybe we end up in the middle. Either way, I believe honesty is paramount in politics, as well as life.

On Friday, the bill that allowed unlimited dark money to effectively override Georgia’s political party election system, was ruled unconstitutional in the way it was being used by gubernatorial candidate Burt Jones against challenger Rick Jackson in the 11th District Court of Appeals.

According to the opinion:

“These “leadership committees” have raised eyebrows during the last several election cycles, and this year is no exception. Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor, Burt Jones, is seeking the Republican nomination for Governor. In 2022, Jones set up a leadership committee, the WBJ Leadership Committee, Inc., under § 21-5-34.2. Free from contribution limits, his leadership committee has raised millions of dollars—including multiple individual contributions of $100,000. And Jones has used those funds to support his campaign. The same rules do not apply to Richard Jackson, who entered the gubernatorial race on February 3, 2026, and also seeks the Republican nomination. Currently a private citizen, he cannot establish a leadership committee. So while his primary opponent has unlimited fundraising and unrestrained coordination, Jackson does not.”

I recently criticized both Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones and Lt. Governor candidate Greg Dolezal, each who voted AGAINST SB221 in 2021, but who have both failed (or refused in the case of Dolezal) to initiate legislation to repeal or modify what is an obviously unconstitutional law, which affords unlimited dark money slush funds to be controlled by certain state-level elected officials, including the governor, lieutenant governor and the leadership of both houses of legislature. When I have questioned Senator Dolezal publicly on his failure to initiate action against the further use of SB221 dark money accounts, he has countered that SB221 does not allow dark money, which he obviously knows is not true.

Importantly, the question whether Governor Kemp’s Leadership Committee could be used for a different candidate than himself, such as to power Senate candidate Derek Dooley’s campaign, is not one under consideration by the courts. According to the 11th Circuit, “The district court’s order…bans using funds obtained in violation of the First Amendment to pay for that speech. In fact, he can still use leadership committee funds to support other candidates, and he can still use campaign committee funds to support his own campaign.”

And so, the opinion of the 11th Circuit is decidedly narrow, and is founded upon the precept that state action has created an ability of a certain incumbent elected office holder, Burt Jones, to exercise more speech than challengers who do not presently occupy those offices and have no such of ability.

Until Rick Jackson was awarded an injunction against Burt Jones, Jones was using the millions of dollars sitting in his SB221 dark money campaign fund, to power his bid for governor. And whether Greg Dolezal or John Kennedy win the Republican nomination for Lt. Governor on Tuesday’s primary runoff, I can say without much reservation, the Republican nominee will immediately set up his own SB221 dark money committee and begin receiving donations from as many sources, dark money or not, as he might, to power his November campaign against the Democrat nominee who is certainly doing the same thing. Apparently, as it sits, candidates nominated by their political parties for a November election can still employ leadership committee funds, dark money or not, in their election bids, a practice which obviously lessens the voice of the masses, and increases the voices of the wealthy and of corporate, dark money sources.

The fact that both Jones and Dolezal have been bent on using SB221 to the fullest even though they voted against it, helped to make my case last week that so many of the votes registered in particular by Dolezal in losing causes, have been politically-motivated, many of them finding their ways to be scored by Dolezal’s Georgia Freedom Caucus Scorecard, the overriding purpose being to promote the case of the senator’s conservatism, just like the senator’s vote on SB221, knowing that the bill would pass, and that he could, and would use its provisions in the future. Those kinds of votes are not based in conservative principles, but instead by political expediency.

Below, republished this morning, I provide my original analysis of SB221 from January 2024, and why it must be repealed or modified to restore the lost voice of the people of Georgia.

_____________________________________________________________________

Brian Kemp’s Private Political Party Financed Under SB221 Must be Shut Down - Unlimited Corporate Campaign Slush Funds Must No Longer be Tolerated in Georgia (Initially published January 7, 2024)

During the 2021 Georgia General Assembly, at the obvious behest of Governor Brian Kemp, Republican Senators Mullis (R-53rd), Miller (R-49th), Dugan (R-30th), Gooch (R-51st) and Kennedy (R-18th) introduced a bill which would fundamentally change the landscape of Georgia politics, effectively coronating Kemp, elevating his power from that of mere state governor, to that of veritable state king. SB221, a partisan bill passed by Republicans in both houses along party lines, empowered newly-crowned “King Kemp” to accelerate an existing program apparently bent on suppressing the political power of Georgia’s traditional voter-centric, grass-roots-based election system, and replace it with the power generated from the solicitation and receipt of vast quantities of dollars secured from anonymous donors, who could be situated literally anywhere in the world.

SB221 was one of those, “Governor’s Bills” we hear about each year. Even though the governor is part of Georgia’s EXECUTIVE branch of government, rather than LEGISLATIVE branch, for some reason not obvious to me, each year the office of Georgia’s governor is allowed representation in both chambers of the General Assembly. And each year the governor assigns his legislative representatives the task of proposing pet legislation, effectively coercing bills into passage by the power of the chief executive’s office.

SB221 is not a terribly long or complicated bill. Its terms come to a point quickly, providing exactly what the governor desired at the time to become law. Judging by events, no changes would be allowed.

SB221 ordained a new campaign financing vehicle into law, a “leadership committee,” empowered to establish a veritable “slush fund,” the size of which would soon dwarf the capabilities of traditional political parties or down-ballot candidates to raise money. Here is how the bill defines a “leadership committee.”

As you can see, a leadership committee really has nothing to do with leadership per se, and one may be constituted by a sitting governor or lieutenant governor, or a party nominee for either office. But SB221 also opens the door for party caucuses of either legislative body to constitute leadership committees, further providing:

The purpose of a leadership committee is simply to solicit and receive contributions, outside of the traditional campaign financing guidelines, whether “in-kind” or in cash.

And as we will see, when put to practice by the governor the term, “persons,” will not confine itself to individual, natural people, but will also encompass, “legal persons,” such as corporations and LLCs. SB221 was careful not to define the term, “persons,” possibly such that it might be thinly construed by legislators, but broadly interpreted in practice, a representative example of how they make-the-sausage during the Georgia General Assembly.

The provisions of SB221 making this law so extraordinary are the following, provisions which effectively remove-the-training-wheels from previous practices of political fundraising, curtailing any prior limits on what all those “persons” may contribute:

So, there you have it, the real purpose of SB221, possibly not completely evident to legislators who voted for it unknowingly in 2021. In practice, SB221 allows any “legal person” to contribute unlimited funds in support of then governor, now effectively king, Brian Kemp. And King Kemp has used that feature to its utmost, raising over $50 million in his Georgian’s First Leadership Committee, as last reported following the end of June, 2023.

Share Hank’s Substack

SB221 “Fast-Tracked” Into Law With No Public Hearing

During the 2021 Georgia General Assembly, Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan “fast-tracked” SB221 through the Senate, orchestrating its progress with minimal discussion, minimal active consideration and, importantly, NO PUBLIC HEARING. On February 22, 2021, SB221 stealthily dropped into the Senate hopper. Wasting no time, the next day, February 23rd, Duncan scheduled the Senate’s first required reading. Once read, rather than referring SB221 to a Senate committee for consideration and a public hearing, Duncan bypassed the normal legislative process, assigning the bill directly to the Senate Rules Committee, normally the final step in bringing a bill to the floor for a vote. The next day, February 24th, Senate Rules returned the bill, favorably reporting it back to the Senate with no changes. The Senate read the bill for a second time on February 25th, and a final time on February 26th, completing the presentation requirements in the minimum time necessary under Senate rules. Senator Brandon Beach temporarily delayed the bill’s final passage, introducing a floor amendment, which immediately failed. After the 3rd reading, Duncan brought the bill to a vote and passed it by a margin of 30 to 21. Notably, only three Republican Senators, Brandon Beach (R-21st), Greg Dolezal (R-27th) and (now Lieutenant Governor) Burt Jones (R-25th), opposed the bill, along with every Senate Democrat in the chamber.

SB221 met even less Republican resistance in the Georgia House, as Speaker Ralston cleared the tracks for the governor’s railroad job to pass through. While Democrats offered a tray of concerns, mainly regarding the question whether political contributions could be accepted while the General Assembly convened, no amendments or changes made it into the bill. Concerns over the issue of receiving contributions during the General Assembly, which I have heard voiced by legislators as well, appear to be inauthentic, a smokescreen of sorts to hide the true intentions of SB221. That is because there is nothing written into the bill to address that concern, and one need not legislate the kinds of unbridled fund-raising authorities SB221 empowers simply to deal with a timing issue. SB221 passed the Georgia House on March 18th by a unanimous vote of Republican House members. Because the bill remained unchanged from the version arriving from the Senate, the upper body would never consider it again. Passed unchanged by both chambers, SB221 next presented itself at the governor’s desk, at which it became law with Kemp’s signature on May 4th.

Subscribe now

As a result of becoming law, SB221 has effectively overwritten many of the traditional party-based election intentions prescribed in Title 21 of Georgia Law, effectively cancelling them by virtue of a corporate-based campaign-financing and influence-purchasing scheme in which donors, their identities shrouded behind the veils of corporations or LLCs, may contribute unlimited sums of money or valuable in-kind services, their names remaining unknown forever, dark money flowing into Georgia from all corners of the country, conceivably originating from literally anywhere, or from anyone around the world. As a result, while most voters have no idea that kind of potential money-laundering operation would be possible under Georgia law, the fact is that the power over Georgia’s campaign fund-raising processes, intended and written into law under Title 21, practiced by all parties since antiquity, has been cleverly diverted away from the people, and channeled to a corporate-based, anonymously funded, political money-raising machine. Sadly, in the ensuing three years since the bill’s passage, hardly anyone has noticed.

Constitutional Conflicts

Since SB221 becoming law, Georgia’s election system has been run in notable conflict with meaningful requirements prescribed in both the US and Georgia Constitutions. Rather than remaining part and parcel of a “republican form of government,” as guaranteed under Article IV, Section 4 of the US Constitution, by empowering corporate entities to make unlimited political contributions from anonymous sources, those contributions going directly to the most powerful elected office holder(s) in state government, a practice which has the effect of overwhelming the natural voice and will of the people, the State of Georgia under Brian Kemp has assumed an identity similar to that of a corporate-fascist state. If you have never heard that term, here is what it means:

CORPORATE FASCISM is a system under which the people’s government, over time, becomes so heavily influenced by corporate special interests, interests which have the means necessary to purchase operational influence at the very highest levels of the people’s government, that the government is for all practical purposes, eventually taken over by those corporate special interests. At that point, the government becomes almost solely a tool of those corporate special interests.

The operation of a corporate-controlled state government is in conflict with the requirements of any constitutional republic, which, as Lincoln appropriately described at Gettysburg, is strictly government “of, by and for the people.”

SB221 is also in principle conflict with the Georgia Constitution, which recognizes:

SECTION II.

ORIGIN AND STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT

Paragraph I. Origin and foundation of government. All government, of right, originates with the people, is founded upon their will only, and is instituted solely for the good of the whole. Public officers are the trustees and servants of the people and are at all times amenable to them.

Paragraph II. Object of government. The people of this state have the inherent right of regulating their internal government. Government is instituted for the protection, security, and benefit of the people; and at all times they have the right to alter or reform the same whenever the public good may require it.

Thus, according to Georgia’s Constitution, it is solely the right of the people to regulate their internal government, not the right of private, anonymous interests whose identities are forever concealed behind a corporate veil. That is because all true government is founded upon the WILL OF THE PEOPLE, FOR THE GOOD OF THE WHOLE, not the will of well-heeled, hidden special interests.

Who Would Propose Such Egregious Legislation?

Perhaps as much as any action undertaken by Brian Kemp as Georgia’s Governor, his foisting of SB221 during the 2021 Georgia General Assembly, aided by Generals Duncan and Ralston conducting its passage in their respective houses, provides Georgians, both Republican and Democrat, defining insight to understand Kemp’s political intentions. Prior to SB221, Georgia’s Governor’s seat had long been regarded one of the most powerful in the country. After becoming law, SB221 handed Georgia’s new “king” the wherewithal to eschew any meaningful interaction with, or responsibility toward the peasantry, they being the members of the Georgia Republican Party (whatever GRP even means at this point). The power King Kemp possesses under SB221 transcends any power he would have at this point of his governorship without it. Without SB221, Kemp would be just another lame duck governor. But with it, as I wrote in April, “Brian Kemp Has Become His own Political Party, Say[ing] 'FU' to Georgia GOP.” Emboldened by an average annual cash flow of tens of millions, much of it contributed to Kemp anonymously from behind corporate veils, last February Brian Kemp confirmed his intentions, declaring to his assembly of elite contributors, “We can no longer rely on the traditional party infrastructure to win in the future,” rubbing his newly-established source of political power into the faces of hard-working, rank and file Georgia Republicans.

Below you will find a few representative lines from Kemp’s June 30, 2023 Georgian’s First Leadership Committee disclosure statement:

Who, for example, are the owners of a realty company in California, who thought so highly of Georgia’s Governor Brian Kemp as to award him one-quarter million dollars in November of 2021? From where and from whom did that out-of-state entity, four thousand miles from Georgia, receive those funds? We don’t know the answers to those questions and we never will. Any of these firms, or tens of others showing up on this report, could represent foreign owners and foreign contributors. Those owners or contributors could be in China…or Russia…or Ukraine…or even Iran for all we know. The repeal of SB221 is a NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE. And that is just one of several major problems here. Another is that, prior to SB221 passing into law, from any of these entities Brian Kemp would have been limited to receive a maximum of $7600, an amount which he could use in a party primary, and an equivalent amount in a general election. There are very few grass-roots Georgia Republicans who can compete for a governor’s attention, or favor, against corporate entities from all over the country, who are sending unlimited amounts of dollars, deriving funds from unknown sources, conceivably anywhere in the world.

Subscribe now

Enriched with Dark Money, King Kemp Turned His Back on Working Georgia Republicans

Last summer, King Kemp ignored his responsibility as the leader of his party, to address the party faithful at the Columbus Republican Party Convention. In so choosing, His Royal Highness demonstrated to Georgia, and the world, that he no longer regards the traditional, Title 21 Republican Party a viable, political vehicle fit for its purpose. By virtue of SB221, King Kemp has effectively become his own political party, vastly more powerful than any Republican organization in the state. And, obviously, the ambition to become not only the most powerful governor in the history of Georgia, but also, to take certain power with him when he leaves, are excellent reasons King Kemp would foist SB221 upon the Georgia General Assembly in 2021.

Where Do Leadership Committee Funds Go After Kemp Leaves Office?

You have heard it many times, “You can’t take it with you.” Generally that idiom is true. But is it really true in the case of the governor’s leadership committee war chest? No, it does not seem to be true at all. Regarding disposition of those funds, according to SB221,

Thus, SB221 opens the door for King Kemp to transfer any remaining funds from his Georgian’s First Leadership Committee to a new committee, such as one created to support a successor to win coronation in 2026, forever beholden to his or her benefactor, Kemp. But that’s not all. Notice SB221 also allows Kemp to transfer remaining funds “as provided by Code Section 21-5-33.” So, let’s look at what that section provides.

According to SB221, when leaving office Brian Kemp may do one or all of the following with the remaining funds of his leadership committee:

1. Donate the funds to charity;

2. Donate the funds to a non-profit organization subject to certain limitations;

3. Transfer the funds to a political party or another candidate;

4. Give the money back to the original contributors;

5. Transfer the funds to a future gubernatorial candidate;

6. Repay himself for personal funds expended in his political campaign;

7. Transfer the funds to a PAC of his choice.

Of those alternatives, choices 2, 3, 5 and 7 conceivably allow Brian Kemp to retain at least loose control over the future use of funds remaining in his Georgians First Leadership Committee once he is out of office. The possibilities are numerous. For example, over the past two years Brian Kemp has been establishing non-profit corporations, termed “Republican Coalitions,” in counties all across Georgia. As we witnessed last year, those private non-profits are set up to compete against local and county Republican parties full of MAGA supporters. To that effect, Kemp apparently used his influence to take advantage of a loophole in a Cherokee County ordinance governing the manner in which county election board members are appointed, the county commission choosing a Republican Coalition “Kemp” candidate to fill that spot rather than a Republican Party candidate, as the law obviously intended. Thus, we see the groundwork Kemp has been establishing to subtly corporatize county election systems around the state. Furthering that purpose, Kemp could transfer certain remaining funds to his county-based Republican Coalition non-profit corporations, or even establish a new non-profit corporation to receive those funds, ostensibly outside of his control.

Kemp could conceivably transfer the money to a campaign for wife Marty to run for governor in 2026. If you think that not credible, you were not around when Alabama Governor George Wallace ran wife Lurleen as a “caretaker” governor in 1966. “Mrs. George Wallace” ran and won the election, but unfortunately died of cancer two years later.

Kemp could transfer the funds to a PAC of his choice, which, with a nod and a wink from Kemp, would use those funds to support a future run by the former governor to become United States Senator.

Kemp could transfer the funds to the Republican Party, which would be okay under certain conditions, or even another party he might start up, which would not be okay.

Brian Kemp might even use the present influence of his position to legislate provisions, in addition to those originally adopted under SB221, to give him additional options when his term ends in 2026.

But if you think Georgia’s “King” Brian Kemp might simply walk away from all that money continuing to flow as we speak into his Georgian’s First Leadership Committee, in excess of $50 million as of the last reporting date, June 30, 2023, well, I’m not sure you are seeing the situation for what it is.

Summary-The Republic Must be Restored

SB221 was passed into law with no input from Georgia citizens. In short, SB221 must be repealed, the funds remaining in all leadership committees established under its provisions either prorated back to the original contributors, or transferred to NON-INCORPORATED Georgia political parties, properly registered as provided under OCGA §21-2-110. The good people of Georgia have suffered corporate influence subverting the purposes of state government too long. Their good nature has been taken advantage by unscrupulous politicians using the power of unlimited corporate fundraising to control the levers of government, perennially promoting and aiding private interests at public expense. No more. The time to repeal SB221 is now. I urge all Georgians to contact their representatives and senators to solidify a movement to repeal SB221 during the 40 days of the Georgia General Assembly commencing Monday, January 8, 2024. SB221 was a railroad job. The long black train of dark money must be derailed.

Share

Those who know and have worked with both Republican runoff candidates for Georgia Lieutenant Governor are trying to tell you something. They are doing that with their personal endorsements. The Forsyth County News recently asked Senator Dolezal about the numerous local legislators and elected officials endorsing his opponent John F. Kennedy. Dolezal’s response went beyond just local support for his opponent, and addressed the overwhelming number of elected official endorsements for Senator Kennedy, and almost none for him.

FCN: Last week your opponent was in town, and several local legislators were there to support him. What are your thoughts about that support?

Dolezal: “I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about that. (Kennedy) is focusing on endorsements. I’m focusing on policy. I think that, ultimately, people don’t necessarily care what (established) politician puts their name behind me or behind anybody else. They want to ultimately know, how can you help me afford gas, groceries, and property taxes? What are you going to do to move the needle on the affordability issue? What are you going to do to unlock traffic gridlock? They say that big minds talk about ideas and small minds talk about people, and I see a lot of elected officials here locally spend a lot of time talking about people and not a lot of time talking about ideas. And frankly, that’s disappointing.

It gets to the core of really who (and) what are the types of leaders that we want to have in office? And in the eight years I’ve been in office, I spent a lot of time trying to push the needle on ideas and not a whole lot of time talking about inside baseball gossip, because that’s not why my constituents elected me.”

So, let’s go down the list of Senator Kennedy’s local and statewide elected official personal endorsements, many who know and work with them both. And then we will go down the list of elected official personal endorsements for Senator Greg Dolezal:

Forsyth County Endorsements for Senator John F. Kennedy:

• Representative David Clark

• Representative Brent Cox

• Representative Carter Barrett

• Representative Lauren McDonald

• Representative Rick Jasperse

• Cumming Mayor Troy Brumbalow

• County Commissioner Todd Levent

• Former County Commissioner Cindy Mills

Statewide Endorsements for Senator John F. Kennedy:

• Representative John Carson

• Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association

• Mayor of Littlefied Brandon Whitfield

• Decatur Sheriff Wiley Griffin

• Mayor Social Circle David Keener

• Former Representative Randy Mix

• District Attorney Floyd County Leigh Patterson

• Senator Russ Goodman

• Senator Drew Echols

• Senator Lee Anderson

• Representative Robert Dickey

• Representative John Corbett

• Representative Jaclyn Ford

• Representative David Huddleston

• Representative Angie O’Steen

• Representative Jutt Howard

• Representative Beth Camp

• Representative Steven Meeks

• Glynn County Sheriff Neal Jump

• Representative Jenny Erhart

• Former Representative Jenny Houston

• Representative Holt Persinger

• Representative Bill Hitchens

• Former Representative Ken Vance

• Lounds County Sheriff Ashley Paulk

• Walton County Sheriff Kieth Brooks

• Representative Mitchell Scoggins

• Representative Ron Stephens

• Representative Rob Leverette

• Johnson County Sheriff Greg Rowland

• Houston County Sheriff Matt Moulton

• Representative Mitchell Horner

• Representative Bill Fincher

• Representative Dave Belton

• Representative Eddie Lumsden

• Representative David Huddleston

• Representative Angie O’Steen

• Representative Josh Bonner

• Representative Steven Meeks

• Representative Chris Erwin

• Representative Rick Townsend

• Former Mayor of Milton, Joe Lockwood

• Senator Max Burns

• Representative Stan Gunter

• Representative Danny Mathis

• Representative Carmen Rice

• Representative Katie Dempsey

• Republican Nominee for House District 128, Trey Sheppard

• Representative Rob Clifton

• Representative Gary Richardson

• Representative Butch Parrish

• Senator Sam Watson

• Senator Ben Watson

• Representative Rey Martinez

• Representative Lehman Franklin

• Representative Gerald Greene

• Monroe’s Mayor John Howard

• Representative Joe Campbell

• andy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul

• Senator Lee Anderson

• Representative Buddy DeLoach

• Representative Bill Yearta

• Representative Mark Newton

• Representative Jesse Petrea

• Senator Mike Hodges

• Senator Rick Williams

• Senator Billy Hickman

• Representative Matt Barton

• Representative Leesa Hagan

• Senator Russ Goodman

• Senator Kay Kirkpatrick

• Senator Frank Ginn

• Representative John Corbett

• Representative Matt Hatchett

• Senator Lanny Thomas

• Representative Lee Hawkins

• Representative Noel Williams

• Representative John LaHood

• Representative Chas Cannon

• Lanier County Sheriff Nick Norton

• former Monroe County Sheriff John Cary Bittick

• Representative Mike Cheokas

• Representative Beth Camp

• Representative Bruce Williamson

• Representative Kasey Carpenter

• Representative Bethany Ballard

• Representative Trey Rhodes

• Representative Matt Dubnik

• Houston County Superintendent Dr. Mark Scott

Elected Official Public Endorsements for Senator Greg Dolezal:

• Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman

• Senator Jason T. Dickerson

This list of endorsements is compiled from each candidate’s Facebook page, a ChatGPT search for endorsements, and in the case of Senator Dolezal, the endorsement of Sheriff Freeman arrived at my home in the form of a mailer.

I publish this list to illustrate which Lieutenant Governor candidate has wide support and respect, both locally and around the State of Georgia, and which one does not. I suggest that the reason for the disparity between the numbers who support for these respective candidates is that Senator Kennedy is known for working with colleagues all around the State of Georgia to achieve results and legislative success for them, while Senator Dolezal is known for working with a very few individuals, as a Burt Jones-appointed gatekeeper to leverage his own personal legislative success.

As for Senator Dolezal’s contentions and his case against Senator Kennedy’s candidacy, there is very little substance, as the following summation indicates:

If you have not yet voted in the Republican primary runoffs, I hope you will consider the information you receive today, and vote Tuesday, June 16, for Senator John F. Kennedy to become Georgia’s next Lieutenant Governor.

SB34 is a bill purportedly designed to prevent any direct costs associated with increased power generation for “large load customers,” principally data centers, from being passed on to existing customers. That sounds reasonable, does it not? Of course it does.

Now, I do not want to do the same thing Senator Dolezal did and paint only part of the picture for you. I want you to hear both sides of this issue. So, first, let’s hear from Senator Dolezal in his social media campaign piece from this week:

Next, I want to share with you testimony from Georgia Power at the same hearing. The witness explains that the provisions of SB34 are already included in Public Service Commission regulations, that those regulations have the force of law, and that neither Georgia Power, nor any other electric utility has any incentive to burden existing customers with costs associated with the provisions of power to large load customers such as data centers. Finally, the utility spokesperson educates the senate panel that 100% of the direct costs associated with the building of facilities for those large load customers are charged to those customers in advance of the building of the required facilities, and thus are not, and cannot be passed on to existing customers, even if doing so were an intent of the utility.

I do not want to shortchange Senator Dolezal’s participation in this discussion during the hearing like he did in his campaign piece. So, next you will hear the Senator presenting his questions to the Georgia Power witness:

To summarize what the Senate Committee learned during this hearing, every provision of SB34 designed to protect existing Georgia Power customers from paying additional costs associated with new large load customers, such as data centers coming online,

1. is already mandated by Public Service Commission regulations, which carry the force of law;

2. in passing those same PSC regulations into public law in the form of SB34, rather than allowing the PSC to do its job regulating Georgia Power and the other electric utilities, unintended consequences could occur which would conflict with existing PSC regulations requiring downward pressure on existing customer rates, citing that were every incremental enhancement to the existing power transmission system made to afford additional power to large load customers be paid directly by those large load customers, those same large load customers would also have to receive the direct benefits from their investments, decreasing the downward pressure on existing customers, as mandated by the PSC.

SB34 Was a Politically-Motivated Campaign Tool, Nothing More

SB34 never made it to the senate floor. There is a good reason for that. SB34 is already the law in Georgia via PSC regulations. The Public Service Commission exists for a reason, and that is to protect the people of the State of Georgia from gouged utility rates. Therefore, there is no reason for SB34 other than to allow those who voted for it the opportunity to trumpet and demagogue their committee votes in future campaign pieces, such as Senator Dolezal’s social media ad from earlier this week. Senator John F. Kennedy, Dolezal’s opponent in Tuesday’s runoff, had every good reason to vote against SB34. SB34 was politically motivated legislation, designed specifically to provide soundbites for those who voted for it. Senator Kennedy’s “no” vote was well-founded and conservative, choosing not to add needless legislation to an already burgeoned body of Georgia law.

Do not be fooled by this kind of demagoguery on the part of Senator Dolezal. This case is a prime example of what he does to build unwarranted impressions of his conservatism, his self-serving Georgia Freedom Caucus Scorecard system, and his dedication to the welfare of the people of Georgia as opposed to his own personal goals and political aspirations.

I urge you to vote for Senator John F. Kennedy for Georgia Lieutenant Governor.

Here is the back side:

I guess all the folks who claim to be MAGA are now going to desert Burt Jones for recognizing that without Brian Kemp’s full backing, support, money and campaigning, he cannot win in November? Burt is actually quite concerned that he could lose next Tuesday because Rick Jackson has recently received Kemp’s effective endorsement, Kemp ads for Jackson running now all throughout Georgia.

Last week, when I told you Mike Collins cannot win without Kemp’s help, I had people practically throwing tomatoes at me for telling them the truth. You may not like it. I don’t like it, nevertheless it is true that any Republican who wants to win a statewide race in November better have Kemp solidly in their camp, or they labor in vain. Burt Jones knows that. These ads certify that what I am telling you is true.

Notice the photos Burt’s people are using of Kemp’s likeness are not professionally done. They are taken from news reports taken during events, or even photoshopped to gain the effect they are looking for. Kemp will not sit with MAGA candidates for photos. Won’t happen. Whether it’s Marty’s disdain for Trump or something else, Brian Kemp is not going to support a Trump candidate. And without it, or without the appearance of Kemp’s support as this mailer is trying to convey, MAGA candidates will lose to the well-organized, well financed, and unified Georgia Democrats in November.

Now, you can keep throwing tomatoes at me if you want. You can call me a turncoat, say I sold out (if I sold out, then where’s all that money?), that you misjudged me, or you can realize the political truth that without Kemp’s full-throated, energized campaign involvement, this state will turn largely blue in November.

And now Burt Jones is telling you the same thing. If you throw tomatoes at me, you must also throw tomatoes at Burt. Sometimes the truth hurts, but it is the truth nevertheless.

Earlier today, the Georgia Freedom Caucus employee in charge of selecting the bills and scoring the legislators, just selected a bill from the year 2015-16, and made up his own narrative of what the bill said. He did so in order to discourage votes for Senator John F. Kennedy, and campaign for votes for Senator Dolezal.

Here is what was posted:

Presumably, this individual read the bill prior to posting this advertisement for Senator Dolezal’s campaign. But, an astute reader did some research, found the ten-year old bill online, and published the following objective and knowledgeable comment:

And just think, the original poster is the individual who reads and judges the bills for Senator Dolezal's Georgia Freedom Caucus. He is the one who provides the annual legislative scorecards for every Republican legislator at the Georgia General Assembly. Not coincidentally, each year those scorecards place Senator Dolezal at or near the top scores. With this Facebook post, he just lost all credibility.

Earlier this week, this same individual attempted to make me believe the work he does is entirely objective, and that he performs his work free from any influence of Senator Dolezal. Yet, here he is distorting the true content of a bill from ten years ago, and using the tainted information to campaign for his boss, while criticizing his boss’ runoff opponent, John F. Kennedy.

As someone who has studied all this for some time in Forsyth County, this is how Senator Dolezal works. Somehow he gets others to do this kind of work for him, and apparently, they even feel righteous about doing it. People all around Forsyth County have been fooled to do the senator’s bidding just like this possibly unsuspecting assistant. And that is why I believe we do not need Senator Dolezal as our Lieutenant Governor. If he can pull this off at the local level of Forsyth County, imagine what he might be able to do at the state level.

I urge my readers to vote for Senator John F. Kennedy for Georgia Lieutenant Governor. The mind you save, may be your own.

But I will remind you, perhaps no writer in Georgia has been more critical, more incisive, more piercing, provided more research or laid bear the record of Governor Brian Kemp than I have. On that, I take a backseat to no one. And to prove that, here is a compendium of articles I have written on Kemp, starting with his appointment of Kelly Loeffler to take the late Johnny Isakson’s seat in 2019:

Remember Brian Kemp, You Work for Us 12-06-2019

Brian Kemp Has Become His own Political Party, Says ‘FU’ to Georgia GOP 4-16-2023

No, Governor Kemp, Georgians Will Never Forget -You failed during a critical moment and the world will never be the same. 4-9-2023

Resolution of Rebuke and Dissociation Regarding Governor Brian Kemp and GA GOP 5-14-2023

Kemp’s Private Political Party Makes Its First Move 6-30-2023

Part 1-Raffensperger and Kemp Cannot Be Trusted in 2024 Elections -County Election Boards Must Consider Verifiable Alternatives 7-9-2023

Part 2-Raffensperger and Kemp Cannot Be Trusted in 2024 Elections - Kemp’s SAFE Commission Recommendations Never Made it Into Law

Kemp’s Ultimate Goals Now Coming Into View - Privatization of Georgia’s election processes 9-19-2023

Kemp, Raffensperger and Georgia Republican Party Executives, Just Stupid? - Or is there method to their madness?

Where, Oh Where Has the Georgia Republican Party Gone? -State of Georgia has no records-Take a hint 10-8-2023

Brian Kemp Using Georgia Tax Dollars to Fund Middle East War 10-25-2023

Brian Kemp’s Private Political Party Financed Under SB221 Must be Shut Down -Unlimited Corporate Campaign Slush Funds Must No Longer be Tolerated in Georgia 1-07-2024

[UPDATED] Brian Kemp’s Private Political Party Financed Under SB221 Must be Shut Down - Unlimited Corporate Campaign Slush Funds Must No Longer be Tolerated in Georgia 2-21-25

Kemp’s Private Political Party Financed Under SB221,”Fast-Tracked” by Geoff Duncan, Must be Shut Down-Senators Gooch and Dolezal Refused Help - Unlimited Corporate Campaign Slush Funds Must No Longer be Tolerated in Georgia 6-30-2023

Kemp, Carr, Jones and Dooley - Irony, or Complete Hypocrisy in Georgia’s Midterms? -Kemp Family Members Apparently Profiting from Dooley Campaign

And one more criticism of Kemp, which I bring to you today, was his failure to campaign for two incumbent US Senators in 2020, Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, and his failure to campaign for challenger Herschel Walker in 2022. Republicans lost all three of those senate races because of a Georgia Republican Party divided between President Trump on one side, and Governor Brian Kemp on the other. Fact.

In November, the Republicans will lose again if the state party divide is not repaired for this race, again, just a fact. It may be unfortunate, you may not like it, I don’t like it, but the only way that divide comes together is if Kemp’s man, Derek Dooley, is the nominee. I do not make it true, it just is true. If Mike Collins is the nominee to run against Jon Ossoff, although he will receive the complete Trump endorsement package, including stump appearances, some money, everything Trump can provide, Collins still will not receive the backing of Kemp. Marty will not allow it. There is a reason Trump has not endorsed Mike Collins. Trump knows what I am telling you is true. He would look really dumb endorsing the November senate loser, AGAIN. Without Kemp’s backing, regardless what Trump and MAGA try to do, Collins will lose to Ossoff, who will have hundreds of millions poured into his campaign by Democrat backers, and plenty of ammunition to use against Collins, including ethics complaints from former interns. I didn’t make it that way, it just is that way. The Ossoff campaign has NOTHING on Derek Dooley. Ossoff does not want to run against Dooley.

I voted for Mike Collins in the May 19 primary. I did not vote for Dooley. But now I have to ask myself whether I want Jon Ossoff for the next six years, or Derek Dooley. Mike Collins will not defeat Jon Ossoff. I have shown you the historical truth of the matter. He will do no better than Herschel Walker four years ago, and possibly worse.

I prefer Mike Collins to Jon Ossoff. I prefer Derek Dooley to Jon Ossoff. Dooley can win, Collins cannot. And that is why I urge all my MAGA friends to swallow their pride, suck it up, and vote for Dooley this week. If Collins wins the primary, unfortunately, in November my headline will read, “I told You So, Georgia will have Ossoff for Another Six Years.”

In politics, Republicans must be ready to vote for the best POSSIBLE outcome. The best POSSIBLE outcome in the November senate race would be that Derek Dooley becomes Georgia’s next US Senator. History, together with a divided, anemic Republican turnout in the recent primary, should prove to you that I am right here. Only with a united team of Kemp and Trump energizing and backing the November nominee, will Ossoff be defeated. It is time to be real, friends. A vote for Mike Collins on June 16 is a vote for Jon Ossoff in November. That is why this time I am not just urging Republicans to vote for Dooley this week, but am indeed WARNING them to do so. Please do not make me have to write that headline in November.

Doubling down this time, you can vote for Derek Dooley this week or you can lose in November. Those are the options, unfortunately, like it or not. I am voting for Dooley.

The same cannot be said for Governor Brian Kemp. If Collins is the nominee, Kemp will do his normal half-throated support for Collins, and that will be it, no campaigning, no unity, NO MONEY, and unfortunately, Collins will lose.

Derek Dooley is the only Republican who can bridge the divide between Kemp and Trump, and that is the secret sauce that makes this race winnable for the Republicans. And as a bonus, Dooley has no track record for Ossoff to exploit. I mean, what is Ossoff going to say about Derek Dooley, that he should have won more football games?

So, there you have it. Derek Dooley has my vote in the Georgia Republican Senate Primary Runoff.

I do not want to leave this post without at least commenting on Derek Dooley the person. Even though his dad as UGA football coach almost always beat Georgia Tech, and I obviously did not like that, Vince Dooley was an incredibly gracious man. I recall each week during football season, regardless the strength of the upcoming foe, Vince spoke of them kindly, with respect, and complimented them in ways they likely did not deserve. Although there was obviously some gamesmanship in all that, Vince Dooley’s consistent behavior toward the other teams is also what I call grace. And I expect his son learned what grace is by observing the way his dad carried himself. That is only natural. So, even though I do not know the man personally, I can tell he comes from good stock. Derek Dooley has my vote and I hope you will consider supporting him as well.

Since then, row upon row of fellow Georgia legislators have been following suit endorsing Senator John F. Kennedy to defeat Forsyth County Senator Greg Dolezal in the June 16 Lieutenant Governor primary runoff.

If you think about it, to get that many local politicians to agree on anything, much less to endorse the opponent of a fellow Forsyth County politician here in Forsyth County, is an amazing accomplishment. In particular, I consider Representative Carter Barrett a good friend, and someone who strongly believed in my recent candidacy for county commission. Yet, even Representative Barrett came up short of endorsing my candidacy for that position. That said, my friend is publicly endorsing John F. Kennedy to defeat Greg Dolezal. To gain Carter Barrett’s endorsement, when the representative has never before endorsed any candidate for any political position, not even his good friend, is quite a coup for Senator Kennedy. The only local members of the Forsyth County delegation not pictured in Senator Kennedy’s announcement would be state Representative Todd Jones and Senator Shawn Still, who for reasons that will become obvious, support Senator Dolezal.

To my numerous political friends in Gainesville and elsewhere, who have heretofore expressed support for Senator Dolezal, primarily for his conservative voting record, while I admit a solid conservative voting record is important, just as important is how a politician conducts his life as a representative of the people, the worthiness of an agenda he or she chooses to advocate, the leadership he or she displays in doing so, and the success he or she enjoys toward accomplishing that worthy agenda. Furthermore, the respect one commands among ones peers says much about the worthiness of a candidate for public office. To all my friends, please read and judge what I and others are telling you from a position up close, and even personal, concerning Senator Greg Dolezal and his candidacy for Lieutenant Governor.

So, what do I and others know that perhaps the general public does not? That is what we are going to talk about today.

Here is how former state House member and Green Beret, David Clark, recently expressed his support, not for Greg Dolezal, but instead for Senator John Kennedy in the runoff for Georgia’s Lieutenant Governorship.

Meeting Greg Dolezal

Prior to his 2018 run for state senate, I did not know Greg Dolezal. During that time, I was writing a regular opinion piece for the Forsyth County News. As was the custom during my informal tenure at the paper, I received numerous requests from various political candidates to have lunch, each obviously hoping to tilt my opinions toward their candidacies, which if accomplished might somehow filter into my articles. In keeping, I received such an invitation from then senate candidate Dolezal for lunch. We met at a Greek salad restaurant south of Cumming, as apparently the Senator eats much more healthily than I do.

During our meal, Greg told me his story of how he came to live in Forsyth County, a transplant from the Chicago area, and deciding to run for state office. Greg Dolezal is an impressive, charming individual. I am not an easy sell, but both of us apparently shared a foundation of American idealism driving our politics. Greg won me over. I remember thinking how fortunate Forsyth County was to have such an ideal candidate to represent the area in the Georgia Senate.

Say what you want about Greg Dolezal, but the man is a hard worker, a hard campaigner, persuasive and difficult to deter from a goal he has established. Dolezal won his seat in the Georgia Senate relatively easily and began serving in January 2019. The night of the primary I stopped by his victory party to congratulate him. I was happy to have such an excellent representative in the state senate.

It would be almost two years before I can recall my next meaningful conversations with Greg Dolezal. After the 2020 presidential election it became apparent, at least to me, that the official vote totals were tainted by any number of fraudulent activities around the state, both the night of the election and during the next several days during which absentee votes were being counted. I called my state senator, and Greg seemed to rationalize the Trump loss, recounting that he, as a state senator, received more votes in Forsyth County than did Trump. The senator presented the argument that Republicans, practically en masse, failed to check a presidential preference on the ballot. I mean, what else could anyone say at that point? Obviously, a special session was needed to convene an investigation, time was of the essence. Senator Dolezal pushed for a special session to be called, but did not have the power or influence to make it happen. I cannot fault him for that. I fault Governor Kemp for that lack of action at that time.

On Saturday December 5, 2020, along about midday I received a phone call from Greg. Receiving such a call was out of the ordinary. The Senator needed a way to travel to Valdosta, quickly, ostensibly to meet President Trump who would be flying in on Air Force One to participate in a runoff rally for then US Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Purdue. The senator needed a way to get to Valdosta fast, and it was too late to imagine driving. He knew I had a plane that might just make it in time and so he called to ask for me to fly him to the Valdosta Airport, a favor which of course, I was delighted to fulfill.

I hurriedly gathered some belongings and headed for Gainesville Airport where the plane awaited its occupants. As luck would have it, the afternoon was perfect flying weather and practically at dusk we landed, flying straight-in at KVLD, 15 minutes before they closed the airspace for the arrival of Air Force One. Just in time!!

I have to admit, this was a very cool opportunity to fly in to a Trump rally, essentially bypassing all normal forms of security and finding myself in the VIP section during an historic moment in time.

Shortly after landing, Senator Dolezal and I met up with then Senators Burt Jones and Brandon Beach and we made our ways toward the rally venue.

Soon Air Force One entered the left downwind and landed from the south, again, very cool to be there to witness President Trump and the First Lady walk toward center stage.

After the event, Greg, Burt, Brandon and I went to eat at a local Waffle House. Burt drove. And I recall Burt Jones to be a much more affable person than the one I have seen on the campaign trail, actually a very funny guy. Little did I know that I would be spending the evening, including dinner at Waffle House, with the future Treasurer of the United States, future Lieutenant Governor of Georgia and perhaps Georgia’s next governor, and perhaps Georgia’s next Lieutenant Governor in Greg Dolezal. One thing was clear to me, and that was that these three state senators were very good friends.

New Light Shed on Senator Dolezal-The Talitrix Connection

In 2022, during the Georgia General Assembly, I came into some information I felt necessary to share publicly. That information involved a major bill coming before the Georgia legislature, HB1013, the Georgia Mental Health Parity Act. Certain information shared with me at the time centered on the fact that the primary sponsor of the bill, Forsyth County State Representative Todd Jones, who some say is best friends with Greg Dolezal, was also the shared owner of a patented product, the Talitrix wrist band, and who operated a company by that name. Jones was actively marketing that product to various state governments, one in particular being the State of Tennessee. Below you will see a screenshot of former Georgia Representative Micah Gravely (L) and Representative Todd Jones (R), marketing the Talitrix wrist band and Talitrix services to a Tennessee Senate subcommittee. I wrote an article at the time to explain what I had learned.

The Talitrix wrist band looks like a watch, which does keep the time, but is also a tracking device, very much like an ankle bracelet transmitter. The device can be used by various government agencies to monitor not only the locations, but also various biometrics of parolees and other individuals deemed by the state to require tracking once released from custody. Obviously, the only customers for such a product would be government agencies.

One category of individuals who could conceivably be subjected to tracking, by Talitrix technology, would be a class of mentally ill patients HB1013 termed, “involuntary outpatients.” With respect to involuntary outpatient care, below is what Representative Jones wrote into the bill:

965 (G) Employ specific protocols to respond appropriately and lawfully in the event of a failure of or noncompliance with involuntary outpatient care;

1320 (17) Partner with the Department of Community Supervision to evaluate the ability to1321 share mental health data between state and local agencies, such as community service1322 boards and the Department of Community Supervision, to assist state and local agencies 1323 in identifying, tracking, and treating those under community supervision who are also 1324 receiving community based mental health services;

1484 (5) Tracking qualitative and quantitative metrics on the outcomes of any changes made 1485 to community supervision strategies for individuals with mental illness to determine the 1486 effectiveness of such strategies.”

Notice that since these are “involuntary outpatients,” such individuals under community supervision would have to be TRACKED for “noncompliance” with their permissions to remain at-large. Furthermore, “tracking qualitative and quantitative metrics” is what the Talitrix wrist band technology does, providing not only GPS metrics, but also biometrics sent continuously to the Talitrix monitoring center. And so, by all appearances, HB1013 had within its provisions certain language conceivably mandating the use of Representative Jones’ patented product by the State of Georgia. I used the term, “mandating,” because, at least at that time, there were few, if any, competitive tracking technologies on the market that could also track the same “qualitative and quantitative metrics.”

So, what does any of that have to do with Senator Dolezal?

As it turns out, Senator Dolezal is an investor in Talitrix. How much did he invest? All anyone can say with certainty is that it is more than the $5000 minimum reporting requirement. Senator Dolezal would later advise me that he had invested $50,000 in the company. Is that true? I have no way to verify that information, and each investor in the company is sworn to secrecy, being required to sign an NDA, apparently with severe penalties for disclosing certain prohibited information.

On the day HB1013 would go to the Senate floor, I drove to the Capitol to meet with several others to try to influence the vote against the bill’s passage. While there, I called Senator Dolezal to find out what I could expect from the senate that day. He was in his office reading through HB1013, and striking language having to do with the tracking or monitoring of involuntary outpatients. He graciously invited me to his office and to sit as he went through the bill. There with Senator Dolezal were Representative Phillip Singleton and a private individual I will not name, but who is the Freedom Caucus legislation analyst.

When the topic of Talitrix came up, I recall Representative Singleton remarking that he was among the elected officials Todd Jones had solicited to invest. Representative Singleton laughed and added that he would have invested except that he did not have any money.

When the senator finished the HB1013 markup, he made the statement that I considered odd, to the affect that he had removed all language referencing the tracking of individuals, conceivably by Talitrix technology, at which point he was interested to know whether I had any concerns about his voting for the bill, explaining that the bill was going to pass anyway and that he felt like he needed to show support. What could I say other than whether he voted for it or not was up to him, but that I was gratified the tracking language would be removed before going back to the House. As it turned out, had Senator Dolezal voted against his business partner’s bill, he would have been the only member of either house to do so, as ultimately HB1013 passed the Senate and House unanimously. Importantly, at no time did Senator Dolezal argue that the language he was removing did not regard Talitrix technology, only that he was removing all tracking language prior to the bill going to the Senate floor.

Later that evening is when I spoke with Senator Dolezal on the phone about his investment in Talitrix. That is when he told me he had invested as $50,000. While on the phone, I took the opportunity to advise the Senator that in representing me in the senate, I believed he should divest any holdings in Talitrix, or any other enterprises that do business, or even might do business with state or local governments, as in practically all local government spending, there are certain public funds appropriated by the State of Georgia, which are under his purview to affect. In the case at hand, those appropriations accruing possible benefit to Talitrix would be under certain control of the Talitrix owners in the House and Senate. I regard those kinds of arrangements conflicts of interest.

As an alternative, I suggested Senator Dolezal sponsor and pass a bill prohibiting businesses owned wholly or partially by state legislators from doing business with state or local governments for seven years after their terms of elected service end. Obviously, none of my advise did Senator Dolezal take.

I have nothing but the senator’s statement to me to judge the size of his investment in Talitrix, but I have always considered that kind of investment to open the door creating at least the appearance of impropriety. And I will also say this, that it would be my knowledge of Greg Dolezal’s investment and connections with Talitrix that began to drive a wedge separating my support from the Senator. If, in representing me, Senator Dolezal invested in a business along with another state elected official, and that elected official proposes legislation which could open the door for that business to contract to receive state funds, I have a problem with that. In my view, Senator Dolezal’s credibility has been harmed by his shared ownership of Talitrix.

Numerous Elected Officials Involved in Talitrix

Representative Jones targeted other elected state legislators to invest in Talitrix tracking business. And it is widely known that any number of state representatives did invest and have even worked directly for Todd Jones’ firm. The reader should be asking why Todd Jones would have targeted so many state elected officials to invest in Talitrix, especially knowing that one of his goals, as we saw in the case with neighboring Tennessee, would be to sell Talitrix technology and services to governments at the state level. In the case of HB1013, the language of Jones’ original bill, which you can read above, could easily be administered to not only empower, but also practically mandate the State of Georgia to contract with Jones’ company. Senator Greg Dolezal would have to know that.

Senator Dolezal’s Votes and the Georgia Freedom Caucus Scorecard - HB 1013 and SB 221

I have any number of political friends whose opinions are heavily-affected by various published elected official scorecards. One scorecard largely relied upon is the John Birch Society Freedom Index, a scorecard which purportedly measures the constitutionality of various elected official’s votes, from the John Birch perspective. Then there is the Heritage Action Scorecard, which purports to evaluate members of Congress based on their support for conservative policies. There is also the Club for Growth Foundation Scorecard, which purports to rank lawmakers based on their support for pro-growth, limited-government, and free-market economic policies. Understand, however, none of those scorecards are published purely as a service to the community. They are published in order to influence votes for-or-against a particular candidate or candidates.

In December of 2021, Senator Greg Dolezal founded the Georgia Freedom Caucus, placing himself as its first chairman.

Each year, the Georgia Freedom Caucus publishes its own scorecard, which the caucus purports measures various Georgia legislators’ votes and their adherence to certain ultra-conservative policies. As is the case with all the other published scorecards, the Senator did not design the Freedom Caucus scorecard merely to inform the voters. You see, not surprisingly, each year Senator Dolezal, the Freedom Caucus founder, rates as the first or second top conservative voter in the Georgia Senate. The caucus is therefore not solely organized to promote conservative principles. It is also designed to promote Senator Dolezal to conservative voters. Understand, the Freedom Caucus Scorecard consists of a list of votes on bills which Senator Dolezal ultimately controls. That opens the question whether the Senator votes out of pure conviction, or purely to receive votes himself.

The graphic below is a partial of the 2026 Georgia Freedom Caucus Scorecard. House member Charlice Byrd, incidentally, votes NO on virtually every bill that comes to the floor. That is why she rates 100% .

In founding the Georgia Freedom Caucus, Senator Dolezal also manufactured a way to regularly promote his own politically-conservative bona fides, which accomplishes two goals for him. First, it gives him something to talk about to politically conservative audiences. And second, it garners political support from some of the most aggressively-conservative constituencies imaginable, many of them from in his own home county of Forsyth, whose persistent threatening behaviors and attacks, either in person or on social media, are apparently geared to intimidate those who dare question the senator’s judgment, or disagree on policy.

Senator Dolezal Violates Conservative Convictions on HB1013

In 2022, the Georgia Freedom Caucus strongly opposed HB1013. Founding House Freedom Caucus member Phillip Singleton publicly stated that HB1013 “fails EVERY test of conservative governance,” arguing that it expanded government in numerous ways. Once passed, HB1013 became a catalyst for a broader behavioral-health reform agenda, INCREASING THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF GEORGIA GOVERNMENT in direct violation of Georgia Freedom Caucus mandated principles. Since HB1013 passed, Georgia has spent more than $1 billion in additional cumulative behavioral-health funding. Yet, in the end, Senator Greg Dolezal and every other member of the Georgia Freedom Caucus voted for it. What that tells us is that the conservative convictions of Senator Dolezal’s Georgia Freedom Caucus are only so deep, and that not even Senator Dolezal finds it inviting to be the only no-vote in both the Georgia House and Senate, and is therefore willing to sacrifice the very principles that provide the ideological foundation his Georgia Freedom Caucus was organized to promote.

Dolezal’s Conservative Principles only So Deep on SB221

I have written extensively on the 2021 Kemp “Governor’s Bill,” SB221. You can find my first article on that bill here. If it remains on the books, SB221 will prove to be the end of Georgia’s political party system on its way to becoming a corporatocracy. Under SB221, Georgia’s Governor, Lieutenant Governor and the legislative leadership of both parties in the state House and Senate receive the benefit of eliciting unlimited dark money contributions emanating from virtually anyone, and anywhere in the world. Read that again. As outrageous as it sounds, what I describe is the law in Georgia. To restore the republic, and the political party system in Georgia, SB221 must be repealed or its powers severely modified.

But SB221 is another excellent example of how Senator Dolezal’s conservative ideals are ultimately called into question. As you can see below, only three members of the Georgia Senate voted against SB221. They were the same individuals with whom I attended the Valdosta Trump rally and enjoyed dinner at Waffle House in December of 2020. They would be State Senators Brandon Beach, Burt Jones and Greg Dolezal.

I credit those three senators for voting as they did in a losing cause. But, what I will show you now, at least in the cases of Senators Jones and Dolezal, is that those votes, each cast against SB221 were purely political. There was little or no substance of principle underwriting their votes. Each of those senators could boast that they stood fast defending the republic when Governor Kemp’s dark money bill, which placed Georgia policy-making in the hands of anonymous benefactors with a large balances in their open checkbooks, as it became law.

Here’s the problem. SB221 is still in effect. Burt Jones is now the Lieutenant Governor and has his own “Leadership Committee PAC.” Did he give it up when he won the seat? No, in fact, the Lieutenant Governor tried to use his dark money PAC to finance his election to become Georgia’s Governor. Doing so was in direct violation of the lawful purposes of those funds, which can only be used for the office in which they were given. The courts therefore stopped him. Do we think that Burt Jones will give up his leadership committee PAC when he is elected governor? I, for one, believe not. If I am correct, then that shows you that, at least in the case of Burt Jones, his vote against SB221 was purely political. There would have been no overriding ideological principle behind that vote. The vote against SB221 was a “throw away vote.” But even throw away votes count on the Georgia Freedom Caucus Scorecard. Do you see why so many of these scorecard votes, especially in a losing cause, are wholly political and meaningless?

But, what about Senator Dolezal’s vote on SB221. Is it any less meaningless? No, it is more so. I say that because over the last three years I have personally communicated with the Senator about sponsoring a bill to either repeal SB221, or render some of its provisions to limit dark money contributors from buying such influence over Georgia policy-making. Senator Dolezal’s response was that doing so would only be “sideways energy,” expressing certain futility in expending effort toward what he believed to be a losing cause. When I have publicly-labeled SB221 as a “dark money bill,” the senator has been quick to try to correct me, assuring audiences that SB221 does not allow dark money contributions. Now, if Senator Dolezal is correct, then he should be able to tell us the names of the individuals truly funding the following list of contributions made to Governor Kemp during his 2022 reelection bid, as his leadership committee accounts topped $80 million.

You see, none of us will ever know who owns those corporate entities, or where the money came from that went to Brian Kemp’s leadership committee. These entities are all from out-of-state. For all we know, those funds could have originated in countries hostile to the United States. And that is why these are all examples of dark money flowing into Georgia’s election system.

Now, if Senator Dolezal succeeds in his campaign to become Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor, guess what? He will have his own leadership committee PAC and have the same opportunities to elicit and receive dark money contributions, exactly what he looked good voting against in 2021. The senator has been silent on the issue of SB221, its repeal or its modification. Yet, should both Burt Jones and Greg Dolezal to succeed in their bids for their respective statewide offices, they would have the power to do whatever they want with SB221. If you believe either of these officials would walk away from the chance at having virtually unlimited funds at their disposal for the next eight years, or in Dolezal’s case possibly sixteen, I believe you overestimate their devotion to honest, republican government.

Greg Dolezal and the Forsyth County “Club”

Now, it is time to get serious about how the state senator representing Forsyth County apparently operates. Almost two years ago, I began a series of articles centered around an informal, however highly effective power structure that has at its goal to control every elected and appointed seat of Forsyth County Government. We know that is its purpose because that is what it has done. In my first article in a series, I chose to describe this ensemble of political actors as, the “Club.” I used several pictures published by the Club on social media to identify who certain of the Club members are. Here is one of the pictures:

Each of those now elected officials I have labeled “SRG,” which meant that their elections were managed at the time by the Stoneridge Group (SRG). At the center of the Stoneridge Group was its founder, Jay Williams. Mr. Williams is the bearded individual in the middle of the next photo:

The Club is not motivated by ideology. It is motivated by power and control over the future of Forsyth County. They are all smiling in the photos because these pictures were taken the night of the 2024 Republican primary victories they shared in. In the first photo, you will see state Representative Todd Jones with a broom, signifying a “complete sweep” of primary victories by the Club. Notice in the back row of photo #2, Senator Greg Dolezal and his hand-chosen successor, Club member, “Big Mike” Dudgeon. Dudgeon, incidentally, has apparently powered his campaign by selling his political soul to sports betting corporations, each apparently betting on locating major gambling operations in Georgia, with Big Mike’s help.

Senator Dolezal’s Social Media Army of Fanatics

Lately, I have had the pleasure of blocking any number of Senator Dolezal’s fanatical social media devotees on Facebook. For a long time I tried to engage with them. But once I declared candidacy for the county commission seat presently occupied by Club member Kerry Hill, I became relentlessly assailed by the Club’s social media auxiliary—always the same few individuals, all rabid Dolezal supporters, practically always writing the same snarky comments, over and over, on every post I would make. So their comments were nothing anyone could have a real online conversation about. Their purposes were to create a nuisance to obstruct any message I posted on social media. And the participants included Senator Dolezal’s good friend and former political consultant at Stoneridge Group, Jay Williams. On practically every post I would make, Jay Williams would follow with the same inane comment that I was somehow a supporter of Stacey Abrams. Eventually, I just blocked them all…ahhhhh! It felt so good!

One of the largest private Facebook groups based in Forsyth County is Focus on Forsyth County Ga.

One of Senator Dolezal’s gatekeepers serves as an administrator of this group. I am not allowed to join this 57K member group. Whether Senator Dolezal tells the administrators what to do or not, they know what to do and why they are there to do it. And that is to promote the senator, and the Club, and deny access to anyone who seriously dissents. This is what the Club does to try to maintain a grip on the control of Forsyth County. Imagine what they and others would do were Senator Dolezal to be elected to a statewide office such as Lieutenant Governor.

Infighting Among the Forsyth County Delegation

A few years ago, I published an article entitled, “Conflicts of Interests in State Government, Local Forsyth County Connections.” In that article I featured the fact that Representative McDonald occupied the informal position of “Governor’s Floor Leader” in the Georgia House. I argued that there is no such constitutional position in state government, as it violates the precept of separation of powers, and should be abandoned. Furthermore, I regard that violation as a conflict of interests and said so in the article.

Shortly thereafter, perhaps sensing that I was at odds with Representative McDonald, I received a call from Greg Dolezal asking if I might provide a good question that would be asked of McDonald at an upcoming Forsyth Family Alliance forum. I thought was an odd request, but as it turns out there is a deep divide between the two of which I was not aware.

I learned more about that divide when evidence of it surfaced again in late February of 2024. That is when Senators Dolezal and Brandon Beach were each speakers at a local political event I was involved in hosting. Handed the mic, Senator Beach spoke of a bill he had sponsored to prevent China from buying up Georgia farmland, but claimed to a crowd of over 200 attendees that Representative Lauren McDonald was preventing that bill from advancing through the Agriculture Committee to a vote on the floor.

In the following couple of days, out of a genuine interest to advance the bill, I called Senator Beach to better understand what was going on before calling Representative McDonald. When I asked Beach to explain how McDonald was holding up the bill, he responded that he didn’t know, but was told that by Senator Dolezal. When I hung up with Beach, I called Senator Dolezal to ask him the same question, hoping to be knowledgeable on the subject when I called Lauren McDonald. Greg Dolezal informed me that the contention about McDonald holding up Beach’s bill was something he had heard others say in conversation. Thinking I was helping these legislators to better understand each other and what was really going on, and also to help save Georgia’s farmland from communist aggression, I let Senator Dolezal know that I would call Representative McDonald to find out the truth and call him back.

After hanging up, I called Lauren McDonald and told him that Greg Dolezal had heard and informed Brandon Beach that Lauren was holding up Beach’s bill in the Agriculture Committee. Lauren said nothing except to ask me whether I could hold for a minute. I responded that I could and was put on hold. Ten to fifteen seconds later, Lauren came back and let me know that on the line with us was House Agriculture Chairman, Robert Dickey. Once we extended greetings, without any explanation Representative McDonald asked Chairman Dickey whether McDonald was holding up any bills by anyone, including Senator Beach, in the Ag Committee. Chairman Dickey’s response was not only no, but that Lauren couldn’t hold up agriculture bills if he wanted to, because Representative McDonald was not on the Agriculture Committee.

I thanked them both and called Greg Dolezal right back to let him know what I had learned, and to say that I believed he and Senator Beach owed Representative McDonald a public apology for making the statements they did at the event I helped to sponsor. Senator Dolezal indicated that he was the one owed an apology from McDonald for spreading a contention that Dolezal had been engaged in certain extramarital affairs. I told Greg that I did not know anything about that, but that I did know that Dolezal and Beach spread a false rumor about public business, and that McDonald was due an apology.

No apology would ever be forthcoming.

The next Sunday, March 3rd, on the Georgia Gang, somehow commentator Phil Kent had learned of the same false story. Thinking it was true, Kent broadcast the same contention, apparently initiated by Dolezal and made public by the now Treasurer of the United States, that somehow Lauren McDonald was holding up Beach’s bill.

After receiving that video, I texted it to Senator Dolezal. All the Senator would say is that he doesn’t watch the show and that was the end of the text string.

Perhaps what I have described is why former Lieutenant Governor candidate David Clark said in his video that Greg Dolezal is a “wolf in sheep’s clothing. It’s all political rhetoric to chase power. If you knew the real Dolezal, how he acts when the cameras are off, you would run the other way.”

In the end, Georgia has a decision to make in electing the next Lieutenant Governor. I for one am taking no chances with Greg Dolezal. I am one who was 100% behind the Senator when he was elected, and is 100% against him after almost 8 years in the Senate. I agree with David Clark and others who have worked with Greg Dolezal, that he is not who he portrays when the cameras are on. The evidence I see demonstrates that Senator Dolezal works primarily to quench his own thirst for power and control. I believe Senator Greg Dolezal is primarily responsible for the dysfunctionality and strife-laden Forsyth County Government and its state delegation. I believe that he has a practically uncontrollable urge to master his political environment, whether it be at the county level, or God-forbid the state level. I believe that those who have worked closely with him in Georgia’s House and Senate, by and large agree that, regardless of voting record, a state run by Greg Dolezal would be an environment they do not want to live in. And that is why so many of them have chosen to endorse State Senator John F. Kennedy for Georgia Lieutenant Governor. And that is why, today, I do the same thing, and urge you to

Vote Senator John F. Kennedy for Georgia’s next Lieutenant Governor.

(Note: According to Mr. Hawkins, he did not “personally” contribute the money. I do not contend that he did. This article makes it plain that the money contributed to the Forsyth Homeowner’s Alliance controlled by Scott Cooper, came directly from Ayehawk, LLC, an entity organized a month and a half ago, and controlled by Justin Hawkins. That Mr. Hawkins controls Ayehawk, LLC means that the money in question was ultimately contributed under his prerogative and direction. As Mr. Hawkins says, that money could have come from anywhere. I acknowledge that. If Mr. Hawkins would like to tell us where the money came from, or relate any particular information that clarifies his role in the funds contribution, I expect many people would be glad to know. He can either comment below, or write to me and I will publish his remarks. 6-7-26 6:41AM)

If you live in Forsyth County District 1, you likely found the following attack mailer against Kerry Hill opponent Adam Rodes in your mailbox this week.

In the upper left hand corner and you will locate who is responsible for it.

To find out who that is, we look no further than the Georgia Ethics site and see…

…that according to the attack mailer, it was sent with a return address being the home of a local neurologist, Dr. Scott Cooper. Now let’s connect the dots.

Dr. Cooper is the widower of the late Molly Cooper, who at the time she passed was the District 1 County Commissioner. Here are the Coopers pictures together.

According to the Georgia Ethics website, Dr. Cooper’s Forsyth Homeowner’s Alliance recently received $50,000, contributed from Ayehawk Holdings, LLC.

The organizer of Ayehawk Holdings, LLC is Justin Hawkins, CEO and co-founder of Talitrix.

Justin Hawkins is also a former business partner of Dr. Cooper.

This week, Dr. Cooper’s PAC paid $40,000 out of Ayehawk’s recent contribution to Quiver Persuasion LLC, funds which are obviously being used to launch attack mailers, such as the one above, against Adam Rodes, on behalf of District 1 Commissioner Kerry Hill.

Quiver Persuasion LLC, better known as simply Quiver, is Jay Williams’ political consulting business.

Jay Williams is Kerry Hill’s campaign consultant in her reelection run for the District 1 seat on the Forsyth County Commission, again, formerly occupied by Dr. Cooper’s late wife, Molly.

Jay Williams is the person who instructs Kerry Hill what to do and what to say in her campaign.

“Club” Connections

Below you will see Jay Williams surrounded by certain members of the Forsyth County “Club.” One purpose of the Club is to occupy and control every elected and appointed position in Forsyth County Government. We know that because that is what they have done. In the back row, you will see the Club’s leader, Senator Greg Dolezal (far left) along with his hand-chosen successor, “Big Mike” Dudgeon (red shirt). In the front row to the left of Jay Williams, you will see County Commissioners Alfred John, and Laura Semanson, with Commissioner Mendy Moore to the far right.

Below, joining the “clean sweep team” at the Club’s 2024 primary victory celebration is Club member and District 1 Commissioner Kerry Hill (3rd from the left), Board of Education Chairman Mike Valdez on the far left, and Talitrix Founder, Representative Todd Jones holding the broom arm-in-arm with Commissioner Semanson. Clubster Senator Shawn Still is in the light blue shirt.

But let’s not stop there. Below you will find a Forsyth County News photo from that evening which also includes former Georgia Representative Mark Morris on the right, smiles all around after the Clubsters’ primary victories.

Let’s count the Talitrix Connections:

Representative Todd Jones - Founder and shared patent holder of the Talitrix tracking device

Justin Hawkins - Talitrix CEO and shared patent holder of Talitrix tracking device

Senator Greg Dolezal - Known Talitrix investor

Commissioner Kerry Hill - I understand the commissioner’s daughter either did, or still does, work for Talitrix

Mark Morris - Former state representative and former Talitrix Vice President, subsequently employed as Talitrix Chief People Officer, ownership status unknown

So, why would Talitrix CEO Justin Hawkins be so involved and concerned in the runoff between incumbent commissioner Kerry Hill and Adam Rodes?

I don’t know that I can say for sure, but we do know that Talitrix has been known to contribute large sums to certain sheriff’s elections, even supporting Democrats against Republicans in Fulton and Clayton Counties.

In March of 2024, the AJC published an article primarily concerning a contract between Fulton County and Talitrix, one that was rescinded by the county for alleged failure to perform. At that time, the AJC revealed that Talitrix had contributed $30,000 to the election campaign of Democrat Sheriff Labat.

According to the AJC,

You might recall, Pat Labat was the Democrat Sheriff who ordered Donald Trump sit for a mug shot after Prosecutor Fani Willis brought charges of Trump plotting to overturn the state's 2020 election results.

The AJC further reported:

Records show that Talitrix also funded the campaign of Clayton County Sheriff, Levon Allen, through the now defunct Americans for Protecting the Public PAC, with contributions of over $188K. Mark Morris, pictured above, was the apparent bag man on that contribution. Said the AJC:

As before, the Georgia Secretary of State website lists Justin Hawkins as the incorporator of the Americans for Protecting the Public PAC:

The address, 5755 Northpoint Parkway is also the home address of Talitrix.

Apparently, whatever the reason Justin Hawkins, Mark Morris and Talitrix had for contributing such large sums to these Democrat Sheriffs in Fulton and Clayton Counties, it stands to reason that the $50,000 contributed through Dr. Cooper’s PAC, on behalf of the Kerry Hill campaign, would be for the same or a similar reason. I will let you decide what that reason might be.

And By The Way…

In November of 2020, Dr. Cooper’s wife, Commissioner Molly Cooper, nominated Justin Hawkins to a position on the Forsyth County Development Authority.

During that time, Kerry Hill was Molly Cooper’s representative on the Forsyth Planning Commission.

While on the Development Authority, Justin Hawkins worked with his mentor, and long-time member of the board, Attorney Emory Lipscomb.

In September of 2021, nine months after Hawkins began serving with his mentor, Forsyth County bought the property on which the new Freedom Parkway Administration Building sits from 400 Pilgrim LLC.

400 Pilgrim LLC is an entity operated by Lipscomb.

What does all that mean? I do not know entirely, but it means something.

Everything I have given you are facts. Those facts all relate to each other by the several individuals about which I write, each who know each other well and work with each other, operating as a network that has an iron grip over the governing institutions of Forsyth County. I allege nothing unlawful. I do allege an appearance that the individuals you read about in this article are all working together for common purposes. I cannot say what all of those purposes are, but in my opinion they are personal purposes, and not purposes with the benefit of the people of Forsyth County in mind.

Early Vote for Rodes- Adam Rodes in a Landslide!

I urge the good people of Forsyth County to reject the efforts of those who are so desperate to maintain their grip over the future and fortunes of this county, that they would invest the kinds of money we are seeing in order to control the District 1 commission seat. It is finally time to send the Club’s choice for District 1 County Commission, Kerry Hill, packing. For the good of all that is holy, I urge Forsyth County to vote for Adam Rodes in the upcoming runoff, and do it as early in the week as possible. Get that done, and don’t look back. And after Adam Rodes’ landslide victory, we will look toward the opportunity to pry the next Club members’ fingers off of the controlling mechanisms of Forsyth County Government, and ultimately place the people back in control over their own destiny.

Tomorrow I will publish…

“Why Are So Many Fellow Legislators and Elected Officials Endorsing Greg Dolezal’s Runoff Opponent, John Kennedy?”

You will not want to miss that one!

Contrasting against the Rodes victory we find the extraordinarily poor showing of incumbent commissioner, Kerry Hill, whose vote totals did not eclipse 32%. Pundits will tell you, one of the most difficult tasks in politics is to unseat an entrenched incumbent. Nevertheless, last week’s vote totals translate to a 68% disapproval rating for not only Commissioner Hill, but also the poor work of the entire Forsyth County Commission, as registered among District 1 voters. That kind of sentiment is difficult for any incumbent to overcome, much less one who carries with her so much political baggage. Among the criticisms heard during the campaign have been the following:

Commissioner Hill

• Fails to return phone calls from constituents;

• Fails to represent constituents living within the city limits of Cumming;

• Voted to raise property taxes four straight years (according to Georgia law, the failure to rollback millage rates each year is legally a tax increase and must be advertised as such, so do not let Commissioner Hill fool you);

• Voted to spend $140 million in taxpayer funds to build the Freedom Parkway Admin Complex, without a public referendum, a project complete with luxurious commissioner’s meeting room, but which is located outside of the county seat of Cumming, where the commissioners cannot lawfully meet;

• Voted to waste $52 million of SPLOST funds to demo and rebuild a perfectly good and serviceable Sharon Springs Park;

• Voted to remove $6 million in SPLOST funds set to be used by the City of Cumming to alleviate traffic congestion into the city from western unincorporated county areas;

• Has never personally met the Cumming mayor or city council members, but instead publicly attacks them all, rather than work with them to arrive at common solutions for the people of Forsyth County;

• Has done virtually nothing during a 13 month development moratorium to provide solutions, or an exit strategy, to combat Forsyth County’s growth and diminishing quality of life.

Kerry Hill’s ‘Plan’

Recently, Commissioner Hill posted that she has been unfairly accused of having no plan or exit strategy once the present moratorium is lifted. She used as evidence the fact that just last week, the day before the primary, the county commission filed a zoning application to rezone a piece of property off Elmo Road from Res3 to Res1. Here is Commissioner Hill’s Facebook post:

According to Commissioner Hill, what you see IS her plan. After 13 months of inaction, her plan is to rezone a piece of property from Res3 to Res1, a parcel presently not developable as it is under conservation.

What you see is how weak and ineffectual Commissioner Kerry Hill has been for District 1. Commissioner Hill’s ‘plan’ comes to nothing at all. It is time for change in the Forsyth County Commission. I urge you to stand up and be counted for that change. Please vote in the June 16 runoff for a true friend of he people of Forsyth County, Adam Rodes, to become your next county commissioner. Adam will proudly represent all the people of District 1, either inside or outside the City of Cumming. Unlike Commissioner Hill, Adam Rodes will answer his phone, hear your concerns, and represent your interests in the heart of Forsyth County Government.

Early voting is from June 8-12, and the runoff is on June 16. Put that in your calendar. Your vote will make all the difference.

Share

Steve Walks Toward the Fire

I can’t tell you how many times I have entered a room of politicians, and they look away, or walk away to join the comfort of others. They don’t smile. They avoid contact or even a simple hello. “Was it something I said?”

Steve Gooch, however, has always walked toward the fire. He is not afraid to smile and talk, even if about a bill he and I disagree on. When I might run into Steve at the Capitol, he always offers a friendly handshake. He has welcomed me into his Majority Leader office, has spent time talking about whatever comes up, and is one of a very few members of Georgia’s political class that I trust to do what he truly believes would be good for Georgians.

Steve Responds When Called

Several months ago, I asked Steve if he would attend a meeting of builders, septic system installers, local home building association officials along with two state reps, one being my Representative Brent Cox. The subject was to find a way to bring Georgia’s septic system requirements into the 21st century. There are any number of new waste disposal technologies on the market which were not around when Georgia’s requirements were carved into stone. The board that oversees those requirements has been reticent to consider allowing new standards to creep into the approval process. In many cases, out-of-date regulations make existing lots unacceptable for homes larger than a certain size, even though the deciding factors are not relevant to the new technologies available. Steve was glad to attend, and had several excellent suggestions for the team to consider, which resulted in the state board opening discussions to consider new standards. Steve knows how the government works, and gets results from knowing how to steer Georgian’s concerns.

Steve Shows Up During an Emergency

When Hurricane Helene flooded south Georgia, a local group in Forsyth County, many not even pictured here, volunteered to carry truckloads of provisions to aid those in need during the aftermath. When I got there, Steve was already among the workers loading trucks with supplies.

Steve Gooch Works With All Sides for Solutions

Steve was voted Senate Majority Leader for one overarching reason, and that is that he knows how to work with all sides of an issue and come to an agreement for the betterment of the people he represents, and the people of Georgia.

Steve Gooch is Well-Respected in the Georgia Senate Over Which He Would Preside.

For these reasons, and more, yesterday I cast my vote for Steve Gooch for Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor. If you are still undecided in the Lieutenant Governor’s Republican Primary, while there are some other worthy candidates, I hope you will seriously consider State Senator Steve Gooch. I do not believe you will be disappointed.

Share

That article, and the series that followed, hit the zeitgeist. It took off. The series seemed to put form to certain circumstances many Forsyth County residents recognized, but who did not fully understand. In that series, I matched up numerous familiar faces affiliating among themselves, whose common purpose was, and still is, to “take over Forsyth County.” By their actions, it was apparent to me that those individuals had together decided to covertly organize, “under the waves,” so to speak, to jointly take over every elected and appointed governmental office in Forsyth County. And they have been largely successful.

In the first article in the series, I affixed a name to describe this veritable “cartel” of political actors and their online support groups. I called it “the Club.” The name stuck. And now, practically anyone who is plugged-in politically to what is happening in Forsyth County, will recognize the term, “Club,” and generally know what it means. The struggle against the Club’s control of Forsyth County is the backdrop of the campaign to unseat incumbent Commissioner, Club member Kerry Hill.

Now, I admit the term was not original. I took it from the late comedian George Carlin, who famously spoke it into the public consciousness in the following clip:

Soon my articles were being banned in local Facebook groups. Facebook was obviously receiving programmed complaints from Club members about my revealing articles. Facebook would eventually begin removing all articles in the series by that name within a very few seconds of publishing. I was cast out of Facebook groups by administrators carefully positioned by the Club to deny access to anyone who did not agree with what the Club wanted the public to know. It wasn’t long until my own Facebook page with 9000 followers was taken down by Meta. One day when I went to login, my page was just gone. No discussion, no recourse. I had to start from scratch to regain my present following.

It would not be long before I began hearing from several county residents who recognized that what I had written was true, and who lived in certain fear of reprisal from various Club members.

Who Is the Club?

So, who is the “Club?” Well, certain of its members can be found among this group…

…in union with this group…

..some of whom can also be found among this group assembled under the banner of “Forsyth Family Alliance.”

At the Center of the Club

At the center of political operations for the Club is consultant Jay Williams. He is the Club’s political brain trust. He is the one who dreams up all the fake narratives about the Club’s political opponents and sends out all those made-up mailers and phony cell phone texts you have been receiving.

Formerly, Jay was the brain trust behind a political consulting group known as the Stoneridge Group (SRG), whose motto in the past was:

And doing what his clients competitors refuse to do, like publishing nonsense and distortions about his client’s political rivals, is how Jay Williams has been successful in the past.

Jay is a self-described “story cultivator.” He dreams up stories about his client’s opponents and plants them in the public mind in order to grow a body of political support for his stable of candidates.

Jay is the one who has been telling my opponent, the incumbent District 1 commissioner, what to do and what to say.

Recently, Jay sent out a Kerry Hill mailer confirming everything I just told you about the Club and its purposes:

In the mailer, rather than the “Club,” Jay refers to this local political cartel the “Homeowner’s Coalition.” And in this mailer he proudly reveals the truth (for once), that the Club “took control of the county.” Yes, that is true. They did. The Club, however, does not control the City of Cumming, nor its mayor. And that is why the Club members in office on the county commission cannot seemingly abide alongside the city or any of its officers. The Club, will not allow its members to cooperate with a city government it does not control. That is why in almost 4 years, Commissioner Kerry Hill has never personally met the mayor nor any of the members of the city council, even though over 60% of the residents of Cumming live in her district. And as I wrote two years ago, and revisit today, the Club’s overall purpose is to take over every elected or appointed office in Forsyth County, thus positioning the Club to control Forsyth County and the county’s future. If the Club doesn’t like you, or if you do not further their purposes, they will endeavor to get rid of you.

Obviously, as you might guess, the Club does not like me.

Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss

Now, as Jay wrote on the recent Hill campaign mailer, the Club wants you to believe that they are the ones against “Developers and their pay-to-play cronies.” In that mailer Jay tries to paint me, the candidate who is revealing all this to you, as being one of those developer cronies, which is just another example of “story cultivation” by Jay Williams. The Club wants to paint me, of all people, as the establishment. I have never worked with any developers operating in this county, nor do I have any reason to. And so, what we really have here is a new establishment, the Club, in place of an older establishment they complain about, in the end becoming a new boss which is no better, and likely much worse, than the old boss.

Warning Before You Vote

I hope you will allow me one suggestion, that before you vote, you visit the Forsyth County Campaign Finance website. Click on the candidate’s page you are considering and scan down the list of campaign expenditures for payments to “Quiver.” Quiver is Jay Williams’ new company. If you see that the campaign you selected sent payments to Quiver, you can be assured that most anything you have read or heard from that campaign is one of Jay Williams’ “cultivated” narratives designed to gain support for one of his candidate clients, and is likely either greatly distorted, exaggerated, or false on its face.

Who Are the Real Developer Cronies?

As I have detailed in several recent articles, the four commissioners you see in the Club selfies above are the ones who have been defending ordinance provisions protecting the ability of large, national, vertically-integrated developer/builder corporations to mass-clear and grade Forsyth County residential developments. Below is just one example, showing a development on the northwest slope of Sawnee Mountain that has been mass-cleared and graded in order to achieve the maximum density for the developer. This environmental massacre could have been stopped by Kerry Hill and the Club-majority commission, but was not. Under this county commission, what you see below is how virtually all residential subdivisions are being approved for development all around Forsyth County.

Jay Williams recently cultivated a Club narrative that the present county commission majority is fighting tooth and nail against those developers and that Kerry Hill’s opponents, myself being one of them, are simply puppets for those same corporations.

If you have been paying attention, you know that the only candidate for county commission who has made developer mass-clearing and grading an issue in this campaign, is also the only one who is a graduate in civil engineering from Georgia Tech and a custom home builder for over 40 years, and who is extremely knowledgeable concerning mass-clearing and grading. In other words, the only one standing against these development practices COMPLETELY DESTROYING THE CHARACTER OF FORSYTH COUNTY is not the admitted Club member Kerry Hill, but is instead yours truly. Hank Sullivan is the only candidate in this race, or on the county commission, who is standing against the practices of the large developer/builders who, along with the Club, have “taken over Forsyth County.”

I urge you to do your research prior to voting. And if you receive one of Jay William’s mailers or texts, from any candidate for office in and around Forsyth County, you would be wise to consider supporting the candidate being falsely portrayed. After that, I believe you will know what to do with all those mailers.

I ask for your vote for District 1 County Commissioner in the May 19 Republican Primary

If you believe this is an important article, please consider sharing among your friends and subscribing.

Subscribe now