Sorry for the delay to your comments.

1) On the point of what the law says, I will take your word for it and concede that I was wrong on my assertion, and do hereby stand corrected.

2) On my point about you perhaps being a “sick-minded individual,” let’s take the WHOLE quote in context: “If you like the fact that the DA’s office is used more for political purposes than investigation and prosecution of felonies, then that just makes you one of the many sick-minded people that the world of politics produces.”

I believe that the DA’s office exists to investigate and prosecute felonies; it is the Solicitor’s Office in a county (if they have a solicitor) that exists exclusively for the purpose of investigating misdemeanor crimes.

Excluding the felony charge in this case, this entire matter should have been handled by the Solicitor’s Office in Gwinnett (unless, in my ignorance of all things Gwinnett, the Solicitor’s office no longer exists…?)

So, yes, if you (or, ANYONE), who has a financial/political stake in the outcome of a race is in love with the concept of a District Attorney’s office (and, all resources thereof) being used as a hammer against one side of an election for political office to determine the outcome, then, yes, I consider you to be a “sick-minded individual.”

Because I would say a person who believes the outcome of a political race is the most “do-or-die” important thing in the world to happen, then you have lost touch with reality.

Mike, if in the past I have demonstrated that _I_ feel that way about a race, and called for the felony-investigatory arm of law enforcement to come into a race and screw with someone for possibly violating misdemeanor law, then I was a sick-minded individual back then. I repeat, “IF” I ever thought that way.

On some other thread last week, you were having a discussion with Chrisishardcore about some voting bloc in some area of (I think) DeKalb County.

You stated that because Perdue lost the Cross Keys district in 2002, and won the district in 2006, then that proved a “trend.”

In actuality, Mark, a “trend” is defined by a minimum of 3 data points, not two.

SO, to apply this “trend” analysis to the case of Gwinnett County, let’s look at the trend of races in which Danny Porter has poked his nose into where one of YOUR candidates was the beneficiary of Porter’s involvement:

Year 2000: Porter enters the fray between your candidate, Scott LeCraw, and John Dunn (for whatever commission district that was). Danny Porter pokes his nose into the race due to a letter John Dunn sent out. Porter checks the law, and determines Dunn is okay…but NOT before making a public stink about it.

Year 2004: Your candidate is Dwight Harrison against John Dunn. Porter pokes his nose into the race on the allegations from a tape recording of Dunn talking to some other candidate. Porter informs Dunn that he will pursue charges of either bribery or attempted bribery. AFTER Dunn loses in the primary due to an avalanche of bad press (with the help of your pal, Danny Porter), Porter decides not to prosecute Dunn on ANY charge….as if Porter decided “Oh, well, there’s no need to go after Dunn now…he lost the race, he’s gone.”

Year 2006: A videotape showing Commissioner Kevin Kenerly (your client) gets distributed to the news media and voters in Gwinnett County. The videotape demonstrably shows Kenerly hobnobbing with the very developers that send their legal minions before the Commission to get variances anf zonings passed.

The videotape from the news of Kenerly getting interviewed on the news about the Las Vegas trip also gets sent out.

The factual information about Kenerly is pounding Kenerly’s chances of winning reelection.

SOMEHOW, Danny Porter finds the time to drop everything he’s doing (Here’s a probable transcript of Danny Porter on the phone back in 2006 when he made his decision to enter the Kenerly commissioner race: “What was that? A gang rape? And, we got the perpetrators? I’d prosecute it, but I have an opportunity to make my mark here investigating anonymous sources of factual information in a political race…so, hell, let them go, we’ll get them after this primary has been decided.)

Mark, THESE 3 instances of DA Danny Porter getting involved in a political race in which you and your candidate were on the side opposite the one Porter wanted to investigate and charge with whatever “crime” he came up with is so (not!) coincidental, that there is nothing you could possible claim to me that would make me void the connections of this “trend.”

SO, I am not “apologizing” to you for making the comment about “That’s when Kenerly’s consultant got scared and had to call-in to Porter for help.”

I believe there IS a solid connection between you, your company, and Danny Porter…the connection being your ability to invite Danny Porter to join the political fray.

Nothing personal against you or anyone in your company (you included, Mike)

Be careful when you write things like this:

“That’s when Kenerly’s consultant got scared and had to call-in to Porter for help.”

It is inaccurate, as is your implication.

There are laws on the books that regulate when people mix funds together to have an effect on an election. Most legal observers believe that those laws have been broken. The issue that has been in play here is venue.

I believe that, given the gravity of the situation with statewide implications, the Fulton County DA’s office may seriously consider re-filing. We shall see.

But primarily, I am stating categorically that what you have written is factually false.

That being said, will you apologize now that I have stated this and acknowledge that you did not have the facts straight?

That is false, Bill. OCGA 21-5-8 says the venue for civil violations of the chapter shall be the “county of residence of residence of the candidate or public officer.” It is SILENT about criminal violations of the chapter. There was also a Senate Bill (this year) to amend the existing law and make the venue EXPLICITLY Fulton County. Go look it up and tell me I’m wrong.

And if you’re going to call somebody “sick-minded” it’s always best to take the bite-guard OUT of your mouth and wait until the doctors have taken the electrodes OFF your head.

So, the complaints will be filed with the State Ethics Commission if Porter decides in 2008 to make another “ground-breaking” foray into a political race with state government resources.

If you like the fact that the DA’s office is used more for political purposes than investigation and prosecution of felonies, then that just makes you one of the many sick-minded people that the world of politics produces.

Second: Yep, I work with Landmark Communications -though not on the campaign this case involves. I suppose I should have written a “full disclosure” caveat before posting, but since I’ve been handing out Landmark business cards with my name on them for more than a year, I overlooked that.

Third: I hope Danny Porter continues to do his job, i.e.: prosecuting people who have broken the law, even if those people are candidates or public officials, in spite of your threat to “file a complaint.”

Also, if you want to bring criminal charges against someone for violating the State Ethics law (I mean the State Ethics suggestions) you’re going to have to do it in Fulton County. Good luck with that.

“Commits a crime?” Mike, you know damn well a violation of the Ethics Act does NOT constitute a crime. So, don’t mix apples and golf balls here.

I tell you what DOES constitute a crime: A DA who keeps sticking his nose (and, therefore, the STATE) in political races since the Year 2000 in which your boss is the consultant.

I hope Danny Porter is dumb enough to make another appearance in any race in 2008 on behalf of Landmark…see, there’s this aspect of the Ethics Act law that covers “contributions in-kind” of government resources. And, you can bet there will be a complaint filed against both Porter and whatever candidate is the beneficiary of Porter’s 4th involvement in a Gwinnett County primary if it happens again.

That videotape that McKinney mailed-out to the voters in that district was not doctored or fabricated; it was real.

Kevin Kenerly was taped paling around with the Gwinnett developers who just happened to know his exact itinerary (according to Kenerly) of when he was going to Vegas and where he was going to be.

“No, I…I don’t know why these developers have such an interest in me and my vacation…I’m just an innocent commissioner…I don’t know nuttin’…”

THAT is what McKinney mailed-out to the Kenerly district. FACTS, Buzz. Videotaped FACTS that Kenerly’s sleazy enough to hook-up in a very social manner with very developers of projects that HE is supposed to be objective about.

And, you have been cleverly manipulated (easily, I should say) to believe that the horrid “crime” that was committed was the one in which McKinney didn’t file a piece of paper with the SoS…a law which, by the way, may violate the U.S. Constitution in and of itself.

Good going, Buzz. Support your local, corrupt politicians, but scream about people who point OUT they are corrupt.

And what if Mckinney who I do not know is a true believer in whatever the issue was he put this message out for? Are you the one to gauge his passion and belief. This is the slippery slope.

Actually…I know more of the background story and why Porter did involve himself. It is for the same reason that he involved himself in the 2004 race against John Dunn.

I want you to think, Buzz, about the behind-the-scene relationships that exist in Gwinnett County when it comes to political campaigns, the political consultant who is on a lot of these campaigns for candidates opposite Bill McKinney…and Danny Porter.

That being said, Bill McKinney is about as low a form of white trash as I have ever seen. If you have seen him out and about it is a sight to behold. Usually he smells as if he has not bathed in a month with a strong hint of adult beverages about him. Politically he uses some of the dirties tactics I have ever witnessed and I do hope one day he gets what he deserves.

I dont think we will have fair elections with DA’s doing the job of the ethics committee. It’s that simple. Nor more than Sheriffs pursuing charges against Candidates either in campaign related efforts.

Just using the terminology, “the DA is investigating such and such” is powerful and can seriously affect an innocent candidate. All we need is another Mike Nifong or that DA in Texas that just happens to like “investigating” Republicans just to keep his name in the paper.