Gwinnett Buzz

CBS Atlanta has just reported that Commission Chairman Charles Bannister’s blood test has come back negative for alcohol in his system.  This result confirms the 0.0 reading on a Breathalyzer test administered to the chairman prior to his arrest for DUI Monday night.  Combine this with the fact that there is no video of Bannister failing a field sobriety test and Bannister’s claim that he would be exonerated is looking more and more likely.  (I would note, I do not put much stock in the field sobriety test failure.  If I had a police officer having me recite the alphabet starting at a letter other than A, on the side of a road, my nerves could cause me to get flustered and mess that up as well!)

What is going on here?  Is Bannister being setup for political purposes?  The story does shed some light on why the Sheriff’s Department was involved.  Apparently, someone in the restaurant called an off-duty deputy who, in turn, phoned an on-duty deputy.  However, as I questioned previously, why did this tip not get forwarded to Gwinnett Police who normally handle traffic cases in this area?  According to the AJC, the fact that the Sheriff’s department handled the arrest is not the only irregularity with this case.

Sheriff Butch Conway has stated that he stands behind his deputy.  So long as there is no evidence of a setup, I cannot argue with this because a good superior backs up his employees.  However, if something starts to look fishy, which certainly is shaping up to be the case here, Conway should absolutely look into this matter very closely.  The question is what he will say during a news conference today regarding the blood test results?  Don’t forget that Conway backed Bannister’s opponent, former commissioner Lorraine Green, in the last election.  Will the sheriff let politics get in the way of seeking out justice for a political opponent?  Stayed tuned.

UPDATE: Sheriff Conway has announced that DUI charges would be dropped against the chairman.  However, per the irregularities in this case, this should not be the end of the matter.  Someone, whether it be the sheriff or other authorities, should look into whether any laws have been violated in the treatment of Bannister.  Even if no laws have been violated, there should be close scrutiny that no law enforcement official abused their authority in order to humiliate Bannister with trumped up charges.

The Buzz has been quiet lately as I have simply not had time to devote to the site (still open to accepting other contributors - let me know if you are interested in writing for the Buzz!).  However, after reading the news of Commission Chairman Charles Bannister being charged with DUI last night, I had to comment.

While I supported Bannister in his race against former Commissioner Lorraine Green two years ago, I have been less than pleased - to put it mildly - with the job performance of the chairman and the rest of the board since that time.  However, despite that, this is not a post to “pile on” the chairman.  Rather, after reading the latest news account of yesterday’s events, I wanted to write to urge my fellow Gwinnett residents not to rush to judgment.  There are enough red flags to prompt the fair-minded observer to allow the facts of this situation come to light before forming a hardened opinion on guilt or innocence.

When I received a text from a friend last night telling me that 11Alive had tweeted that Charles Bannister had been charged with DUI, my initial inclination was to believe that he was guilty.  I mean, after all, DUI is pretty cut and dried right?  You get pulled over, you blow a high reading on a Breathalyzer…bam, DUI.  Not really any extenuating circumstances for that in my book.  However, as details of last night’s events have emerged, I have begun to think “Hold on…maybe things are not as they seem:”

…the Breathalyzer producing a .000 reading.

Hmm.  Of course, given the description of Bannister’s driving, the decision of Gwinnett Sheriff’s Deputy M.G. Cummings to ask for a blood test was understandable:

“Once I received the blood kit I explained to the defendant that due to the results of the breath test being inconsistent with someone who had drunk a beer, as he admitted to at the scene of the pullover and at the jail, and his current manifestations, I requested he submit to the state test of his blood. He stated he would.”

However, this raises another question to me.  Why was this incident being handled by the Sheriff’s Department?  While I know the Sheriff’s Department certainly has the authority to conduct traffic stops, in Gwinnett, I normally think of the Gwinnett County Police Department taking on that responsibility.  Could it be because the Sheriff is an elected official and, as such, not a direct report to Bannister?  Is it normal procedure for the GCSD to handle such incidents to avoid a situation where a county employee is arresting his boss?  If anyone knows about this, please post.  If the GCSD handling this is not standard operating procedure, I think asking why the Sheriff’s office and not the police department was waiting outside the restaurant for the chairman to leave is a fair question.

While none of the above suggests that Bannister is definitively not guilty of the charge, these facts suggest to me that we be all the more cautious about jumping to conclusions.  Whether anyone agrees or disagrees with Chairman Bannister politically, as an American citizen, he has a right to be treated fairly under the law and not to be immediately assumed guilty due to political unpopularity.

I am absolutely not taking DUI lightly.  In fact, I feel that the justice system is too easy on those convicted of DUI.  This is a serious offense that takes too many innocent lives across our country.  However, before applying strict punishment, any American, including Chairman Bannister, must be proven guilty of a DUI charge.  Once that occurs or if the chairman admits guilt, only then is consideration of whether he should resign his office or any other response appropriate.

The Gwinnett County Commission voted Tuesday to install artificial turf on a “multipurpose field” (here in the South, that would be a football field that “lesser sports” are allowed to use outside of football season! ) and warm up area at Duncan Creek Park in Dacula.  The board cited long-term cost savings from reduced field maintenance as well as year-round field availability as justification for the project.  While I am critical of the board for their all-too-frequent missteps, I want to lend support when they do the right thing, and saving taxpayer dollars is the right thing.  Granted, I hate to see a football field marred with “permanent striping for…soccer…[and]…corners for lacrosse,” but that is a small price to pay given the upside.  Well done, commissioners!

Yesterday, the Buzz received this release from the Tommy Hunter campaign.  You can visit Tommy’s site here.  It is probably the best Gwinnett campaign site I have seen thusfar in this election cycle.

Hunter Campaign Launches Website

BUFORD, GA Gwinnett County District 4 Commission candidate Tommy Hunter has announced the launch of his campaign web site. By visiting www.tommyhunter2010.com, voters can find information about Tommy’s experience and community involvement, as well as his positions on the major issues facing Gwinnett County. Voters can also find out how to support Tommy’s campaign or volunteer to help Tommy bring responsible leadership and representation back to the County Commission.

Most important to District 4 voters, however, is his straight-forward, common sense commentary on the news of the day including the controversial sanitation plan.

“I am very proud of the effort that went in to making the new site a reality,” Tommy said.  ”The information on the site goes a long way toward explaining how I feel about the issues facing us- for example, how the budget should be handled; how tax rates should be formulated; and my integrated plan to help lessen the impact of the cost of government on our citizens.”

Tommy continued, “Citizens can contact me directly if they have questions about my stance on any issue. I want them to feel free and welcome to contact me.”

Tommy is a staunch conservative and resides in the Buford area with his wife, Judith, and two young children, where he has attended Harmony Baptist Church his entire life.  The website was designed by Shoestring Solutions in Loganville, GA.

In an article posted by the AJC about yesterday’s socialized garbage vote by the Gwinnett County Commission, the paper focused on the “public tumult” as the public gave the commission an “earful” regarding the ordinance.  I am glad that the AJC did not gloss over this part of the meeting.  The disgust by Gwinnett citizens over this unAmerican ordinance should be publicized.

What really irritates me is Mike Beaudreau’s cavalier attitude toward economic freedom:

County Commissioner Mike Beaudreau, one of the biggest proponents of implementing a county-wide plan, said there were more than a dozen public meetings held to gauge public sentiment. The overwhelming majority, he said, favored a unified plan.

What Mike does not seem to get is that my economic freedom is not subject to majority rule or public sentiment.  It is fine if there is a subset of county residents that want the government involved in their business, holding their hand as they take out their garbage.  Even if support for the ordinance were  as “overwhelming” as Mike suggests - something I highly doubt - that does not given those residents the right to take away my economic freedom. For this alleged majority to get its way, the county must trample on my rights, which is flat-out WRONG.   That is the nature of rights - your rights end when they interfere with the rights of someone else.

Beaudreau’s defense of this ordinance shows that, as with property rights, he has limited regard for protecting the rights of his constituents.  That tells me all I need to know about whether he is qualified to replace John Linder in the United States Congress - absolutely not!  What if the majority wants government-run healthcare?  Would Mike support that and force socialized medicine on everyone to please those who cannot take responsibility for themselves and, instead, ask the government to micromanage their lives?  The issues in Washington are far more critical and sweeping than a local solid waste ordinance (though all violations of our freedoms by government are important).  Mike Beaudreau, on the eve of a potential candidacy for Congress, is showing us precisely why he is not fit to fill the shoes of a true conservative like John Linder.  Beaudreau, along with the rest of the Gang of Five, shouldn’t be re-elected as county commissioner, much less as United States Congressman.  The voters would be wise to keep this in mind should Mike enter the 7th District race.

The Gwinnett County Commission has completed the process of ignoring their constituents.  The board consisting of five RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) has voted to usurp your economic freedom by approving socialized garbage yet again.  Despite great public protest against the first solid waste ordinance, they moved forward and thumbed their collective noses at the citizens of Gwinnett and passed a new ordinance that is virtually identical to the first ordinance.  The only substantive difference appears to be the elimination of the “garbage police.”  While this is laudable, that hardly makes the rest of the ordinance acceptable.  I thought at least Shirley Lasseter might not be in favor of this unAmerican measure, but she joined with the rest of the board in inserting the government into your personal business.

Several people addressed the board at the meeting today.  They made the point several times that the board was ignoring the people of Gwinnett.  Debbie Dooley of Gwinnett FreedomWorks promoted a protest on a date to be determined in the parking lot - and this is ironic - of Gwinnett Taxpayers Stadium (aka Coolray Field) in the near future.  Another speaker threatened a recall.  Yet another promised that should any of the existing commissioners run for “dogcatcher” they would be expected to have an answer for the voters as to why they supported socialized garbage.  Apparently, the board either does not get it or they just don’t care about you, the citizen of Gwinnett.

That leaves you with one recourse for those commissioners that want to serve in elected office in the future - VOTE THEM OUT.  Any politician that so blatantly ignores the voters has no business holding public office. I urge you to keep this in mind whenever you attend a campaign event for any of the commissioners or vote in a race in which they are running.  They had a chance to remedy what was a huge mistake when they adopted socialized garbage the first time.  They did not.  Now, they should be rewarded by being removed from their office at the earliest opportunity.

There is some activity in the race for Gwinnett County Commission District 4.  Tommy Hunter’s campaign website has gone live.  I really love his blog entry regarding socialized garbage.  It is very refreshing to hear a politician bluntly tell you like it is.  (I promise I posted my blog entry on socialized garbage before reading Tommy’s comments!)  I have read Tommy’s comments on TalkGwinnett! for some time and I have always found him to be a common-sense conservative.  While it is too early to endorse anyone in this race, I like what I read from Tommy Hunter!

Also, in a story I missed a couple of weeks ago, Tim Sullivan, an IT and real estate professional from Buford, has declared his candidacy for the seat.  You can find his campaign website here.  I did see an immediate red flag with Tim.  When I went to his campaign Facebook page, I saw that Mike Beaudreau had left a comment - “Go Tim!!!!!”  If Mike Beaudreau is behind Sullivan in this race (and I do not know that Mike has officially endorsed Tim or not) I say”Buyer Beware.”  Interestingly, Sullivan kinda looks like Beaudreau!  But let’s wait and hear what Tim has to say on the issues before we label him as a Mike Beaudreau clone.  Only then can we make a decision as to whether he deserves our support for the commission seat.

Let’s not forget that there is another candidate in this race, John Heard.  I look forward to following the campaigns as we move toward the primary this summer.

NOTE (5 March 10) - Thanks to reader dewood who noted in the comments that there are two additional candidates in this race: Gerald Cagle and Ron Silver.

EDIT (2 March 10): I stated below that the audience could not address the commission during the meeting.  I am watching the meeting right now and the audience does have the opportunity to address the board.  The first two speakers are grilling the commissioners - way to go!

Just when you thought it was safe to take your garbage to the curb, there stands the Gwinnett County Commission waiting at the end of your driveway to “help” you take out your garbage.  That’s right - socialized garbage is back. Tomorrow, the board will consider a new version of the ordinance that looks almost identical to the old version.  What does that tell us?  The Gwinnett County Commission did not listen to a word that was said to them - loudly and clearly - at the various meetings and hearings in the last 15 months.  They have effectively brushed you aside and will do exactly what they intended to do all along - micromanage your life!

The most substantial difference between the previous ordinance and the current iteration is of little real importance to the average citizen: Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful will not be administering the program.  Whew!  That makes me feel so much better knowing that someone else will deny my economic freedom and tell me I am not capable of handing my own affairs.  At the end of the day, the county will still mandate that you must have garbage service.  The county will still tell you what company you must have as your garbage hauler.  They will still bill you for the service as part of your tax bill.  The only substantive item that appears to be different is that recycling is not mandatory.  Exactly how is this different than the socialistic program the board attempted to foist upon us last year?  In a nutshell- IT’S NOT!

Our commissioners are thumbing their noses at us.  They are saying we listened and we ignored virtually everything you told us.  Why?  Because we are politcians and we know how to live your life better than you do!  And these are supposed to be five REPUBLICANS, one of whom may want to go to Washington as a Congressman!

Unfortunately, this will ordinance will pass because this commission is not accountable to you.  Two members of the board, District 2 Commissioner Bert Nasuti and District 4 Commissioner Kevin Kenerly, are not running for reelection.  They can vote for the ordinance and not have to worry about facing the music from the voters.  That means there only needs to be one other vote to pass socialized garbage.  If Commission Chairman Charles Bannister has already decided not to seek a third term in 2012, he would be just as unaccountable as Nasuti and Kenerly.  I suspect he will not run again, but only he knows for sure.  The other likely source for the third vote is Mike Beaudreau.  Whether he runs for Congress or not, Beaudreau will likely run for a higher office in 2012 given that his interest in Congressman John Linder’s congressional seat confirms my suspicions that Beaudreau is aiming politically higher than the county commission.  Granted, running for any office from within Gwinnett would force him to face voters in some way should he vote for socialized garbage. However, if his next race is for a different office, that would provide some insulation from voter angst over socialized garbage.  That leaves Shirley Lasseter who likely will run for relection in 2012.  With a third vote coming from Bannister or Beaudreau, Lasseter would be afforded political cover by being able to vote against the ordinance knowing that it will still pass.  (To be fair to Lasseter, the original socialized garbage ordinance was passed before she joined the Commission.  Thus, she may truly be opposed to the measure.)

The board will vote on this unAmerican ordinance tomorrow.  Conveniently, these sessions do not allow the public to address the commission, so you will not have the opportunity to remind the board that their support of socialized garbage is unacceptable.  Ironically, that is very appropriate given that they chose to ignore you when you did have the opportunity to speak.  Who needs Democrats when you have Republicans like this bunch?

In a surprise announcement this weekend, 7th District Congressman John Linder announced that he will not seek re-election this fall.  This will end a nearly two decade career in the United States Congress.  First and foremost, the Buzz would like to thank Congressman Linder for his solid, conservative representation in Congress for these many years as well as advocacy for the Fair Tax here recently.  I have been honored to have lived in his district for the majority of his tenure.  Congressman Linder was a reliable voice for conservatism in Washington.  When critical hot-button issues occurred and everyone was calling for people to contact their Congressman to support a certain piece of legislation or to vote against the latest liberal big-government agenda, I knew I could count on Congressman Linder to make the right vote.  I can only remember one vote on which I disagreed with him; over two decades, that is a pretty fine record.  So, thank you, Congressman Linder.  You have served Gwinnett and other areas of your district well.  You will be missed and hard to replace.

Which leads to the second question.  Who will replace Congressman Linder?  Congressional races in the 7th District have been largely uninteresting for a long time as no one has really given Linder a credible challenge.  However, in a year where we have two Gwinnett Commission races that bear close scrutiny, we now have a Congressional race - at least in the Republican primary - to watch.  In the early going, several names have been tossed about to be Linder’s successor: Chuck Efstration, chairman of the Gwinnett Republican Party, state Senator Don Balfour, state senator David Shafer, state Representative Clay Cox, and state Representative Tom Rice.  Some GOP leaders even mentioned the name of former Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz, though Smoltz has denied interest.

When I heard the news, I wondered if this could impact the Gwinnett County Commission.  I have long thought that Commissioner Mike Beaudreau has aspirations for higher office.  However, the jump from county commission to Congress is a pretty tall leap.  However, with other state representatives and senators being mentioned as potential congressional candidates, could things shake out that would open a seat that would prompt Beaudreau or another commissioner to look at moving to the Georgia General Assembly?

Gwinnett politics in 2010 just got a lot more interesting!

Well it is a year late in coming, but the Government-funded Gwinnett Braves have a naming sponsor for their ballpark near Mall of Georgia.  Coolray Heating and Cooling has agreed to a 16-year deal with the Atlanta Braves to place its moniker on the stadium.  That’s fine and dandy, but here is the curious part:

Terms of the 16-year deal with Coolray Heating and Cooling were not revealed.

Excuse me?  Terms were not revealed?  Terms should be revealed immediately!  After all, the Gwinnett County Commission blew our tax dollars building a ballpark for a minor league team we did not need.  Then, in part because of the millions of dollars committed to the facility, the county had to then raise our taxes when the recession hit.  So, yes, the Gwinnett taxpayers have a right to know the terms of the deal post-haste!  We have a right to know the net amount of our tax dollars that have been sunk in financially propping-up an organization that can afford to pay exorbitant salaries to major league ballplayers but expecting Average Joe Citizen to fork over his hard-earned money to pay for their “place of business.”  In a time on the national political scene where corporate executives - highly-paid employees who come much closer to being worth the money they earn than grown men playing a boy’s game - the taxpayers of Gwinnett County should be fully informed just how much of our money will wind up subsidizing a professional sports franchise.

Starting April 8, the Government-funded Gwinnett Braves will officially play their home games at Coolray Field, but the facility will always really be Gwinnett Taxpayers Stadium.