Wonder if Roy Barnes will be paying his association dues this year?
Today's Political Insider of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports a truly shocking development:
To that recurrent question — how much have things changed at the Capitol? — here's another eyebrow-raising answer. Former U.S. attorney Rick Thompson has been hired as a lobbyist for the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association.
While he was the attorney for the state's Southern District, Thompson was involved in several high-profile investigations of prominent Democrats. An internal Justice Department investigation found that Thompson abused his authority by threatening to launch an investigation of Gov. Roy Barnes and state Sen. Van Streat during their 2002 re-election campaigns.
Thompson also launched the investigation of Sen. Charles Walker (D-Augusta), which led to his conviction earlier this month. Walker attempted to have the case dropped because of Thompson's involvement but was rebuffed.
But none of those folks are going to be at the Capitol in January. And the trial lawyers group, known to lean Democratic, was frank in its explanation for bringing Thompson onto its team.
"Following a 2005 legislative session that was controlled entirely by Republicans for the first time in more than 130 years and that saw the passage of a number of bills that severely restricted Georgia citizens' ability to secure justice in the court system, the trial lawyers association has been working to improve and expand its relationships with elected officials within the Republican Party," a news release announcing Thompson's new job said.
Hiring the former bane of Democrats is "yet another part of our overall effort to reach out to the Republican members of the Georgia General Assembly," association president Glenn Kushel said. Thompson, in the same release, said he has "always strongly believed that maintaining a fair and balanced civil justice system is absolutely consistent with the core principles of the Georgia Republican Party."
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Rick Thompson's investigation of my then state senator Van Streat cost both Rick Thompson and Van Streat their jobs. Thompson was forced to resign as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District, and Van Streat lost his state senate seat to Tommie Williams.
To that recurrent question — how much have things changed at the Capitol? — here's another eyebrow-raising answer. Former U.S. attorney Rick Thompson has been hired as a lobbyist for the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association.
While he was the attorney for the state's Southern District, Thompson was involved in several high-profile investigations of prominent Democrats. An internal Justice Department investigation found that Thompson abused his authority by threatening to launch an investigation of Gov. Roy Barnes and state Sen. Van Streat during their 2002 re-election campaigns.
Thompson also launched the investigation of Sen. Charles Walker (D-Augusta), which led to his conviction earlier this month. Walker attempted to have the case dropped because of Thompson's involvement but was rebuffed.
But none of those folks are going to be at the Capitol in January. And the trial lawyers group, known to lean Democratic, was frank in its explanation for bringing Thompson onto its team.
"Following a 2005 legislative session that was controlled entirely by Republicans for the first time in more than 130 years and that saw the passage of a number of bills that severely restricted Georgia citizens' ability to secure justice in the court system, the trial lawyers association has been working to improve and expand its relationships with elected officials within the Republican Party," a news release announcing Thompson's new job said.
Hiring the former bane of Democrats is "yet another part of our overall effort to reach out to the Republican members of the Georgia General Assembly," association president Glenn Kushel said. Thompson, in the same release, said he has "always strongly believed that maintaining a fair and balanced civil justice system is absolutely consistent with the core principles of the Georgia Republican Party."
_______________
Rick Thompson's investigation of my then state senator Van Streat cost both Rick Thompson and Van Streat their jobs. Thompson was forced to resign as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District, and Van Streat lost his state senate seat to Tommie Williams.
posted by Sid Cottingham | 5:10 AM
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