Fresh Loaf

Amount of drug money former state Rep. Ron Sailor told an undercover FBI agent he was willing to launder: $300,000

Amount the agent, posing as a coke dealer, eventually gave Sailor: $375,000

Months after Sailor agreed to cooperate with authorities that he illegally obtained a $250,000 loan using his church as collateral: 3

Maximum years Sailor could spend in prison as a result of his June 17 guilty plea in Atlanta federal court: 80

Minimum years the Black Mafia Family’s third-in-command will serve as a result of his June 16 cocaine-conspiracy conviction in Atlanta federal court: 20

Amount in drug money that a witness in the BMF trial claimed to have counted in a single sitting: $6 million

Cost of a bottle of Cristal champagne that BMF members favored while partying in Atlanta clubs, according to another witness: $600

Months by which former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell hoped to reduce his 30-month federal tax-evasion sentence by seeking counseling for being a champagne-aholic: 4

Minimum number of witnesses — including Campbell’s witness — who told federal investigators that Campbell did not drink: 2

Number who told them Campbell did drink: 0

Sources: U.S. Department of Justice. U.S. District Court Atlanta, U.S. District Court Miami

Bookmark It

From the AJC’s report on former state Rep. Ron Sailor, who pleaded guilty today to defrauding a church:

As part of his plea agreement, Sailor was ordered to refrain from illegal activity.

No one has ever explicitly ordered me to refrain from illegal activity. Does this mean I get a freebie?

(H/T: Buzz at Peach Pundit)

Bookmark It

CLAYTON: Both superintendent candidates drop out after SACS calls them unqualified.

FREEFALLING: Ron Sailor Jr. fired by his church for secretly taking out a $250,000 mortgage on it.

SHORTFALLING: Shirley Franklin considers property-tax hike to help cover budget shortfall.

FAT NADY SINGS: Xavier Nady homers twice as Braves lose wild, 12-inning home opener to the Pirates.

THIRD-GRADE MURDER PLOT: Nine special-education third-graders in Waycross caught with a steak knife and duct tape in plot to murder their teacher.

UNHAPPY TRAIL: Alabama’s Pinhoti Trail not likely to be added into Appalachian Trail, says Pinhoti Trail Association president.

ALLATOONA: Now at full pool for first time in three years, but drought still “extreme.”

PORT AND PARCEL: Port of Savannah was the fastest-growing port in the country in 2007, fueled largely by trade with China.

ONLINE WINE: Senate passes bill allowing online wine sales in Georgia; now it’s on the Teetotaler’s desk.

Bookmark It

Gov. Sonny Perdue says voters in the state’s 93rd District get to vote someone new into office on May 13. If a run-off is necessary, it will take place four weeks later on June 10.

Here’s what sucks, via a press release from the governor’s office:

State law also requires the 93rd House District seat to be up for election as part of the regular 2008 election cycle. Anyone wanting to run in the regular election cycle must separately qualify for the General Primary, which will be held July 15th. The qualifying period to participate in the General Primary is set for April 28th through May 2nd. The General Election will be held on November 4th.

So you win the special election, get business cards printed up, and then you gotta run for office again? How’s a guy supposed to live up to his predecessor’s legacy in that short window of time? Not fair, guys.

Bookmark It

Quote of the Day:

“We’ll even give you a seat [in the state House of Representatives]. We do have an extra one.”

– State Rep. Lynn Smith, R-Newnan, speaking to state Sen. Ross Tolleson, R-Perry, during this morning’s House Natural Resources and Environment Committee meeting. Smith said Tolleson was easy to work with on a bill and invited him back.

Bookmark It

In journalism there’s a term called “burying the lead.”

What it means is that a reporter downplays and misses the impact of what should be the most important aspect of a story. And with its story on former state Rep. Ron Sailor’s plea in federal court for money laundering, the AJC buried the lead.

The real news here is that Georgia’s Legislature is the target of a FBI investigation. And what the feds did yesterday was throw down the gauntlet to those who have committed crimes. Read this statement by U.S. Attorney David E. Nahmias:

“Shortly after he was confronted by the FBI, however, Mr. Sailor decided to do the right thing by admitting his misconduct and agreeing to cooperate regarding potential criminal activity by others. As a result, we now have an active public corruption investigation. With respect to that investigation, all I will say at this time is the following: As Mr. Sailor and others have learned, people in public office who have violated the law and the public’s trust should know that their situation will be much better if they come knocking on the FBI’s door than if the FBI comes knocking on theirs.”

The AJC was also scooped by Dick Pettys at Insider Advantage, who reports that at least one state legislator has been wearing a wire for the past year.

It’s certainly no coincidence that Sailor’s arrest in December went unreported in the media: The feds used him as a mole to ferret out other corrupt legislators.

What’s being said between the lines of Nahmias’ statement is that the feds already have the goods on some public officials. And yesterday, the feds served notice that they mean business.
If an elected official wants to avoid prison time, he’d better step forward now, come clean and give up others involved in public corruption.

This investigation has the potential to turn up information even more tawdry than the corruption uncovered in the administration of former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell.

Bookmark It