Continuing Drama w/ the Newton BOC: Potential Power Play in re In-House County Attorney Hire?

 By MB McCart, Ed. 

Howdy, Folks & we sure hope this post finds you well. 

Going back almost 15 years - back when Bobby Sigman famously dropped that huge stack of Wm Thomas "Tommy" Craig invoices on the table in the Historic Covington Courthouse - there has been a major clamoring for getting rid of outside legal counsel & saving money by moving to an in-house legal department (and really it goes back over two decades). 

Well, finally, after such a long time & so much money wasted, that has finally become a reality for the home county. 

That's the good news. 

The bad news, per a source w/ direct, inside knowledge, is as follows: 

You  may have already figured out that the short term contract offered to Megan Martin to be our county attorney is not a genuine offer made in good faith. A six month contract is out of the question for an experienced professional who has been working in this very position for 5 years. Her competency is well established so there is no valid reason to test her further with a short term employment offer.  It seems unlikely that Ms. Martin will accept such a questionable contract. Why would she leave the Jarrard and Davis firm for a short term contract with an unstable county  government?

So, what's the real story?  The three BOC members that nixed a genuine contract for the short term one in order to eventually hire someone else. As you know, Sanders has an ongoing conflict with Ms. Martin over the cease and desist order.  

Sanders, Henderson and Mason's  goal is to hire an African-American attorney with little concern about who would best serve the county. If experience and competency are the primary requirements, Ms. Martin is the best candidate and would be offered a typical long term contract with annual evaluations. The county attorney position is the first one they want to replace with a minority person.  As I understand it, the county manager and development services director are also on their list to be replaced.

Commissioners Mason, Henderson and Sanders need to be thoroughly questioned about their real motive in making this sham offer to Ms. Martin...

...[this is a] bad faith offer to Megan Martin. If we don't protest this kind of behavior by our democrat BOC members, we can get ready for more of the same from them. 

###

Megan Martin
By many accounts a keen legal mind & a very good person

Starting up an in-house legal department - complete w/ having to staff it - on just a 6-month contract? That is such a bad move AND look for Newton Co. It seems pretty obvious that none of these Commissioners have the business background or experience to make decisions such as these & that's really just too bad. 

Also, according to multiple folks I've talked w/, at least a part of this comes down to old-fashioned racism - that these members of the BOC simply don't like Ms. Martin's skin color. 

But more disturbing than all of that is this: 

According to one direct, inside source. A member of Alana Sanders inner circle (armed w/ confidential personnel information) reached out to Jarrard & Davis to tell them that Ms. Martin had applied to be the Newton Co. Attorney which led to major problems & likely led to this 3-person BOC majority knowing they had some leverage. 

If this is true - which I very much think it is -  I think it's absolutely despicable. Power for power's sake & to hell w/ everything else (and being racist as well). If this is indeed the case, then Commissioner Sanders is clearly guilty of a major ethics violation. 

Just beyond the pale... 

Yours Sadly & Angrily, 

MB McCart 

TPC Real Politick: Sheriff Becomes Latest Newton Politician to be Under State Investigation; Growing War Between Banes & Sanders; Covington Budget Questions

 By: MB McCart, Ed. 

Last fall an official complaint was lodged w/ the GA Secretary of State's office about Newton Sheriff Ezell Brown in that it was alleged that we was campaigning w/in 150 ft of the polling location at the Newton Co. Admin building during early voting. 

At the time Brown denied any wrongdoing; however, the state board tasked w/ investigating felt like they were not able to dismiss it so it has now been passed along to the Georgia Attorney General's office. 

Another day, another Newton pol under investigation. 

Brown now joins his former employee & current Covington councilman - Anthony Henderson - in that camp as Henderson purportedly committed voter fraud back in 2017. From the information gleaned by this publication, it looks like Anthony might be in a bit of trouble as supposedly several have stated that he helped them illegally register to vote as electors for the City of Covington though they did not reside w/in the municipal limits. 

Anthony Henderson
(from the City of Covington's website)

Interestingly enough, Henderson just qualified to run for reelection in the upcoming fall election so apparently I guess he isn't too worried about it though he did resign his position previously w/ the Newton Co. Sheriff's department. 

Never a dull moment in the home county, folks. 

Lindsey Banes v Sanders 

The Team Blue feud continues to fester & intensify. As this writer was made aware several days ago & that the Covington News just reported on, Chairman of the Board Marcello Banes sent a cease & desist letter to Sanders for her alleged conflicts of interest & purported ethics violations w/ regards to her blurring the lines between her role as BOC 3 Commissioner & that of her personal occupations. Sanders is now claiming to be bullied & harassed and has claimed her innocence. 

At this point, I'm not so sure about the specific allegations here but it does seem problematic; however, this, to me, would seem to be the least of Sanders' worries & she is apparently developing a major reputation for being difficult, having anger issues & perhaps even being somewhat mentally unbalanced according to some...

BOC 3 Rep Alana Sanders

As one Dem put it - "it's hard to work with crazy." 

And the World Turns... 

#C-TownRepresentin' 

As was recently mentioned to me, apparently at least one person thinks I haven't been forthright w/ my reporting on the City of Covington's budget. And this wasn't related to the one article (that I've since run a retraction on) where I accidentally referred to FY-2022 budget being 14% higher instead of the correct 11%, but rather the fact that I didn't give credit that Covington went w/ a roll-back millage rate. 

Okay, so, there is a difference between the budget & the millage. The budget is the budget. The millage rate is the tax rate that is levied on property based on value & serves as ONE of the revenue streams for the city. I NEVER said Covington was raising the millage rate. Regardless, they ARE spending $14 million more than they did last year. That's straight from the budget they passed.

Some of this has to do w/ costs of goods sold in re electricity & other utilities. An approx 2% increase on this past year on utility bills will be accompanied by another one here in a couple of months so Covington residents are going to be paying a lot more money to the city one way or the other. 

And speaking of C-Town, apparently the Gazebo Lady, Carla Ferry, has qualified to run against Susie Keck in her bid for reelection. Thought by some as a political protege of Fleeta Smith,  it's looking to some as if Fleeta is trying to consolidate her power on the council & to also possibly have someone who is a full-time resident - unlike herself - "to keep an eye on things." 

Very interesting...

- MBM 

Ellis Millsaps: Liberals on the Warpath

 The Cleveland Indians have changed their nickname to the Guardians effective next year.( Guardians of what?  Foster children?) There's no more Washington Redskins. Until they come up with another name they're called the Washington Football Team. The Atlanta Braves, the Florida State Seminoles and eventually the Kansas City Chiefs will lose their monikers in the next few years.

 Okay, with the Redskins I get it. ( And by the way DC didn't pick that name. They got it the same way Atlanta got the Braves. In the 1930s the Boston Redskins moved to Washington.) That name is widely seen as a denigrating term. They've been the Redskins for over ninety years and I think that for the next ninety they should be called the Washington Palefaces.

 But with the others it seems to me to be political correctness taken to absurdity. Liberals see some fragment of Native Americans protesting these names and they knee jerk ”me too.” I don't think the average Native American wakes up worried about the name of the Cleveland Indians.

Yes we took their land and killed the vast majority of them, but taking on the names of their warriors ( will San Francisco, that liberal enclave, escape?) seems to me to be an act of contrition, admiration for the vanquished foe. I'm at least 1/16 Cherokee just on my father's side. (Hell, maybe I can open a casino.) and I don't feel any insult to my Indian heritage of which I am proud by Cleveland naming its team the Indians.

 And what of other ethnic or cultural groups with sports teams named after them? New Englanders aren't up in arms over New York calling their team the Yankees. I'm part Cherokee but with my Scotch Irish heritage I'm considerably more Celtic. I'm not at all upset that Boston named their team after my clan-- even though they mispronounced it. Similarly I don't hear rednecks up in arms over the North Carolina Tar Heels, nor rodeo performers  bothered by the Dallas Cowboys.

 So the Braves will be forced to change their name and tomahawk logo. We can go back to being the Bean Eaters but that's not very southern. Better would be to be called the Atlanta Grits. Grit is a good thing, somewhat akin to bravery, but that's not my first choice. Rather than revive an old Boston name or naming ourselves after cuisine I think we should bring back an old Atlanta professional baseball name. We should be rebranded as the Atlanta Black Crackers. That would be authentic and would represent the majority of Georgians. 

Contributing Writer & Editor Emeritus of The Piedmont Chronicles

 Ellis Millsaps

Ellis "Da" Millsaps is a recovering Attorney but has worn many hats over the years: father, bus boy, stand-up comedian, novelist, wiffle ball player, rock'n'roll band manager, and at one time wrote a popular and funny column for The Covington News. A Fannin Co. mountain boy originally, Mr. Millsaps now stays at the mill village of Porterdale by way of 20 years in Mansfield. Usually funny and at times irreverent and subversive, he leans left in his political philosophy but can always be counted on for a pretty darn good write-up. The Chronicles are proud to have him involved... 

Good Cop, Bad Cop: A Novel by Ellis Millsaps

Perrin Lovett's Final CFF Column: Americans Finally Benefit From Washington’s Longest War

*ed. note: after an almost 3 & 1/2 yr run, TPC's CF Floyd Feature Column of Affairs National article by Perrin Lovett, is winding its way to an end. It's been quite the ride w/ nary a dull moment (or lack of controversy). Big thanks to my old Terry College classmate for putting out some exceptional content here & nothing but best wishes as he concentrates more on his multiple other projects. And fear not, fearless readers, Perrin remains a Contributor here at the old newssite & says he will be making semi-occasional contributions moving forward. Also, stay tuned for the reboot of the CF Floyd Feature Column of Affairs National by MB McCart here in the next few weeks. As always, thanks for reading. -MBM 

 It is the end of an empire in a place known for ending them.

In May of 1988, the Soviets fully withdrew from Afghanistan. Within two years, the corrupt, socialist People’s Democratic Party (PDPA) collapsed under assault from the Mujahideen. Another two years passed and the USSR imploded. 

This time, the same thing happened but at an unbelievable speed. Imperial US troops weren’t even 100% withdrawn before the triumphant Taliban began scooping up multiple cities and regions by the day. Kabul has fallen. The fake government is gone. The final offensive returned the nation of Afghanistan to its people. Ascendant China has already recognized the freedom fighters as the legitimate government. Astoundingly, the failed USSA has too in a way. Washington made the offer of formal diplomatic acknowledgment in the hopeful, prospective (and needless) exchange of having its embassy spared. 

Let me say, I never thought I’d be cheering for the Taliban. But, here we are. May the peace and prosperity that nationalism brings smile upon the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan!

For their part, the Taliban have simply ignored fake president Harris’s pleas. They have apparently secured a much better deal with Beijing. The US is now safe to ignore. And there probably wasn’t going to be much violence near the embassy anyway. There was no need to abandon it. Still, it was hilarious to watch the US and the UK scramble around while the Russians sat, watched, and whistled - kind of like a reversal of the street marching scene from The Wind and the Lion.

Yet, still, the lies flowed from DC. “Remember, this is not Saigon. We went to Afghanistan 20 years ago with one mission and that mission was to deal with the folks who attacked us on 9/11. And we have succeeded in that mission,” lied fake Secretary of State and fake American Antony Blinken. He, like his father, is simply incapable of telling the truth. I will briefly explain the truth that he lied about in another column soon, no later than September Eleventh.

Unlike Blinken, the Taliban offers to Americans kind truth: 

Our message to the American people and people of the western powers who fought us, who we know are hurt by this defeat, is simple: we do not have any hatred for you. Your government, ran by Zionists and atheists, who want to spread their anti-Islamic views here, were our enemies, not you. We pray for the day when you liberate yourselves from their grip and there can be peace upon this planet.

Unlike the civil war against the PDPA, this time there was little to no resistance. Moscow’s puppet regime was roundly despised, but they were commanding and ruthless. Washington’s marionette, even more despised, didn't even rise to the respectability level of a wet paper kitten. When the Taliban approached, fake government troops either stepped aside or switched sides. The illegitimate frauds in Kabul are already relocating (permanently, or so it sadly appears) to the US or Canada. The shills literally fell from the sky as the last C-17 departed. The Afghan people support the Taliban. And they should. 

Yes, the entirety of the last twenty years of idiotic neocon war was a complete and total waste - with one exception, which I’ll cover in a moment. The people of Afghanistan are no more interested in things like false representative democracy, hollow Enlightenment blasphemy, or, really, Western Civilization than the people of Somalia, El Salvador, or Atlanta. The antics of another failed empire and its foreign controllers notwithstanding, the Afghans will run their affairs as they see fit.

If you fought in the war, for the USSA, and are understandably upset about these predictable developments, then take some comfort. It was destined to be this way. Kindly redirect your anger towards those children of the devil who lied you into the quagmire while simultaneously destroying your nation. Learn from the experiences of others and be happy about their successes. A wonderful thing has happened! Another nation and people are free and independent, relieved of the burden of foreign luciferian control. Just as the Afghans will build something new, Americans may as well. 

If you did not fight in the war and are somehow upset about these natural developments, then just shut the hell up. You’re either part of the problem or else plain stupid. Stay silent and out of the way. The rest of us have work to do.

Now comes the benefit! Along with all the other unfolding factors demographic, cultural, political, judicial, economic, etc, this sound military defeat of what was supposedly the world’s greatest military power is a great thing for Americans. It heralds the end of the USSA and its misbegotten empire. The nature of the defeat and, especially, the speed of the collapse juxtaposed against the Soviet version, says something. Several things, in fact. 

The dead USSA cannot win a war. Any war. The Pentagram, the CIA, and the RAND Corporation have all reluctantly but unanimously concluded that the former empire cannot win a war against Russia. Or China. Certainly not against Russia and China together. Iran is doubtful, though, given the Afghan defeat, all doubt should be removed. 

If the demise of the Washington-backed fake Afghan government came about not in two years but almost instantly, then it bodes well that the final end of the USSA and a normalizing breakup may follow much faster than expected. 

Was learning that worth the massive damage caused by this failed war? No, but we must make do with what we have. Almost everything you’ve been told by the empire, its agents, and its foreign rulers about Afghanistan (and everything else) is a complete lie. Eventually, the truth shines through. That’s how history goes.

Every chapter of history comes to a close. This is the final regular C.F. Floyd Column of National Affairs, at least as written by me, for the Piedmont Chronicles. Everything has a season and everything comes to an end. I look forward to occasionally contributing somewhat periodic articles on topics of my choosing. In parting, I offer thanks and well wishes to M.B. and to the TPC team and audience.

May God bless and save the West.

-Perrin Lovett

Contributing Writer to The Piedmont Chronicles

Perrin Lovett 

Fellow Terry College of Business (UGA) grad Brother Perrin Lovett is a true renaissance gentleman & scholar. A recovering attorney, he's into guns & cigars, and the US Constitution. A published author, Prepper columnist & YouTube personality, and an acclaimed blogger, TPC is very proud to have our old friend on board as the C.F. Floyd Feature Writer of National Affairs. 

Click here to read Perrin's various writings at TPC. 

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The Piedmont Chronicles

Your Source for the REAL Story

COVERING THE GLORIOUS GEORGIA PIEDMONT

| Covington, GA | Newton Co. |

A Sunday Check-in w/ MB: LP Newton Official; Criminal Charges On The Way in re P-Cards? Odds & Ends...

 Greetings, Fearless Readers, and we sure hope it's as pretty as a picture out there. 

As mentioned by this publication a few days back, the inaugural general meeting of the The Libertarian Party of Newton Co. took place on Wednesday evening. 

Well, this writer attended this political body's event & I have the following dispatch to report: 

Several folks were present for this meeting which began around 6:30pm. Chairman Ryan Ralston spoke as did Vice-Chair Beth Moye Shaffer & there was much discussion, too, among the assembled body. The party is working on several exciting things & I expect big things from this group of which I am proudly a member of. 

P-Cards got the Attn of the DA! 

Friends, in a development that can only be called monumental, Alcovy Judicial Circuit DA Randy McGinley has publicly stated that he has reached out to state law enforcement about investigating some of the certain P-card purchases of several Newton Co. elected & appointed officials. 

So glad to hear this. If there's nothing there (which many doubt) then a state investigation will bear that out; however, if not, then...well, hell, this is exactly what we need, no? 

Da! 

Ellis "Da" Millsaps will have a piece hitting here in this space on Tuesday. You know you don't want to miss it. Keep an eye out. 

###

What else?

I actually went to church today. It was about that time of the year(s). Seriously, though, I always think back to my Lewis Grizzard in which I, paraphrasing, obviously don't need as much savin' as them folks that have to go every week (or multiple times a week). 

Really, I must say that I greatly enjoyed it. The music was incredible & it was one of the better sermons I've ever witnessed. I just might go back. Probably not next week (but, you never know, maybe), or the week or two after that, but I will be there again.

Fellowship & enjoyment of the Good Word is a good thing, after all. 

Hope all is well out there, Piedmonteers! Catch you on the flip side. 

- MBM 

Correction in re City of Covington Budget

 In a piece from a couple of weeks ago, TPC erroneously stated a budget increase for the home city of 14% instead of the accurate number of 11% (FWIW, the budget increase was $14 million & that's what got us). 

TPC regrets this error. 

- MBM 

Libertarian Support Rising: An Affiliate of the Libertarian Party To Have Local Presence in Newton Co., GA for the First Time in Almost a Decade

 First-ever meeting of the Libertarian Party of Newton Co. to Occur Wednesday, October 11th in the upstairs section of The Social Goat in Downtown Covington at 6:30pm

The Libertarian Party of Newton Co., an affiliate of the Libertarian Party of GA

A new county affiliate of the Libertarian Party of Georgia - the Libertarian Party of Newton Co. - will be holding their opening, basal meeting on the east side of the Covington Square here in a few days.

This, in & of itself, is a big deal as it will signify the first time that the home county has been a tripartisan one in over 8 yrs. 

Previously, as some readers may remember, the East Metro LP had a presence in Covington & Newton Co. from 2005 until, officially, 2013. The party then went defunct. 

As several folks that this writer has spoken to have attested -- the time had definitely come to remedy that situation & that's where we are at now. 

According to party Chair Ryan Ralston, it was way past time for a return of 3rd-party politics to our area & the party is very excited about "shaking things up ...& [challenging] the status quo.' 

In addition to Mr. Ralston, the rest of the new party's executive committee is comprised of Beth Moye Shaffer, Gabbie Fox & Renee Fraudy. 

*****

In the spirit of full disclosure, your semi-esteemed Editor was involved w/ the East Metro LP back in the day & is planning on being involved w/ the LP of Newton Co as a regular member. 

I know some will tell you that you shouldn't officially be involved w/ a political party if you're a journalist but I'm fortunate in that I am not your regular run-of-the-mill journalist, but rather a Citizen Journalist.

Plus, 

 I Do What I Want! 

(and ain't that just so damn Libertarian?)

By all accounts, this is looking to be a big get-together for lovers of liberty in & around the home county as well as being a historic evening by virtue of a new, vital entity becoming part & parcel of the Body Politic of Newton & the Great State of Georgia. 

Again, that will be this Wednesday, August 11 in the upstairs section of The Social Goat (1115 Church St. Covington, GA 30014) on the east side of the Covington Square. 6:30pm. 

*Stay Tuned for a follow-up piece covering the meeting*

Cheers, 

MBM 

Newton Co, GA, USA: It Was The Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times

By MB McCart, Ed 



Dickensian references aside (and that's two in the last week here at the ole site for those keeping score), things are definitely interesting on the home county front. 

There's a definitive duality/juxtaposition thing going on w/ the Newton Co. BOC at this point. 

On the same night this "august" body did quite possibly enact one of the largest millage rate DECREASES in county history, they then brought back the mask mandate for county-owned properties. 

JC abstained from the budget vote, per usual, while Alana Sanders was the lone dissenting vote against a county budget that has pleasantly surprised many political watchers, this one included. 

I'll always tip my hat when it's due, so I will certainly publicly do so at this time:

To BOC Reps Edwards, Mason & Cowan -- Thank you, Gentleman. 

*** 

Make My Card the P-Card! 

Parliament-Funkadelic references aside, our old nemesis - The Covington News - actually did some legit reporting here lately. 

Well, sort of... 

After their intro-piece of last week, the general consensus was that Pt II would be a little underwhelming. 

The good news, though, is this: 

Now that CovNews has filed & paid for these ORRs, they are now available to anyone & everyone who is interested. 

This is gonna be some great fodder for a long, long time... 

But them boots, though? 

DEVELOPING...

Stay Tuned

- MBM