TPC Check-in 3/27/25: Talkin' WTC; Atty Lindsey; Odds & Ends - Data Centers & Water

 Greetings, Piedmonteers, & we sure hope it's fine as wine for everybody out there; or, at a minimum, as dandy as candy. 

So, what's the buzz? 

Tommy Craig 

William Thomas "Tommy" Craig, Esq. (WTC)

Well, I've looked over pretty much all available public documents regarding the old feller's bankruptcy proceeding. 

As is almost always the case w/ someone declaring bankruptcy, a large majority of his debts are being discharged & that, naturally, is a bit bothersome, concerning & confounding, considering, just from the home county alone, he's made upwards (above?) $25 million over the last few decades. 

So therefore, the question is begged: 

Where the Hell did all of that money go???

Reading through the documents there are certainly some oddities there, particularly having to do w/ some of his family members being involved w/ the settling of this situation; however, I'm not going to get into that at this point (things might change if a particular family member were to become county attorney or something similar). 

But for anybody wanting to get additional info on all of this, all of this is public information. So, w/ collegiate gusto & zeal, I'd recommend anyone & everyone to get after it! Put on your Citizen Journalist hat. Perform a Mitzvah, as some my ancestors would've said, & do the things you should be doing in order to be a productive member of society! 

Do Your Part!

Also, in re: Craig 

Was talking w/ one of the Network Chiefs just earlier today regarding the former "caustic county attorney."

Craig did indeed always hold himself w/ quite a level of aplomb, no doubt, coming across as graceful & cordial in a manner that would oftentimes ingratiate himself w/ many. Also, apparently, he always had powerful powers of persuasion. It is, in this writer's estimation,  how he was able to do so many of the the things he was able to do. 

Moving on... 

Attorney Stephanie Lindsey 

My, my, my. 

Wow. 

A moment of weakness? 

The pressure of the moment? 

She, possibly having had her "Charley James" moment, and just basically not giving a Fv<K anymore? 

Sidebar: 

As prescribed by state law, the Sheriff, Clerk of Court & the Probate of any particular county decides who the Legal Organ - the "paper of record" - is for that particular county (the newspaper that gets a bunch of money from that local government to run all the legals).

 As is obviously the case (and has been for years), 
  if the Covington News didn't have Legal Organ status they would've been out of business many, many years ago. 

Just a quick sidebar.

You understand. 

Odds & Ends 

The attempt of the Great Selling Out of Newton County continues, and we're not just talking subdivisions & apartment complexes here, folks. 

Those data centers, though. 

Most folks can't wrap their heads around the sheer volume of water that those things require. 

Water

The lifeblood of life. 

We're very fortunate that we have such a multitude of riches when it comes to water in the GA Piedmont, particularly w/ sub-surface water; however, if we keep approving these damned things, that may very well (and quite likely) will not be the case for much longer. 

Okay, then. 

Best, 

- MBM 

A Follow-up on the WTC & Newton BOC Situations

 Greetings, Friends. Hope this write-up finds you well. 

So last week I had two pieces that dealt w/ the recent developments of the Newton Co BOC as well as another one talking about (WTC) Wm Thomas "Tommy" Craig's bankruptcy situation. 

We'll start w/ WTC. 

I actually had two different folks to reach out to me to tell me how I was doing it all wrong regarding Craig.

Here is one of the communiques I received from an apparent former subscriber: 

Gonna unsubscribe now. Without actual facts and context to show relevance to public interest, this post is nothing but gossip about a private citizen. 

I responded back w/ this: 

Certainly your prerogative, [name redacted]. 

Did confirm that the information is legitimate. All public record. NOT gossip. 

And considering he's gotten $2 million in taxpayer dollars from the NCSO over the last decade (and once again eclipsed $300K the past fiscal year on record), the whole "private citizen" thing is just a total non-starter. 

Interesting...

And certainly a strange hill to die on, in my estimation.

But, whatever. 

But before I move on,  I'll follow up w/ this: 

I believe that Newton Co, prior to the aforementioned $2 million, had previously paid Tommy Craig upwards of some $20 million dollars going all the way back to the 1970s. 

And let's not forget about the Bear Creek Reservoir & Newton Landfill boondoggles. 

Homeslice is totally 100% fair game, obviously. 

Moving on. 


Newton BOC 

According to an almost-always accurate source, most everybody didn't know about the Linda Hayes pick for Chair. Initially, several of us had assumed that our current State House Rep, Tim Fleming, was involved w/ this but I'm quite confident he wasn't & this source has confirmed that.

Apparently, he was just as surprised as the rest of us were when the news hit. 

So, the question is obviously begged, who in the hell was the driving force behind this decision? 

Well now, that's a damn good question, isn't it? 

I'm working on running down a few leads to try to figure that out.

#StayTuned

DEVELOPING... 

Best, 

MBM 

William Thomas "Tommy" Craig, former Newton Co Attorney, Files for Bankruptcy

 The Chronicles can report that Craig first filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code on October 2, 2023. 

Notice the Judge's Last Name

Over the last almost year & a half the proceedings have slowly wound its way through the process as the Order confirming the Ch 11 Plan was made on 24 January 2025 so it looks as if things are getting close to being finalized. 

Additional research will have to be done concerning whether the millions in federal back taxes that Craig previously owed might be a part of the reason for this petition as bankruptcy does discharge certain IRS debt. 

WTC

With recent developments & discussions throughout the community about Craig, TPC felt like this was a matter that should be part of the public discourse. 

Stay tuned for future updates. 

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- MBM 

Local REAL Politics Round-up, 3/13/25

And we're back. 

“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in”

Newton BOC 

So the news hit end of last week that Gov Brian Kemp did indeed suspend both BOC Chair, Marcello Banes, as well as Stephanie Lindsey, rep for BOC 3 (for the second time in as many years). 

What was surprising - and to many, concerning - were his picks for the interim placeholders. 

Ms Linda Hayes, the former longtime Clerk of Superior Court of the home county, was the real shocker as Kemp's pick to chair the county Board of Commissioners. In addition, Kemp named Andre Cooper as the acting BOC 3 Commissioner. 

Concerns abound regarding these appointments. 

Many in the community, this writer included, have concerns that possibly William Thomas "Tommy" Craig, Esq. (WTC), the former, caustic longtime county attorney, will be regaining major influence w/in the county government due to these selections. 

Another item of consideration is the fact that both Hayes & Cooper allegedly have strong ties to Sheriff Brown (who in turn has very strong ties to WTC as evidenced by his payments to Craig well in excess of a million dollars over the last few years). 

Further, with the change to the charter a while back, the BOC Chair now has veto power. So even if BOC 1,2 & 5 were to vote against things, in certain situations Madam Chair Hayes would have to ability to quash that majority vote. 

One local political watcher has already theorized that appointing Banks Craig (Tommy's son) as county attorney would be high on the priority list of this reestablished & reinvigorated  WTC/JC coalition. 

I'd say it's certainly in the realm of possibility. 

Man, Newton County. What else can you say? 

DEVELOPING...

#staytuned 

Ignominious & Salacious Drama in the Home City 

So the situation w/ former CFD Battalion Chief raised quite the brouhaha  last month as the news hit that he is suing the city after what he considers to be a wrongful termination. 

Looking at what is now known, I think it's a slam dunk. It's going to cost Covington money for damages as well as lawyer fees. 

All of this can be laid at the feet of one Fleeta Baggett, the "honorable" Mayor of the Home City. 

Yep, her friend (which it seems like many know the identity of) showed her the picture & then...what did Fleeta do? She does what she always does. She went full-on Fleeta. 

My, my, my. What a world, what a world! 

Carry On, 

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