Team Sheffield's Fair and Honest Response to Ralph Hudgens Bizarre, Negative Attack

Submitted by Kathryn Ballou, Team Sheffield

Yesterday, Maria Sheffield's opponent launched another bizarre, negative attack. Maybe Ralph is "confused" again. In a new low in the history of Georgia politics, Maria's opponent appears to have attacked her for doing her job.

For those not aware, Maria is a working taxpayer. She worked her way through Georgia universities earning four degrees all before the age of 25. Like a majority of Georgians, she has an honest work ethic and must work to survive in this economy. By contrast, her opponent lists his occupation as an "investor" and is a multi-millionaire, career politician, who still takes his taxpayer funded salary.

The question is not why is Maria Sheffield doing her job, the real question is why is her opponent not doing his day job?

When was the last time Ralph was spotted doing his job for the Georgia taxpayers as opposed to taking their money as a "salary" to subsidize his negative campaign?

By way of contrast:

On June 29, 2009, Ralph announced his candidacy for Insurance Commissioner of Georgia. Since that time, Ralph has been seen countless times with insider lobbyists in tow, and at dinner with lobbyists, all while taking a salary from the taxpayers. Worse yet, all of this was taking place during a legislative session occurring at the same time as a recession that is hurting individuals and small businesses and while state employees are being furloughed. It is highly questionable why Ralph, who as chairman of the INSURANCE Committee, accepted gifts, dined with lobbyists, and billed the taxpayers for his salary, while an announced candidate for Insurance Commissioner. Ralph needs to return every taxpayer dollar he accepted in salary and stop billing the taxpayers to subsidize his campaign.

Additionally, Ralph participated in meetings at the National Conference of Insurance Legislators at the expense of taxpayers during the campaign, where he held fundraisers with insurance industry lobbyists and affected association policy on behalf of those same lobbyists.

Ralph works for the taxpayers of Georgia and he has allowed the very same special interest lobbyists, who seek special access and results, to pour thousands into his campaign. Ralph attempts to present himself as a small businessman while raking in tens of thousands of dollars from insider lobbyists who expect him to support their legislation. The promotion of his campaign by the taxpayers of Georgia is unseemly.

Not only is it unseemly, but Ralph should either reimburse the salary he took from the taxpayers during the Session, return the tainted money he accepted from lobbyists or count the value as a rip-off of the taxpayers on his next disclosure.

This is a travesty and a stain on the moral character of every other citizen legislator in the Georgia General Assembly who follows the rules and obeys the law. Maybe Ralph was "confused" again?

Stephen Northington, who has endorsed Maria Sheffield, characterizes the issue in these terms: "If you have announced your campaign for Insurance Commissioner, and refuse to step down as Chairman of the Senate Insurance Committee but accept tens of thousands of dollars from the very same lobbyists who influenced legislation before your Committee and you took a salary from the taxpayers, the last thing you should do is attack a private citizen for doing honest and transparent work in the free market economy. It seems Mr. Hudgens thinks it is ok for him to take money from the taxpayers while a candidate, but a private citizen should apologize for working in an honorable manner in our free market – it is sad really. This is why I have concerns about Mr. Hudgens being too close to both Commissioner Oxendine and insider lobbyists and why we need a fresh start in that office."