Three Questions Nathan Deal Should Answer Immediately

We know what Nathan Deal is going to say about the latest developments in the Ethics Commission cover-up. He’ll deny, rinse, and repeat. This is the same move he’s pulled every single time he’s gotten into hot water.

According to Deal, it’s always someone else’s fault.

Question is, who will he blame this time?

Yesterday, a damning memo was obtained by the AJC authored by Ethics Commission Executive Director Holly LaBerge in 2012 that alleges state employees Ryan Teague, Nathan Deal’s chief counsel, and Chris Riley, Deal’s Chief of Staff pressured her to make ethics complaints about Deal’s 2010 campaign “go away.”

Previously, Deal has claimed “no involvement whatsoever”, but according to an interview with WAGA’s Dale Russell, LaBerge—who is now claiming whistleblower status—the cover-up came directly from Deal’s office.

If he is still claiming innocence, Nathan Deal should answer these questions IMMEDIATLEY:

1)      If Ryan Teague and Chris Riley are state employees and they were acting on behalf of Nathan Deal as an individual or the Deal for Governor campaign—Riley’s text message specifically references DFG—then why have they not been fired? Georgia Code § 21-5-30.2specifically prohibits state resources from being used for campaign purposes:

2)      If the Deal Administration used state funds to negotiate a settlement on behalf of Nathan Deal the individual, why hasn’t Attorney General Sam Olens opened an investigation of the activities of Nathan Deal’s administration?

3)      Randy Evans—who now appears to be playing the role of “The Wolf” from Pulp Fiction—represented Nathan Deal in the original ethics complaint. So, why did two individuals in the governor’s office negotiate a settlement instead of Randy Evans?

The latest developments in the continuing ethics cover-up only reinforces Sen. Jason Carter’s call for Attorney General Sam Olens to fully investigate both the original ethics complaint and the actions leading up to the cover-up.

Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter had the following to say on the ethics matter: “This is either willful blindness or unconscionable incompetence on the part of Nathan Deal. We’re gonna keep getting the same old story from Deal. Truth is—I wouldn’t hold in my hand what’s sure to come out of his mouth.”