State Representative David Clark will remain in the Georgia House, 3/5/19.
My
big announcement regarding our House in crisis and why I am not running as a
candidate for the 7th Congressional District of the US House.
I
come before you today as a lifelong Georgian, a husband, a father, a brother, a
son, a U.S. Army combat veteran and finally as a member of leadership in the
Georgia House of Representatives. I am here on behalf of the people in our
great state who want liberty and justice for all.
You have seen the public
information about the shame that David Ralston has brought to the Georgia House
of Representatives. With that, every member of this great body has a decision
to make- to stand by and put the great people of the state in jeopardy by doing
nothing or to take bold and decisive action by removing this abuser of power
from office. And it’s a simple decision to make on behalf of our constituents.
There
are a few nightmare scenarios that could actually happen to change the course
of Georgia history if this is not handled properly. Even our finest and most
popular public servant, Senator Johnny Isakson would be at risk for re-election
in Georgia if the Democrats make the same gains as last year. I have so much
respect for Senator Isakson. He is the perfect statesman and if poll numbers
are any indication, almost everybody in our party loves him. Many in the other
party love him too! Senator Isakson represents all Georgians no matter their
race, age, gender, sexual orientation or where they live in Georgia.
Child
molestation is wrong. Assault is wrong. Rape is wrong. AS THE FATHER OF A NINE
MONTH OLD DAUGHTER, I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT IF SOMEONE IS CONVICTED OF RAPING
A CHILD OR A WOMAN…THEY SHOULD BE PUT IN JAIL AND WE SHOULD THROW AWAY THE KEY….QUICKLY!
The
bottom line here is that people who suffer from others- people who are victims
of crimes- have a right to see the perpetrators tried in a court of law. It’s
obvious from the record that David Ralston doesn’t see it that way. Ask him to
explain the 14 girl who was raped and has yet to have her day in court….six
years later. Just imagine if that was your daughter or mother or sister or
wife? How would you feel? I know how I would feel if it were mine.
Every
single person (because there are multiple victims here people) who has been
denied justice by the actions of David Ralston is or has been a constituent of
Senator Isakson and/or Senator David Perdue. Think about it. If a denial of
justice can happen in North Georgia…who is going to stop it from happening to
you or your family member in other parts of the state?
There
is another nightmare scenario to be considered here. If Stacey Abrams had won,
she could have vetoed almost every bill we passed and at that point it would
require a two thirds majority to override her veto. Under David Ralston’s
leadership, the GOP has lost so many seats in the House that a constitutional
two thirds majority on a Republican bill won’t happen.
That’s another example
of his failed leadership. David Ralston’s failure to protect Republican House
members came close to allowing Stacey Abrams to dictate policy and push her
radical positions that would keep Georgia from being the number one state to do
business.
Let
me say that again in case you didn’t here me: David Ralston’s failure to
protect Republican House members came close to allowing Stacey Abrams to
dictate policy and push her radical positions that would keep Georgia from
being the number one state to do business. She would have forced David Ralston
to compromise on key legislation like she did before when she served in the
House. Check the record. She even put his compliments in her campaign
commercials. If she got him to bend when she was in the minority, imagine how
she would have mishandled him as governor. Thank God for the wisdom Georgia
voters showed by electing Governor Brian Kemp.
David
Ralston’s lovefest with Stacey Abrams has put Georgia in the bullseye for
control of the U.S. Senate. Let me explain that because it speaks to why the
Democrats have been silent. They are laying a trap. They are setting us up. I’m
telling anyone who will listen. This place won’t be the same when the national
money starts pouring in for Stacey Abrams in her race against Senator David
Perdue. She raised millions more than the guy who won, almost 28 million
dollars, from the Party that’s been out of power for 16 years. Stacey Abrams
raised more money than any Georgia candidate for office. Nancy Pelosi and Chuck
Schumer let her give the Democratic response to President Trump’s State of the
Union Address because they want her to help them win back the U.S. Senate in
2020. The whole country saw that.
Everyone
knows that the out of state money from Massachusetts, California and New York
will start pouring in if they smell blood in the water. And who is the wounded
shark? He is currently the head guy in the Georgia House of Representatives.
And his name is Speaker David Ralston.
I
recognize that the elected officials are between a rock and hard place.
However, if we sit on our hands we’ll lose our seats just like the 11 House
seats we lost last election. We currently have only a fifteen seat majority and
I believe that close to fifteen Republicans won with less than 55 percent of
the vote in the elections last year. Keep in mind that at one point we had a
strong 29 seat majority. All the Democrats have to do is repeat their gains
from last year + 5 and they’re in the majority and control the House. Who is
looking out for the vulnerable Republican House members who will be targeted by
the Democrat Party?
Unfortunately
it’s not just House member seats at stake, but the entire down ballot of
Republican candidates that hang in the balance in the 2020 election. As you
know in 2020 we have a US Senator David Perdue up for re-election. Think about
it. David Ralston or David Perdue?
The
Democrat machine has ordered their troops to remain silent so they can prepare
to make David Perdue and David Ralston twins. The two Davids. You can see the
commercials already….David Ralston David Perdue. They are going to wear that
out in exactly the same way Republicans tie Nancy Pelosi to Georgia Democrats.
And trust me they are waiting strategically for the best time to strike. That’s
why the Democrats have remained silent.
Senator
Perdue will need every vote he can get. Remember we just had a close midterm.
And Democrats come out in force during presidential elections. President Trump
only won Georgia by just five points. The Democrats are out for blood and they
will do anything to win this time. When they see that a wounded and unethical
speaker is the second most powerful official in Georgia, he will become an easy
target. What happens then?
If
they start getting traction they are going to bring out all the problems David Ralston
reportedly had with his lap of luxury lobbyist and taxpayer funded trip to
Europe a few years ago. It was so bad that they had to change state law and
blame everybody but him. Remember that? When Republicans see the bad poll
numbers, they will start fleeing and pulling away from David Ralston. And then
we will really be in trouble. How will vulnerable Republicans, especially those
in suburban Metro Atlanta districts, how will they survive defending the denial
of justice to victims of rape, assault and abuse? The people will vote them
out. That’s why the Democrats have remained silent.
In the last election a lot
of Republicans made a fuss about Stacey Abrams being a lawyer and an elected
official who doesn’t pay her taxes. Now I believe everybody should pay their
taxes. I’m not here to defend Stacey Abrams, but I don’t recall anyone
associating her with assault. I don’t remember anything about rape victims
either and we definitely didn’t hear anything about child molesters getting
away with their crimes under her service as a lawyer.
We
are seeing these things over and over with David Ralston. At some point he will
be the toxic boogeyman being used by the Democrats as a sledgehammer against
Republican candidates in Georgia from state House all the way up to President
Trump in his re-election effort.
Speaking
of President Trump…Keep in mind that he only won Georgia by 5 points in 2016.
Apparently, he hasn’t heard about this stuff yet because I’m afraid it won’t be
pretty when he does. Can you imagine his tweet in response to someone who has
reportedly enabled child molesters and rapists to escape prosecution and is now
threatening his re-election in Georgia? That’s what scares me! And that brings
me to the announcement regarding my decision on the 7th congressional race?
Before
I get there though, let me share this. Just over 10 years ago, in 2008, David
Ralston stood up for what he said he believed in by challenging a sitting
Speaker when he thought the Speaker was dragging down our caucus. And now, I’m pleading
for Speaker Ralston to step down himself for the good of our House caucus and
for the love of the great state of Georgia. If he truly loves this caucus as he
often claims then it’s time for him to put the caucus ahead of his own personal
ambitions. And if he won’t resign on his own free will it leaves me and our
caucus with no other choice than to follow the playbook that David Ralston
himself wrote on how to challenge a sitting Speaker.
As
the Speaker desperately tries to maintain his power grab it puts our House
members in an unfair and compromising situation. I can tell you from experience
that the majority of the men and women here are good and honorable and simply
want to serve their constituents as they make good on their campaign promises;
yet if they sign the resolution they jeopardize their influence and risk not
getting things accomplished for the people of their districts.
The
bad news is that Speaker David Ralston knows all too well that he must do
EVERYTHING in his power to keep us from getting 20 members who publicly oppose
his Speakership. So, he’s doing whatever it takes to tamp that down. I submit
to you that while they won’t publicly acknowledge it, based on my research and
conversations with colleagues, the Speaker would lose a secret ballot vote to
remove him from office if it were held today.
So
with all that said, I’m announcing today that I can better serve the people who
voted for me by staying here in the state House to help clean up this crisis
before it becomes a statewide crisis that could affect the outcomes of the U.S.
Senate and presidential races here in Georgia next year. Many things may be
said about me but everyone knows that I will never run from a challenge or
fight when I know the cause is just and people’s lives hang in the balance.
Please pray for us as I believe this is a defining moment not only for a House
in crisis but for the future of our great state, nation, and the Republican
Party.
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