MEMORANDUM TO: Georgia State Convention Delegates & Alternates
by Bill Simon
RE: Quid pro quo for your vote for Tricia Pridemore?
Dear Delegates & Alternates,
According to my sources, some former Sue Everhart supporters have now, under “intense pressure”, switched their vote to supporting Tricia Pridemore. “Intense pressure” is what they are rumored to have described the phone calls they received from the Governor that caused them to switch their votes.
Now, I do not fault these folks for changing their minds. Either fortunately or unfortunately, there is NOTHING in government that I desire to obtain where I would be susceptible to any kind of pressure the point of switching a vote. But, I’m not in these folks’ shoes, and neither are you, and I’m not going to sit in judgement of them or hold them to blame.
The blame for these switches is the government official trying like hell to get someone who is SO unqualified for the office for which she is running that it makes one think there’s some other reason why that is…wayy…behind the scenes that explains these actions other than “she’s my girl.”
Recently, though, I’ve heard of a new “encouragement mechanism” the Pridemore Team will be employing to get people to switch their support from either Sue or Shawn to support Tricia.
In Phase 1, they are going through the list of applicants for the various state boards, state commissions, and state authorities, and see which ones are on the list of either being a delegate or an alternate to the convention.
And, then, they will each be called to see where they stand on who they support. If they do not support Tricia, they will be “encouraged” to support her, or else their application for a state appointment will be “lost” in the shuffle.
For Phase 2, they will call all delegates and alternates who are “undecided” and offer them a state appointment if they commit to supporting Tricia.
Now, I would only caution those of you who might think an appointment to a state board might be a really cool thing to have by asking you this: How, exactly, could you be assured of the Governor following through on his side of the bargain to make that appointment? I mean, think about it…you commit to supporting Tricia for the May 14 convention vote. The time for your board appointment would not occur until after that convention vote takes place.
And, whether Tricia wins or not, are you going to commit based on a promise over the phone? I would at least ask for a letter or email to confirm that the agreement is in place. You know, because if you agreed to the deal, and the Governor reneged on his side of the deal, then you could take that letter to a contracts lawyer and get, perhaps, a settlement or something like that.
All I’m saying is that whatever sweet dumpling of state government fame is promised you for your support of Tricia Pridemore, just cover your base with something more concrete than someone’s voice on the telephone promising you something in exchange for your vote.
