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By Editor Becky Watts
ZEBULON - I am very careful with what I put online around elections. I don't allow the mudslinging that goes on in other newspapers, and I try to keep things positive such as emphasizing why people want to run for office and what can be done well or better with their election. However, I am going to include some front page stories that have a direct bearing on the District Attorney's race that are not positive but have been in the public light and even acknowledged by the candidate himself.
Candidate Rudjard Hayes sent out mail pieces and advertised in the beginning of this campaign that he had "300 felony jury trials" under his belt with a "98% success rate" during his 11 year span as an Assistant District Attorney in the Griffin and Coweta Judicial Circuits.
Danny Harrison followed up on this topic again last week. I read the article at the time, but I didn't update my page because things have been a little crazy here over the past week news-wise. However, I am updating this and pulling it to the top of the page because I received a mailer today from Rudjard Hayes that now has "more than 300 felony jury trials" and "98+% Conviction Rate" rather than the original wording that is mentioned in the first set of investigative articles that Danny Harrison from the Fayette County News. I'm including all of the articles again--along with the follow up last week.
I am in a business where numbers and words are important. I am also in a business where my reputation rests on what I say as much as how I say it. And I am immersed in politics on a daily basis most days.
Pike County Times does not normally publicly endorse anyone in local races, but I have in this race because integrity and telling the truth--without embellishment--are important to me. I invite you to read the following articles and see for yourself what my concerns are. Compare it to what you read and have heard or seen in this political race. A quick search will bring up the websites for both candidates too so you can do some more educating and comparing before you go vote. Click here to read the original editorial from Erik Manning that was published on July 5, 2016. (Start from the top of the page and scroll down.)
Get educated and vote your conscience on this. I looked over the evidence and voted for Ben Coker in the July 26th Run Off.
Guest Columnist: Danny Harrison
Courtesy of Fayette County News
FAYETTE - The Fayette County Republican Party will host a debate Monday night for candidates heading into the July 26 Primary Election Runoff. [Note from the Editor: This article was published on June 24, 2016 and explains how the story began.] Click here for more.
Guest Columnist: Danny Harrison
Courtesy of Fayette County News
FAYETTE - The Fayette County Republican Party hosted an enthusiastic candidate forum Monday night in advance of the July 26 Primary Election Runoff, for which early voting starts Tuesday, July 5, but one could have almost heard “America the Beautiful” playing in the background as Third District congressional candidate Mike Crane took the stage in the absence of his opponent Drew Ferguson. [Note from the Editor: This article was published on June 29, 2016 and gives information from the GOP Forum about all of the candidates. The end of the article talks about both Rudjard Hayes and Ben Coker.] Click here for more.
Guest Columnist: Danny Harrison
Courtesy of Fayette County News
FAYETTE - Before I give a brief account for why we as a newspaper are so vigorously pursuing the truth about district attorney candidate Rudjard Hayes’ prosecutor performance claims, let me in preface say that my major motivations as a journalist are to please God by serving our readers well. Go ahead and roll your eyes or whatever, but that’s the simple truth. [Note from the Editor: This gives the rest of the details on Danny Harrison's search for the truth on these campaign claims.] Click here for more.
Guest Columnist: Danny Harrison
Courtesy of Fayette County News
FAYETTE - Two weeks from now, we will know who our next district attorney, Third District congressman, and 73rd District state representative will be. [Note from the Editor: This is the follow up article on the numbers.] Click here to read: "Political cheat codes: Some of these numbers still don’t add up."
Guest Columnist: Danny Harrison
Courtesy of Fayette County News
FAYETTE - Years ago, back when Dan McDuffie was our sports editor and copy editor, he and I had a running joke about what life would be like “in Danny’s World.” [Note from the Editor: This is a follow up on the mailers that are still coming out on both the Congressional race and the District Attorney's race. ] Click here to read: "In Danny's World, Only Factual Mailers."