Handel Campaign: And Now, Nasty Nathan Attacks

Corrupt Politicians Deal and Oxendine Unite to Try and Stop Reformer Handel

As Karen Handel continues to pull away from the field, Nathan Deal has joined forces with John Oxendine in attacking her. Deal and Oxendine working together are a partnership only ethics committees can love.

“All the corrupt career politicians are in attack mode against Karen today for one reason: they are losing,” said Handel spokesman Dan McLagan. “Nathan’s latest attack (where he lets an unidentified young woman do his dirty work) is full of the usual false accusations but, what is most entertaining is what Nathan himself says when he claims that his ‘convictions won’t change with every election.’ We think Congressman Deal should be very careful using the word convictions...

Someone also ought to remind the former Bill Clinton Democrat that he changed not only his support for gays in the military, the teaching of gay lifestyles in schools, and pro-choice causes, but that he also changed parties purely out of political convenience.”

Anyway, here is the very simple debunk of Nasty Nathan’s new ad.

Claim:

Karen Handel is telling lies about Nathan Deal.

Facts:

The article cited was published on January 29, 2004, at which point, Karen had been County Commission Chairman for two months. In it, Karen is shown to be championing budget cuts and calling for less spending while Democrats on the Commission fight her. The article is clear, and it is attached in its entirety. The article also says: "One faction on the county Board of Commissioners, led by new GOP Chairwoman Karen Handel, says the county's spending is out of control and must be reined in before disaster strikes."

Claim:

"She gave nearly a half a million dollars to an abortion provider."

Facts:

Really? The ad provides no support whatsoever of this charge but we can only assume Deal means our reprinting of newspaper articles about Congressman Deal’s sweetheart deal with the state that profited him personally and that he used taxpayer-funded staff and authority to try and keep.

For this he was named one of the 5 most corrupt members of Congress, was investigated by a House Ethics Committee and is currently under investigation by Georgia’s Ethics Commission. In fact, Deal was so worried about the House Committee’s report that he resigned from Congress in hopes of preventing its release. These are truths, even if the good Congressman does not like them.

Since Congressman Deal’s campaign won’t provide any documentation we will.

“State investigating ethics claims against Deal,” Gainesville Times, June 9, 2010.

“Ethics report latest setback for Deal,” Atlanta Journal Constitution, April 3, 2010.

“AJC Investigation: Report Finds Deal violated ethics Rules,” Atlanta Journal Constitution, March 29, 2010.

“Panel Faults Candidate Deal on Ethics,” Associated Press, March 29, 2010.

Trust us, there are literally dozens more.

Claim:

But in her first campaign, Karen Handel supported gay partner benefits, and gay adoption.

Facts:

Here we go again…Deal even takes to repeating John Oxendine’s now-debunked attacks on Karen. From WXIA’s “Bullmeter” on the Oxendine ad (July 14,2010).

The ad's third charge claims Handel "supported taxpayer benefits for gay couples."

Handel points out that Fulton County's Domestic Partner Benefits program was already in effect when she took over as Chair, but that she voted against extending it later.

"I voted 'No' on that issue at Fulton County as Commission Chairwoman," she tells 11Alive News.

Oxendine admits Handel's 'No" vote, but claims she once sought and received support from gay organizations, which some e-mails allegedly support.

Handel told 11Alive News she couldn't recall any specific e-mails from more than a decade ago.
E-mails aside, because she is on the record voting against domestic partner benefits for same sex couples, our Bull meter gives this charge a 5 (with 5 being the least true).

Charge:

I’m Nathan Deal, the pro-life conservative who will crack down on Illegal Immigration.

Facts:

Well, Nathan, you haven’t yet. After nearly 18 years in Congress – including 12 with a Republican majority -- you didn’t accomplish much. Illegal immigration is worse today than it was when you went to Washington. You brag about “casting votes,” but have accomplished nothing. That’s not leadership, that’s warming a seat as a career congressman.

Charge:

My convictions won’t change with every election. Because I am a man of my word.

Facts:

Seriously? Nathan, with all due respect, you were elected as a Bill Clinton Democrat – TWICE. You changed PARTIES! And you didn’t do it because of your convictions or because your party was pushing things like gays in the military or Hillary-care. You switched parties to save yourself.