Bill's Reply

Yesterday was a very trying day. As many of you saw, there was a not-so-flattering article about me on the front page of the Marietta Daily Journal. Once again, they said I did not respond. I did, but they said it was too late to print. Keep in mind that I don’t have a large, professional campaign committee. While I do have a "named" committee, it is just Brenda and me out there, first-timers in the political arena, figuring this out as we go.

Because the article cast doubt about my character and ability to abide by the law, I thought I should address the issues in public.

First, Brenda’s company, Checkpoint Mortgage, is and always has been fully licensed and up to date on all taxes and filings. I am still not quite sure why they brought her company up in an article about me. I work there, yes, but I do not own it. The entire legal name is Real Estate Custom Finance, Inc. DBA Checkpoint Mortgage. Perhaps that is why the city worker in Kennesaw couldn’t find what the reporter was digging for.

Second, I am a legal resident of Georgia, full time, and I’m legally registered to vote in Cobb County. I have lived in the county 27 years and in my current home since 1993. My time spent in Alaska was for the 9 to 10 months I was training a dog team there. Since we had to have a place to stay, we purchased a small condo in Wasilla. My domicile was always officially Kennesaw, GA. I was never an Alaska resident and do not collect any of the permanent fund dividends afforded to fulltime citizens there. I also own property in other states, all of which is fully disclosed on the financial disclosure filed with the Cobb County Board of Elections. Each and every year we pay school taxes on five properties in the Post 4 area of Cobb County.

Thirdly, yes, I have two cars with Alaska license plates. I have a motorcycle with Georgia plates. In their haste to publish the article, MDJ erroneously depicted a third red vehicle with an Alaska tag that belongs to somebody else. My wife owns a Toyota and she is changing her license to a Georgia plate as we speak. I own a 2002 F250 pick-up with my Iditarod Finisher license plate. This is very special to me as I am one of only 688 people in the world who have the honor of displaying that tag. But both are legally registered in Alaska but with our Georgia office address on the title. We also have a business licensed in Alaska. If some are questioning the amount of taxes I pay in Georgia, I’d wager that we pay more than most candidates by virtue of owning 4 properties in the Post Four district. We also pay taxes in all of the other states as well as the City of Kennesaw.

A few other facts – I graduated from John Marshall Law School in 1993. I do not practice law, do not want to practice law and am not a member of the Bar but my legal education is priceless. I do have a Georgia Driver’s License and have had for many years. Our son graduated from Kell High School. We also have a daughter and four grandchildren. I have been a t-ball coach, a Scoutmaster, a volunteer teacher, president of more than one local business association, etc. Long story short, I give back to my community.

In summary, it should be obvious to most of you that I am being subjected to a witch hunt. MDJ obviously has a big stake in getting my opponent elected. She is a guest columnist for their paper. They will print what they want and do whatever it takes to accomplish their mission. I have resisted talking to the MDJ because from day one, before I realized their agenda, they have misquoted me or left facts out of my quotes to distort the meaning. I am busy trying to run a campaign, trying to run a business, trying to get elected to HELP the students, teachers and parents of Cobb County.

Brenda and I are very humbled by and thank you for the many personal comments, phone calls and emails of support that we received yesterday.

I will continue to run a positive campaign. I will stand on my merits of superior qualifications and proven servant leadership in my community. I hope that this serves to remove any questions in your mind about the seeds of doubt being planted by our lovely local press.

Bill