Turner Touts Ethics Reform

resident Scot Turner says Georgians need representation that won’t be swayed by the donations and gifts of lobbyists.

“It doesn’t have to be that way,” Turner said Monday night at his campaign kickoff event at the . “I’m giving the people of the 21st district a chance to change that by their votes.”

Jerguson currently represents the 22nd district but will swap territories with current 21st district representative Calvin Hill due to reapportionment.

Too many legislators accept monetary donations as well as gifts like hunting trips, bottles of wine, trips to Europe, expensive dinners and cigars as part of “influenced peddling”.

“All of these gifts had one thing in common, and that was to change the way legislators influence policy,” Turner said. “I don’t see how a hunting trip paid for by a lobbyist makes you a better legislator.”

Turner said he that not only will he not accept gifts from lobbyists if elected but he also won’t accept donations from lobbyists for his campaign.

“Imagine what  it’s like to have someone in office who’s repulsed by the idea of a lobbyist buying him lunch,” Turner said. “What would the ripple effect be?”

John Marinko, vice chairman of the Cherokee County Airport Authority and the county’s Republican party, said Turner is setting an example.

“You don’t have to take money to be successful,” Marinko said. “Unfortunately, we’ve gotten into that at a tremendous level, and it’s hurt our country.”

Marinko said he supports Turner 100 percent.

“I believe Scot will provide the kind of ethics reform we need as well as ethical spending of the taxpayers’ money,” he said. “I believe his opposition is a good person, but I think Scot has better ideas.”

Jay Bailey, one of Turner’s neighbors and friends, said that what stands out the most about the Republican candidate is his integrity.

“He doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk,” Bailey said. “It really seems like a calling to me, and I applaud him for his courage to step up and do this. I want Scot to be my representative in the Georgia House of Representatives.”

Other issues Turner talked briefly about at his campaign event were toll roads and the use of federal dollars for local projects, both of which he said he opposes. Turner said he’s against toll roads because Georgians already pay a use tax that’s rolled into the gas tax, and he said that federal funds always come with strings attached.

“We really need to make those decisions on a local level,” he said.