Does Truth And Character Matter?

With the Run-off for Election Day only 20 days away, we are proud to have run a positive campaign. We have run no negative ads and no negative mailers. We have stayed on our message of Jobs, Jobs, Jobs and it has resonated. However, one of my opponents Mr. Albers continues to mislead and lie to the public and I think it’s important for the voters of the 56th District to know the truth about Mr. Albers.

Why does Mr. Albers continue to be fast and loose with the truth?

A few of Mr. Albers false claims:

- Lie #1: Claiming he ran a $5 Billion Dollar Division of AT&T

AJC 6/29/2010: John Albers, a Republican candidate for District 56 state senator, said during a campaign forum that he ran a $5 billion division of AT&T, it reported.

The problem was that Dick Anderson, (former President of Global Services for AT&T) happened to be in the audience. Anderson, who backs one of Albers’ opponents, told The Beacon, and later PolitiFact Georgia, that he never heard of Albers and couldn’t find any telecommunications executive who did. Ouch.”

A spokeswoman for what’s now called Alcatel-Lucent confirmed much of what Albers told PolitiFact Georgia. He was “part of the business that did installation, maintenance, engineering and a wide range of professional services,” according to an e-mail response to our inquiry. He worked for a part of AT&T dubbed “Network Systems,” and his title was “Network Capacity Planning Manager.” Lucent did not provide information on how many people he supervised. AJC: PolitiFact John Albers

- Lie #2: Claiming he had a Business Degree from Louisville

The Beacon 6/12/2010: “On his Facebook page, Albers lists “University of Louisville 90” under “Education,” and in an interview with Appen Newspapers in May, Albers claimed to be a graduate of Louisville, according to the newspaper.

University of Louisville spokesman Mark Herbert confirmed that Albers attended UL from 1990-92, but said he did not graduate. Beacon: Albers Exaggerations and Embellishments

- Lie #3: Claiming he had the National Rifle Association (NRA) Endorsement

NRA-PVF 7/11/10: At the beginning of a North Fulton GOP Breakfast attended by GOP activists and numerous elected officials each candidate for office was given the opportunity to introduce themselves. Mr. Albers claimed that he had been endorsed by the NRA. In fact the day before the NRA had not endorsed Mr. Albers but the Beach Campaign.

The problem is the NRA has a strict endorsement policy. They will endorse one candidate in each race; see the attached “Letter of Endorsement.” Despite telling a reporter later that day that he had misspoke, he continues to mention his supposed “NRA endorsement” in emails and conversation. NRA-PVF Endorsement Letter

We think truth and character matters.

If Mr. Albers feels the need to mislead the voters about such trivial matters . . .  what will he do when important issues are on the line?

Please remember to get out and vote on August 10. The truth matters.

Brandon Beach, Republican Candidate for State Senate, D-56