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Speaker Ralston’s legal tactics could backfire on him
Dick Yarbrough
Let me get straight to the point: Georgia Speaker of the House David Ralston is skating on thin political ice. Ralston holds the second-most powerful position in our state and has for almost two decades. But those days may be coming to an end. There is no question that Ralston is a power under the Gold Dome. Not much happens there without the Speaker’s say-so. But outside is a different matter. Like it or not, perception is reality and the public perception is that David Ralston, a Blue Ridge attorney, is abusing the legal system, taking advantage of people who don’t have his power and influence by stalling cases far beyond what seems reasonable. A 1905 law states that lawyer-legislators can continue or stay cases in which they are involved if they certify to the court that their presence is required elsewhere because of their legislative duties. In other words, it would be difficult to try a case during the legislative session and reasonable to postpone it until after the session ended.