Williams has 'hideous record as a Democrat,' is a 'protege' of Fleming

Editor:

Tom Werner's letter (Oct. 8) accusing me of "parroting" someone else's words in my criticism of Superior Court Judge candidate Bill Williams is laughable.

Williams falls into two distinct subsets which equal a "double whammy" as he seeks to secure the conservative votes of Columbia County.

First, he has a hideous record as a Democrat Richmond County commissioner. During his tenure, he engineered an 11th-hour dismantling of the sheriff's department, a move that was later reversed in a landslide by county referendum. He also frequently laughed off obeying Georgia's Open Meetings Law, and expressed open disdain for his Republican counterparts on the Commission. His record was embarrassing and undistinguished.

Second, in recent years Williams has become a protege of Chief Judge William Fleming, and is his hand-picked successor. This is the same Judge who had the Augusta judicial circuit hogtied in a convoluted (and many say corrupt) case assignment system. Williams is also pushed by Judge Carlisle Overstreet, who may be the most liberal jurist to ever hold court in Columbia County.

Belonging to one of the above subsets would be enough to draw my fire; belonging to both just makes it more fun for me.

The late Augusta Chronicle reporter and columnist Margaret Twiggs used to ride Bill Williams like a rented mule during his political service. Margaret has since passed on, but she did bequeath me her saddle. Ride 'em, cowboy!

Austin Rhodes

Martinez